After a disastrous week of flooding the forced the evacuation of nearly 15,000 visitors and caused severe damage to park infrastructure, Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly announced they expect to partially reopen Monday during call with residents and tourist in Cody Wyoming.
The Star Tribune reports the entirety of Yellowstone will remain closed through the weekend but the southern loop will reopen Monday at the earliest. A reservation system limiting visitors will likely be instituted to avoid overcrowding but details on the plan have not yet been ironed out.
“We’re not necessarily trying to find perfect here. My goal is to balance access to Yellowstone to the best degree possible.”
If the park was to reopen early next week, it will be without a reservation at first. That system could take weeks to set up. During the interim, overnight accommodations inside the park will probably be reduced. There’s still a lot of questions that remain unanswered about what park operations will look like moving forward as park officials wait for flood waters recede to make a full assessment. Park officials are also preparing for the possibility of additional flooding over the weekend.
At this time Superintendent Cam Sholly believes reservations may last into next season depending on the extent of damage to the northern loop. Buses and other large vehicles will probably be allowed on park roads once they reopen to the public. The road that divides the two loops should also be accessible at that time.
This is a developing story and we will be sure to update as soon as new information becomes available. 