Yellowstone flood recovery update: Bicycle, hiking & fishing access between Tower Junction and Slough Creek starts today

Yellowstone National Park announced today that visitors will be able to park at Tower Junction and bicycle, hike and fish between Tower Junction and Slough Creek starting Thursday, July 21. The road between Tower Junction and Slough Creek is also open for commercial tour authorization holders, commercial tour operators and stock outfitters to provide public access by vehicle. The park is finalizing a day-use reservation system for visitor vehicle access for Tower Junction to Slough Creek which will be online by Aug. 1, allowing reservation holders day-use access with their vehicles.

The park closed immediately following a historic flood event in June and has rapidly reopened areas when safe to do so. Approximately 93% of paved roads and 94% of Yellowstone's backcountry is open.

New access:

Tower Junction to Slough Creek

* Starting July 21, visitors will be able to bicycle, hike and fish on a segment of the Northeast Entrance Road between Tower Junction and Slough Creek. Visitors are asked to park vehicles appropriately in the Tower Junction area and not block public or emergency access. Visitors riding bikes or hiking near the roadway are reminded that construction traffic east of Tower Junction on the Northeast Entrance Road will be heavy at times.

Beartooth Highway

* The Beartooth Highway is anticipated to reopen Friday, July 22, at 5 p.m.

* Yellowstone reopened a 23-mile segment of the Beartooth Highway (from US-212/WY-296 junction to the ski hill parking lot) on June 28.

* Nighttime closures are in effect at the Pilot Index Overlook east to Beartooth Lake Campground. Due to ongoing construction on the Beartooth, the following closures apply:

* Closures will be in effect from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Monday through Thursday. There will be no closures Friday through Sunday.

* This is a hard closure and traffic will not be allowed to pass through during these times.

* Closures will be in effect through mid-October and are necessary to allow for ongoing highway construction.

* Check the Montana and Wyoming departments of transportation websites for road updates and status throughout the summer.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

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