Yellowstone's North Entrance and road to Mammoth Hot Springs to open Nov. 1

Yellowstone National Park’s North Entrance in Gardiner, Montana, and road between the North Entrance and Mammoth Hot Springs (Old Gardiner Road) will open to regular visitor traffic Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 8 a.m.

Visitors should keep the following details in mind when driving the road:

* Yellowstone reminds the public of everyone’s responsibility to use the road carefully to avoid accidents.

* Steep grades and sharp curves exist and speed limits range between 15-25 mph.

* There are no length or weight restrictions on the road (see exceptions), however, oversized vehicles and vehicles with trailers must use caution in curves to maintain lanes.

* After opening to the public, the road will continue to be an active construction zone. Drivers will need to use caution and watch for crews and heavy equipment.

* During inclement winter weather, short-term (30 minute) closures may occur to allow for plowing.

* Clean-up efforts will continue beyond Nov. 1 for as long as weather permits.

Access between Gardiner and Mammoth Hot Springs has been limited since the historic flood event in June that resulted in significant damage to approximately five sections of the North Entrance Road. The park closed the North Entrance Road and immediately began to focus considerable time and funding to improve the Old Gardiner Road, the best and only option to quickly reconnect Yellowstone National Park to Gardiner.

Over the last four months crews modernized the historic Old Gardiner Road. Traffic-safety improvements include:

* Turning the 1880’s single-lane dirt road into two lanes,

* Paving and striping the entire road (4 miles),

* Installing over 5,000 feet of guardrail for traffic safety,

* Expanding road widths,

* Creating new pullouts,

* Building a new ¼ -mile approach road into Mammoth Hot Springs to avoid a 12-15% steep grade on the original road. The new approach required additional engineering and design to provide a safe road base to handle the 2,000-3,000 vehicles per day that enter the park from the North Entrance. This project is being completed with support from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and funded largely by FHWA Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO). HK Contractors, INC is the primary construction company under contract to complete this project.

Visitors are reminded that nearly all other roads in the park will be closed Nov. 1. Yellowstone annually closes roads at this time of year to prepare them for the winter season and snowmobile and snowcoach travel, which will begin Dec. 15.



Jeff
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Nearly all entrances and roads in Yellowstone National Park will be closed Nov. 1

The West, South and East entrances and nearly all roads in Yellowstone National Park will be closed to regular vehicle traffic Nov. 1. The park annually closes roads at this time of year to prepare them for the winter season and snowmobile and snowcoach travel, which will begin Dec. 15. The last day for visitors to drive most roads will be Monday, Oct. 31.  

Park roads that will be closed Nov. 1 include:

* Mammoth Hot Springs to Norris
* Norris to Canyon Village 
* Canyon Village to Lake Village 
* East Entrance to Lake Village (Sylvan Pass)  
* Lake Village to West Thumb 
* South Entrance to West Thumb 
* West Thumb to Old Faithful (Craig Pass)
* Old Faithful to Madison
* West Entrance to Madison  
* Madison to Norris
* Tower Junction to Canyon Junction (Dunraven Pass) closed for the season Oct. 21 due to inclement weather.

Park roads open year-round

The roads between the North Entrance in Gardiner, Montana, and the Northeast Entrance in Cooke City/Silver Gate, Montana (via Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower Junction and Lamar Valley), will be open year-round. However, in June of this year, sections of the road were significantly damaged by floods and closed temporarily. The road between Tower Junction and the Northeast Entrance in Cooke City/Silver Gate, Montana, reopened to regular traffic on Oct. 15. The road between the North Entrance and Mammoth Hot Springs will open to regular traffic no later than Nov. 1. For details - including up-to-date photos - about the June floods in the park and ongoing recovery, visit go.nps.gov/YELLflood.



Jeff
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RockyMountainHikingTrails.com Adds 5 New Hikes to Website

RockyMountainHikingTrails.com continues to expand! Kathy and I spent several days hiking in the San Juan Mountains near Ouray a few weeks ago. We also stayed in Buena Vista a couple of nights, and were able to do a hike from Cottonwood Pass. As a result, we just added 5 new hikes to our website. Hopefully you'll find that this expansion will make your hike and trip planning a little easier as you explore Colorado's amazing backcountry outside of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Here's a quick rundown on what's been added to our site:

Sneffels Highline: The first two hikes on this list, both the Sneffels Highline and Bilk Basin Overlook, are among the best hikes I've ever done. Both offer exceptional views for extended periods. For example, the Sneffels Highline travels above the treeline for almost 4.5 miles. I highly recommend this hike during the fall when the aspens explode in brilliant shades of yellows.

Bilk Basin Overlook: This hike climbs to the base of the Lizard Head, the iconic peak that has been voted as one of Colorado's most dangerous and difficult climbs, according to the San Juan National Forest website. From the basin below the peak the trail ascends a low saddle where you'll enjoy spectacular views of 14,246-foot Mount Wilson, 13,913-foot Gladstone Peak and 14,017-foot Wilson Peak rising above Bilk Basin.

Horsethief Trail: Just outside of the town of Ouray is another outstanding hike that offers spectacular scenery. At just 6.5 miles in total roundtrip mileage, or even less if you have a 4WD, this hike offers some of the best bang for your buck.

Porphyry Basin: If you're comfortable walking off trail, and enjoy passing thru old mining country, this is a great choice if you're in the Red Mountain Pass area. The hike visits three lakes in the lower and upper Porphyry Basin, and includes many opportunities for exploring the expansive open terrain that surrounds them.

Cottonwood Pass South: This is a great hike if you're anywhere in the Buena Vista area. Big views are attained from the very first step. Although the total elevation gain is rather small, this is still a fairly strenuous hike for those that haven't acclimated properly. The hike begins from Cottonwood Pass, which means you'll be at 12,126 feet at the trailhead. The hike ends near the top of Wander Ridge, at 12,650 feet.

You can find several other hikes in the San Juan Mountains, and throughout Colorado, on our Other Colorado Hiking Trails page.

Hope you find these helpful! Happy trails!



Jeff
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Northeast Entrance Road in Yellowstone National Park to open Oct. 15

Yellowstone National Park’s Northeast Entrance Road (Tower Junction to the Northeast Entrance in Cooke City/Silver Gate, Montana) will open to regular visitor vehicle traffic on Saturday, Oct.15 at 8 a.m.

Visitors should keep the following details in mind when driving the road:

* All flood damaged sections on the Northeast Entrance Road will be paved by Oct.15, except for the section of road near the popular trailhead to Trout Lake, which will be paved in the upcoming 10 days. Traffic will be permitted on this segment of road while repairs continue. Anticipate traffic control in the area and short delays to facilitate one-way traffic through this section.

* A short section of road in Lamar Canyon will remain a paved, single lane through the winter season. A temporary stop light will be in place for traffic control and delays will be minimal.

* There will be no restrictions on the Northeast Entrance Road.

* After opening to the public, this road will continue to be an active construction zone. Drivers will need to use caution and watch for crews and heavy equipment.

* Repair efforts will continue beyond Oct. 15 for as long as weather permits. Additional repairs and clean-up will continue in the spring.

“We are very pleased to be restoring public access to the northeast corridor just four months after the June flood event,” said Superintendent Cam Sholly. “I commend the collective efforts of the National Park Service, the Federal Highway Administration and Oftedal Construction, Inc. to complete this monumental task in such a short amount of time.”

The Northeast Entrance Road has been closed since the historic flood event in June which caused significant damage to approximately five sections of the road. Reopening this section effectively opens 99% of the park’s roads.

This project is being completed with support from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and funded largely by FHWA Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO). Oftedal Construction, Inc. is the primary construction company under contract to complete this project.

Crews are completing extensive work on the Old Gardiner Road (a limited-access road between Gardiner, Montana, and Mammoth Hot Springs). Paving is currently being completed over the entire 4-mile road and over 5,000 feet of guardrail is being installed. This road remains closed to regular traffic and will open no later than Nov. 1.

For details, including up-to-date photos, about the June flood and ongoing recovery, visit go.nps.gov/YELLflood.



Jeff
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Bureau of Reclamation will intermittently close Teton Park Road across Jackson Lake Dam

The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), Upper Snake Field Office, is temporarily closing the Teton Park Road across the Jackson Lake Dam in Grand Teton National Park on an intermittent basis from Oct. 11 through Oct. 29 to perform crane work on the dam. The closures will occur Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. for up to two hours for each closure. The road will remain open in the evenings and weekends.

Crane work will take place to set and move the bulkhead gate and inspect and perform maintenance work at the Jackson Lake Dam.

During this time, travelers will not be able to make a through-trip on the Teton Park Road. Those wishing to access the northern part of Grand Teton or Yellowstone National Park may want to take U.S. Highway 89/191/287.

Variable message boards advising visitors of the closures will be operational 24 hours in advance, staged at Jackson Lake Junction and near Signal Mountain Lodge. Flaggers will staff hard closures north of Jackson Lake Dam and south of Catholic Bay Picnic Area.

Further information about this project can be obtained by contacting Johnathon Owsley, BOR Upper Snake Field Office, 208-678-0461 ext. 18.

Work schedules may change or be delayed due to weather conditions or other extenuating circumstances.



Jeff
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Pathway signs installed throughout Grand Teton

New signage has been installed at six biking hubs along the Grand Teton Pathway to improve recreationist’s experience and safety.

Biking is a popular sport in Grand Teton and while the pathway has been enjoyed for several years, updates on pathways signs were vital to meet the needs of increased visitation and the arrival of electric bikes.

New signs have been installed at these different hubs throughout the park: Gros Ventre roundabout, Blacktail Butte turnout, Dornans, Moose, Taggart Lake, and Jenny Lake. Each sign includes a pathways map, biking regulations, safety messaging, and information like pathway mileage and grade. All hubs have a bench and bike racks except the Dornans hub, which has facilities nearby.

Updated signs are part of a park initiative to provide a safer and more accessible experience for those who use the 17 miles of pathways in Grand Teton.

“Biking is a great way to explore Grand Teton and we want to encourage visitors and employees to get outdoors and have a safe and enjoyable experience while using the pathway,” said Chip Jenkins, superintendent of Grand Teton.

The Grand Teton Pathway runs from the south park boundary to Jenny Lake. Visitors on bikes, rollerblades/skates, and long/skateboards are welcome on the pathway.



Jeff
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Glacier National Park Air Tour Management Plan Completed

The National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completed an air tour management plan for Glacier National Park on September 23. The plan establishes measures to protect park resources including natural and cultural resources, preservation of wilderness character, and visitor experience.

“The purpose of the air tour plan is to ensure that park resource values in Glacier National Park, including natural sounds, wilderness character, visitor experiences, wildlife, and other natural and cultural resources, are protected,” said Pete Webster, the park’s deputy superintendent.

Commercial air tours have occurred over Glacier National Park for many years without defined operating parameters. The air tour management plan protects national park resources and values by providing continued education and management oversight.

The plan authorizes the existing commercial air tour operators to provide up to 144 air tours per year on a defined route and at specific altitudes. This represents the three-year average between 2017-2019 for these operators. Consistent with the Park’s General Management Plan, the plan includes a provision to phase out commercial air tours through attrition, with all remaining commercial air tours ceasing on December 31, 2029.

The operating parameters of the plan will be effective within 90 days from the date of signature on the air tour management plan.

Glacier is among 24 parks in the National Park System for which the agencies are developing air tour management plans. Each air tour management plan is developed to allow air tours to be managed in a way that is consistent with the NPS’s mission and the FAA’s authority to ensure flight safety. The plans meet the requirements from the National Parks Air Tour Management Act to mitigate or prevent significant adverse impacts from commercial air tours on the park and NPS’s obligation to protect the park's natural and cultural resources, wildlife, and the visitor enjoyment.

An important part of the process is the inclusion of American Indian Tribes. The agencies consulted with Tribes that have tribal lands adjacent to Glacier National Park, and that attach historic and cultural significance to resources within the park which include Fort Belknap Indian Community of the Fort Belknap Reservation, Crow Tribe of Montana, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, Apache Tribe of Oklahoma, Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana, and Chippewa-Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation of Montana.

The final air tour management plan is available here.



Jeff
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Public Scoping Begins for Proposed Native Fish Preservation at Gunsight Lake

Glacier National Park is initiating public scoping for an environmental assessment (EA) on a proposal to remove non-native rainbow trout from Gunsight Lake and establish secure populations of native westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout.

Native westslope cutthroat trout (a state listed species of concern) in the St. Mary River drainage on the east side of Glacier National Park are at risk from hybridization with non-native fish.

The St. Mary River drainage also supports bull trout, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and is the only drainage in the United States where bull trout are found east of the Continental Divide.

Gunsight Lake was historically fishless but stocked in 1916 and 1920-1936 with non-native fish, including rainbow trout, which can migrate downstream and hybridize with native westslope cutthroat trout. The lake is well positioned to provide secure habitat for native fish due to downstream waterfalls that block upstream non-native fish migration.

Glacier National Park is proposing to remove the non-native rainbow trout from Gunsight Lake using a fish toxicant. Following the removal of the rainbow trout, bull trout and genetically pure westslope cutthroat trout would be translocated into Gunsight Lake.

In 2019, Glacier National Park in partnership with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Glacier National Park Conservancy undertook a similar project in the Camas Creek drainage, successfully removing non-native Yellowstone cutthroat trout from Camas and Evangeline Lakes and translocating native westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout to both lakes.

The proposed action is only an initial proposal; no decision to implement any action can be made until the NEPA process, including consideration of reasonable alternatives to the proposed action, is complete. Public scoping is being conducted to identify issues, concerns, and other alternatives to evaluate in the EA. There will be another opportunity for public comment when the EA is completed.

More information on the proposed project may be found on the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website. Comments can be posted on the PEPC site or sent by mail to Superintendent, Glacier National Park, Attn: Gunsight Lake EA, PO Box 128, West Glacier, MT, 59936. Comments are due by October 26, 2022.



Jeff
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Grizzly Bear Research Trapping Taking Place in Grand Teton During Fall 2022

As part of ongoing efforts required under the Endangered Species Act to monitor the population of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, park biologists in cooperation with the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST) will conduct capture operations within Grand Teton National Park from October 3 to November 1.

When bear trapping activities are being conducted, the area around the site will be posted with bright warning signs to inform the public of the activities. For bear and human safety, the public must respect these closures and stay out of the posted areas.

Park biologists will bait and trap grizzly bears in accordance with strict protocols. Once trapped, the bears are sedated to allow trained staff to collar the bears and collect samples and data for scientific study. After the data and samples are collected, the bears are allowed to fully recover and are released onsite.

The IGBST was established in 1973 to collaboratively monitor and research grizzly bears in the ecosystem on an interagency basis. The gathering of critical data on bears is part of a long-term research effort to help wildlife managers devise and implement programs to support the ongoing recovery of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem’s grizzly bear population. The team includes representatives from the National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribal Fish and Game Department, and officials from the states of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.

Information about grizzly bear research and monitoring is available from the IGBST website: https://www.usgs.gov/science/interagency-grizzly-bear-study-team.



Jeff
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