Yellowstone will open on limited basis May 18

Yellowstone National Park will reopen Monday, May 18, on a limited basis according to a press release. Yellowstone Park officials are utilizing a three-phased plan that will open the South and East entrances and limit visitor travel to the lower loop of the park. 

Since the park closed at the end of March, the Yellowstone superintendent has worked closely with the state governors to determine the proper timing for reopening due to differing COVID-19 conditions in the three states. 

While Wyoming has lifted out of state travel restrictions and requested the entrances be open by May 18, neighboring Idaho and Montana out-of-state restrictions remain in place. 

Park officials are working closely with those states and counties to reopen the remaining three entrances as soon as possible.  

According to a press release, the three-phased approach will allow the park to open with three short-term objectives; allow the park to continue buffering with neighboring states that are maintaining restrictions, help the park and internal business partners improve and refine mitigation actions with lighter levels of visitation and allow for an assessment for how returning visitors affect COVID-19 curves within surrounding Wyoming counties. 

Priorities for the park’s opening will focus on protecting employees and the public from transmission risks through a variety of mitigation actions consistent with local, state and federal guidance, according to the press release. 

Phase 1 will begin at 12 p.m. Monday, May 18, with the  opening of the South and East entrances. Visitors will be able to access the lower loop of the Grand Loop Road through the use of the South and East entrances only. 

Visitors will be able to access restrooms, boardwalks, self-service gas stations, trails and other facilities limited to the Phase 1 opening.

Overnight accommodations will remain unavailable until later in the tourism season. 

Campgrounds, back-country permits, visitor cabins, additional stores, takeout food service, expanded tours, boating, fishing and visitor centers will remain closed. These facilities have been designated as Phase 2 and will remain closed until it has been determined safe to open with mitigation measures in place. 

Designated in Phase 3, hotels, full-service dining, commercial tour buses and ranger programs will remain closed until conditions are determined safe enough to allow them to open.    

The park will continue to actively monitor changing conditions, both in the park and the surrounding counties and maintain flexibility to expand or contract operations as conditions warrant.