Dubbed the summer of ‘revenge travel’ the recent flooding in Yellowstone National Park has many travelers scrambling to adjust their plans. The photos and videos of the damage looked devastating and like it would take months, possibly years for the park to recover and be ready for an influx of tourists. But, the good news, is the National Park Service will spend $50 million on repairs which will restore access to about 80% of the park within two weeks.
An update on Wyoming tourism readiness from the Wyoming Office of Tourism (WOT)
Things are quickly returning to normal after flooding in Yellowstone National Park and gateways throughout Wyoming continue to be open and welcome visitors. Please continue to refer to the following pages for the most up-to-date information:
- Travel Resources and Alerts from the Wyoming Office of Tourism
- NPS Updates on Yellowstone National Park
- Lodging within Yellowstone National Park
- WTO: Plan Your Trip to Wyoming
- WTO: Know Before You Go
UPDATES ON YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK:
Yellowstone National Park will reopen the south loop beginning Wednesday, June 22 at 8:00 am. The south loop includes the East (Cody, Wyoming), South (Grand Teton/Jackson, Wyoming), and West (West Yellowstone, Montana) entrances, while the north loop will remain closed for the season.
Public entry to the South Loop will be done using an Alternate License Plate System. Details of that system can be found here. Visitors should pay close attention to the status of road conditions, as many roads around and within the park may remain closed. Road status and up-to-date weather conditions can be followed here.
Current commercial use operators with active commercial use permits will be permitted to enter regardless of license plate number. This includes commercial tours and stock groups.
Visitors with proof of overnight reservations in the park will be permitted to enter regardless of license plate number. This includes hotels, campgrounds, and backcountry reservations.
WYOMING ROAD CONDITIONS:
Nearly all Wyoming roadways remain open, while only sections of Wyoming’s highways near Yellowstone have been temporarily closed. Visitors are encouraged to visit wyoroad.info to stay up-to-date on the latest road conditions.
SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES TO EXPLORE:
Wyoming gateway cities to the park and other towns and attractions around Wyoming remain open and unimpacted.
There are countless experiences throughout the Cowboy State, here are a few to consider:
- Northeast and Northwest Wyoming: The communities of Cody, Powell, Lovell, Thermopolis, Greybull, Sheridan, and Gillette are brimming with historical sites and western accommodations, including the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Wyoming Dinosaur Center, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Bighorn National Forest and much more.
- Cody: Located 65 miles from the east entrance of Yellowstone, Buffalo Bill’s Cody is helping visitors rebook lodging by calling 307-586-1574 or 307-586-1571.
- Southwest Wyoming: The communities of Jackson, Dubois, Pinedale, Rock Springs, and Evanston provide abundant wildlife and outdoor recreation opportunities, including Grand Teton National Park, Shoshone National Forest, Fremont Lake, and Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area. In Dubois, visit the recently opened National Museum of Military Vehicles.
- Central Wyoming: The communities of Lander, Riverton, Casper, and Rawlins offers some of the best culinary delights and cultural experiences in the state, including the Wind River Hotel and Casino, world-class fly-fishing on the North Platte River, Sinks Canyon State Park, and the Wyoming Frontier Prison Museum.
- Southeast Wyoming: The communities of Cheyenne, Laramie, Saratoga, Torrington, and Douglas are where history leads to adventure, with sites including natural hot springs, Oregon Trail Ruts, Vedauwoo National Recreation Area, Terry Bison Ranch, and much more.
Wyoming State Parks: Wyoming State Parks offer an abundance of outdoor recreation and camping opportunities across the state, including hiking, biking, fishing, paddle boarding, and much more. For a full list of state parks and to make a reservation, visit wyoparks.wyo.gov.
Wyoming Wonder Map: Explore one place to easily map out Wyoming adventures. With a few taps, visitors can populate this interactive map with the attractions, hiking trails, camping sites, and more. Find more at travelwyoming.com/map.
For more information on Wyoming’s attractions, outdoor spaces, and communities, visit TravelWyoming.com. WOT will continue to update its travel resources and advisory here as new information develops throughout the coming days and weeks.
Visitors are encouraged to stay up to date by visiting Yellowstone National Park’s alerts page frequently and signing up to receive Yellowstone road alerts by texting ‘82190’ to 888-777 or call 307-344-2117 for recorded information.
