Yellowstone National Park - Spring Plowing to Begin in Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

Date: February 28, 2007
Contact: Nash, (307) 344-2010
Contact: Vallie, (307) 344-2012

With the impending arrival of spring comes the end of the winter season and over-the-snow travel in Yellowstone National Park. Park roads will begin to close to snowmobiles and snowcoaches in preparation for spring plowing. Beginning at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 4, 2007, groomed roads from Mammoth to Norris will be closed, followed by the closure of Norris to Madison and Norris to Canyon at 9:00 p.m., on Tuesday, March 6. All remaining groomed roads will close to oversnow vehicles at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 11. The road from the North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana, to Cooke City, Montana, at the park's Northeast Entrance, is open all year to automobiles, weather permitting.

Visitor facilities will also close for the winter season according to the following schedule:

Saturday, March 3       Last night for lodging at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel

Sunday, March 4         Mammoth Hot Springs Dining Room closes after breakfast
                                 Mammoth and Indian Creek warming huts and Mammoth fuel station close                                    at 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 10    Last night for lodging at Old Faithful Snow Lodge

Sunday, March 11      Old Faithful Snow Lodge Dining Room closes after breakfast
                                   Old Faithful Geyser Grill & Gift Shop close after dinner

The following facilities will close at 5:00 p.m.: warming huts at Madison, Canyon, Fishing Bridge, Old Faithful and West Thumb; fuel stations at Old Faithful, Fishing Bridge and Canyon; and the Old Faithful Visitor Center.

At Mammoth, the Yellowstone General Store, clinic, campground, and Albright Visitor Center are open all year.

Weather permitting, the roads will begin opening again to vehicles on Friday, April 20, from Mammoth to Old Faithful; Madison to the West Entrance; and Norris to Canyon. The roads from Canyon to Lake, and from Lake to the East Entrance are scheduled to open on Friday, May 4; Lake to the South Entrance, and West Thumb to Old Faithful, Tower to Tower Fall on Friday, May 11; and Tower Fall to Canyon over Dunraven Pass on Friday, May 25.

Yellowstone's weather is very unpredictable. Always be prepared for a range of conditions. Call park headquarters at (307) 344-7381 for current information prior to traveling to Yellowstone.