Yellowstone: Anticipation, Excitement, and Hope at East Entrance Opening

A 35° Fahenrheit morning surrounded by mist and snowcapped mountains hardly seems like the first day of the summer season, but that didn’t deter a long line of locals and visitors eager to enter Yellowstone National Park on Friday morning.

The East Entrance of Yellowstone was scheduled to officially open at 8 a.m. on May 5. Despite warnings of bad weather and temporary closures in Sylvan Pass, over 40 vehicles, their patient occupants, and a few eager dogs (all responsibly on leashes) were already parked and waiting.

First in line and rearing to go were Cody residents Stacy Boisseau, Kaya McIntosh, and Hailey McIntosh. The trio was continuing their tradition of being the first vehicle through the East Entrance for five years in a row.

“We never give up our secrets,” Wasso said when asked at what time they arrived at the East Entrance, although they conceded that they came during the night to ensure their spot at the front of the inevitable line.

Kaya McIntosh says locals are always the first to show up, and the first-in-lines always share a sense of community in their anticipation.

“It’s always locals that show up in the middle of the night to sit behind us. They all come up to talk to us, and we talk to them.  It’s like a big family.”

The first four vehicles were all from Wyoming, but the growing line was filled with vehicles from across the country – Iowa, Nevada, Oregon, Arizona, Florida, Washington, Texas, Indiana, Wisconsin, California, and Michigan. A few vehicles from neighboring Montana were in line for the first of Wyoming’s two entrances to open.

But the most worldly travelers were William and Leslie Ann Coffey. On their way to Las Vegas, the couple traveled to the East Entrance all the way from Ireland.

Just before 8 a.m., Yellowstone rangers emerged and removed the “Road Closed” signs in front of the entrance. Ignitions turned almost in unison as vehicles began rolling toward the ticket booth, the black Jeep Trailhawk carrying Boisseau and her daughters leading the way.

Within the first half-hour, a steady column of SUVs, campers, vans, and a Northwest College bus were cruising along the Northfork Highway toward Yellowstone. It’s the first trickle of locals and dedicated sightseers signalling the flood of summer tourism right around the corner.

Kaya McIntosh and her family work at 8th Street at the Ivy, so they share the Cody community’s optimism for the Summer 2023 season. After the disasterous floods of 2022, Cody and all of Yellowstone’s gateway communites are hopeful this will be the return to “business as usual” for businesses and tourism.

“I’m just excited for (Yellowstone & the East Entrance) to be super, super, super busy again,” McIntosh said.

As of Friday, May 5, the East (Sylvan Pass to Fishing Bridge Junction,) West, North, and Northeast Entrances of Yellowstone National Park are open to all vehicles. The route between Lake Village to Canyon Village opened the same day.

The park’s South Entrance outside Jackson is scheduled to open on Friday, May 12, along with many of the park’s interior roads.

To stay  informed about up-to-date road conditions in Yellowstone:

• Visit Park Roads.
• Call (307) 344-2117 for recorded information.
• Receive Yellowstone road alerts on your mobile phone by texting “82190” to 888-777 (an automatic text reply will confirm receipt and provide instructions).

Services in the spring are limited. Visit Operating Hours & Seasons for area-specific season opening dates.