Yellowstone CLOSED, All Gates - Flooding, Mudslides

**Janet H** · 06-13-2022, 10:58 AM

The park has been temporarily closed at all gates due to flooding and rock slides. No inbound visitor traffic will be allowed into the park until conditions stabilize and the park can assess damage to roads and bridges and other facilities. This includes visitors with lodging and camping reservations.

https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/220613.htm

curtiscapk · 06-13-2022, 11:34 AM

BUMMER! I think there were some on here heading that way too.....

bsmith0404 · 06-13-2022, 12:11 PM

I’m headed that way, but not going to be there until mid July. Hopefully everything is fixed up by then. If not, guess we’ll see more of the Grand Tetons.

solv3nt · 06-13-2022, 04:29 PM

My reservations are for early/mid August. Here's hoping.

Canonman · 06-13-2022, 05:45 PM

Looked at some news video today. There are some pretty serious washouts along the Yellowstone. Area looked like the Lamar valley but there was no specific description.
Here's a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lDND4L87wk

wegone · 06-14-2022, 07:14 AM

Yep, we are stuck here, snowing right now in west Yellowstone, but by Thursday, upper 70’s
Go figger.
Word is now only the north part will be out for quite a spell, Lamar Valley, etc.
We are hoping to get in Thursday to Geyser Basin, etc.
We are here with a lot of first timers, and my wife’s favorite area is the northern park.

HEY…. Shoshone Falls was awesome 😋

bsmith0404 · 06-14-2022, 07:20 AM

Eddie,

I’ve been trying to find info on the web, but everything is focused on Yellowstone. Any idea if this is affecting the Grand Teton south entrance area? We are staying at headwaters in a month. Unless the rain continues, I’m sure most of the stuff will be in decent shape by then.

On a positive note, white water rafting should be amazing!!!

wegone · 06-14-2022, 07:31 AM

My understanding is the Yellowstone River caused the damage, which drains out in the northern part of the park, opposite of the Tetons…
However, haven’t heard much about any of the “facts”
This whole area is a mud hole right now, I did see a bear ��

bsmith0404 · 06-14-2022, 09:09 AM

Thank you for the update/info.

roadglide · 06-14-2022, 04:48 PM

We Stayed 7 days at rainbow Point West Yellowstone 2020 , that was some of the best riding and Camping we experienced there where very few people on the roads . Rainbow point wasn’t far from Yellowstone city but everything was closed down except the museum a few restaurants and very expensive RV parks.

wegone · 06-14-2022, 05:19 PM

It’s bad.
The power is out to much of the park concession.
That is aside of the roads.
Water and sewer issues in the park might not allow any visitors because of safety issues.
Some areas will be years to repair.
I think it’s safe to say it will impact the park for months
They are looking at a lotto system like Glacier, wants visitation is allowed because it will not hold normal traffic this year.
I’ll know more tomorrow as the updates happen as information becomes available.
Lots of folks have already left.
Weather is improving, water is receding, but it’s too late….
Snowed like crazy today, temps varied greatly and wind would gust up to 30 mph.

My best advice right now is to make other plans if you were coming to Yellowstone this summer.
It was too late for us, we just arrived and had already committed….

BigBobIa · 06-15-2022, 06:06 AM

Did I read or see somewhere where people were trapped in the park? They were okay but the roads out were gone.

wegone · 06-15-2022, 06:43 AM

Yes, but everyone is ok, and to my understanding no one in the park is stranded now.
They were looking for some who were hiking in the high/back area but those folks are pro’s to their environment most likely, and don’t seem to think they are in any real danger, but I am not sure on that.
Sunny here today.
Should learn a lot, but it appears they are in no rush to open and risk more problems, etc…

bsmith0404 · 06-15-2022, 06:50 AM

Be interesting to see what comes in the next couple of days. I read that they expect the park to remain closed for a week or so, but have to assess the extent of the damage to be certain. Jackson has opened up additional space to accommodate RVs. Doesn’t sound like the Grand Tetons are affected much. Roads are still open to Flagg Ranch and tours of the Grand Tetons are still going. I know most of the affected area is in the northern part of Yellowstone, just wasn’t sure how far it stretched.

wegone · 06-15-2022, 08:02 AM

Latest update….
Park is closed until next week Monday, but that is best case scenario.
It will be limited to a certain number of visitors chosen by lottery.
Yes nay 2 entrances will be available, west and south.

Pretty sad talking to businesses as they were just getting back to normal from COVID.

My best advice that I would take is to scratch Yellowstone this year off your list.
At best, park will be very limited to what is open to see.
I believe Old Faithful Village will be doable, as Yellowstone Lake south and the Tetons, any other areas are iffy, like the canyon and falls, to not at all this year.

The parks are already hampered by low employment, etc, and this labor shortage will most definitely have its effects here this year.

We are staying put till Sunday and making the best of it, all 18 people who came to share the 50th wedding anniversary of my son in laws parents…

We are at west Yellowstone KOA and folks are leaving big time this morning.

The park got flooded pretty good, but we are in a high spot and they have done a great job pumping out all the low spots, etc.

I would be surprised if it’s a quarter full the rest of the week.

My wife talked to folks while doing laundry this morning who were trapped in the park…
She said they felt lucky to get out.
It was monsoon rains that just opened up for hours and hours.

So, there you have it as first hand as I can give.
You have as much info as I have, and it’s your call if you are coming this way this year.
I did the lotto stuff at Glacier, I’ll never entertain it again.
Too iffy for me.

bsmith0404 · 06-15-2022, 12:28 PM

For us, the Yellowstone trip this year is not just Yellowstone. We are going to Custer SD the first part of July, heading to Yellowstone (Headwaters at Flagg Ranch) 14-20, then Cheyenne Frontier Days the rest of the month. I’ve been to Yellowstone before, my wife hasn’t. We’ll see/do what we can, even if it’s the Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole. Thank you for the updates. Between your first hand knowledge of being there and what I’ve been able to find on line, I think we’ll be ok. I just hope we can get to the falls for my wife to see. If not, we’ll probably plan another trip up that way another year, hit glacier, and head over to Redwood. In fact, a trip like that and down through Sequoia on the way back to NM sounds like a nice trip. Guess I need to start planning that one for next summer.

notanlines · 06-15-2022, 02:06 PM

Brent, this may not be much of a booster for your trip, but in the many times we have been to the Yellowstone area, our moose spotting's have been mainly in the Tetons area. We have always seen lots of wildlife, but elk and moose in the Tetons have been plentiful.

bsmith0404 · 06-15-2022, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notanlines

Brent, this may not be much of a booster for your trip, but in the many times we have been to the Yellowstone area, our moose spotting's have been mainly in the Tetons area. We have always seen lots of wildlife, but elk and moose in the Tetons have been plentiful.

That’s where I saw them as well on my previous trips. Still have not seen a bear. I guess I’m just not “lucky” like that, although I have seen plenty of them growing up in Wisconsin and fishing trips to Canada. I’ll also say I’ve lived in NM for a total of 12 years now and have never seen a rattle snake.

rhagfo · 06-16-2022, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Island Eddie

It’s bad.
The power is out to much of the park concession.
That is aside of the roads.
Water and sewer issues in the park might not allow any visitors because of safety issues.
Some areas will be years to repair.
I think it’s safe to say it will impact the park for months
They are looking at a lotto system like Glacier, wants visitation is allowed because it will not hold normal traffic this year.
I’ll know more tomorrow as the updates happen as information becomes available.
Lots of folks have already left.
Weather is improving, water is receding, but it’s too late….
Snowed like crazy today, temps varied greatly and wind would gust up to 30 mph.

My best advice right now is to make other plans if you were coming to Yellowstone this summer.
It was too late for us, we just arrived and had already committed….

Watching the news reports, the damage looks very bad, hopefully they can be at least partially open for summer, and figure out how to handle the demand.

**flybouy** · 06-16-2022, 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bsmith0404

That’s where I saw them as well on my previous trips. Still have not seen a bear. I guess I’m just not “lucky” like that, although I have seen plenty of them growing up in Wisconsin and fishing trips to Canada. f.

It's the one's you don't see (or hear) that get you.

I remember hunting in the woods and hearing someone else shooting that I couldn't see. My father told me it was a good thing to hear it as you'll never hear the "one that hits you."

You may also like: