Yellowstone News & Events

October 23, 2024

Last day for visitors to enjoy most of Yellowstone National Park will be Oct. 31

The last day for visitors to drive most of Yellowstone National Park’s roads will be Thursday, Oct. 31. The West, South and East entrances and nearly all roads 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.

Weather permitting, the road from Tower Fall to Canyon Village (Dunraven Pass) will remain open through Oct. 31.

The only roads open year-round are 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).

Visitors planning to drive in the park during the fall and winter should:

• Prepare for changing weather conditions.
• Have flexible travel plans.
• Expect limited services. Check Operating Dates for details.
• Anticipate possible road closures due to inclement weather and dangerous driving conditions.
• Check for temporary travel restrictions or closures that can occur at any time without notice.
• Stay informed about up-to-date road conditions in Yellowstone: Visit Park Roads.
• Receive Yellowstone road alerts on your mobile phone by texting “82190” to 888-777 (an automatic text reply will confirm receipt and provide instructions).
• Call (307) 344-2117 for a recorded message.

All communities near Yellowstone are open year-round, with local businesses offering a wide range of fall and winter recreation opportunities.

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September 17, 2024

Fire danger reduced to HIGH in Yellowstone National Park

• The parkwide fire danger level for Yellowstone is now HIGH and Stage 1 fire restrictions that went into effect July 27 have been lifted.
• At this time, there are no fire restrictions in place or planned in the park.
• Currently, there are no active wildland fires in the park.
• Campfires are only permitted within established fire rings in campgrounds and some backcountry campsites.
• Campfires must always be attended and cold to the touch before abandoning. Soak, stir, feel, repeat.
• The Greater Yellowstone area is a fire-adapted ecosystem. Fire plays an important role in maintaining the health of this area’s wildlife habitat and vegetation.

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August 14, 2024

Update: Partial fishing closures on rivers and streams lifted in Yellowstone National Park

Effective immediately, the partial fishing closures on select rivers and streams in Yellowstone National Park have been lifted and are now open. The full closures on rivers and streams that are strongly influenced by geothermal features will remain in effect at this time.

Which rivers and streams have reopened to fishing during normal hours, sunrise to sunset?

Lamar River downstream of Cache Creek to its confluence with the Yellowstone River

Soda Butte Creek (the entire creek)

Slough Creek (the entire creek)

Yellowstone River from Tower Junction north to the park boundary

Gardner River downstream of Osprey Falls north to the park boundary

Snake River from Forest Creek south to the park boundary

Which rivers and streams continue to have full fishing closures?

The following rivers are heavily influenced by geothermal features and do not adequately cool off at night.

Madison River and all associated tributaries

Firehole River and all associated tributaries

Gibbon River and all associated tributaries downstream of Norris Campground

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August 7, 2024

Yellowstone visitation statistics for July 2024

Yellowstone National Park hosted 992,352 recreation visits in July 2024, up 2% from July 2023 (969,692 recreation visits). This July’s visitation showed an 8% decrease from July 2021 (1,080,767 recreation visits).

So far in 2024, the park has hosted 2,626,091 recreation visits, up 7% from 2023 (2,462,535 recreation visits), and down 2% from 2021 (2,668,765 recreation visits).

The list below shows the year-to-date trend for recreation visits over the last several years (through July):

• 2024 – 2,626,091
• 2023 – 2,462,535
• 2022 – 1,855,396 (The park was closed June 13 through June 21 due to the historic flood event. Three entrances opened on June 22.)
• 2021 – 2,668,765
• 2020 – 1,674,699 (The park was closed March 24 through May 17 due to COVID. Two entrances opened on May 18 and the remaining three opened on June 1.)
• 2019 – 2,294,691

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July 25, 2024

VERY HIGH fire danger in Yellowstone National Park beginning July 25, 2024

The parkwide fire danger level for Yellowstone is now VERY HIGH, and Stage 1 fire restrictions will go into effect Saturday, July 27. Wildfire activity is increasing in Yellowstone as crews have responded to and controlled four lightning-caused fires in the last week.

Fire restrictions include:

Backcountry and trails

Prohibited: Charcoal and all campfires in the backcountry, including those in established fire rings.

Permitted: Smoking only in areas adjacent to the provided fire ring in designated campsites or within a 3-foot-diameter area barren of all flammable material. Smokers should ensure that all cigarette butts are extinguished properly.

Permitted: Portable gas stoves and lanterns in areas that are barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet.

Frontcountry and developed areas

Permitted: Campfires in designated fire rings in frontcountry developed campgrounds (Madison, Mammoth, Slough Creek, Canyon, Indian Creek, Lewis Lake, Grant Village and Bridge Bay) and day-use picnic areas. All campfires must be attended and cold to the touch before abandoning. Soak, stir, feel, repeat.

Now is the time for visitors to be vigilant about fire safety. Negligently starting a wildland fire may result in fines and/or imprisonment. Fireworks are not allowed in the park.

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July 24, 2024

Update on the July 23 Biscuit Basin hydrothermal explosion

This is an update on the hydrothermal explosion that occurred just before 10 AM on Tuesday, July 23, in Biscuit Basin, Yellowstone National Park.

National Park Service (NPS) field crews have completed a preliminary assessment of the conditions following the hydrothermal explosion at Black Diamond Pool.

What happened?

The July 23, 2024, hydrothermal explosion at Biscuit Basin resulted from water suddenly transitioning to steam in the shallow hydrothermal system beneath Black Diamond Pool and was not caused by volcanic activity. Seismicity, ground deformation, and gas and thermal emissions remain at their normal background levels, and there were no detectable precursors to this event.

The explosion, which sent steam and debris to a height of hundreds of feet above the ground, destroyed a nearby boardwalk and ejected grapefruit-sized rocks tens to hundreds of feet from the source. Some blocks closest to the explosion site are about 3 feet (1 meter) wide and weigh hundreds of pounds. The explosion was largely directed to the northeast toward the Firehole River, and the largest blocks of debris fell in that direction. The dark color of the explosion was a result of mud and debris mixed with steam and boiling water. Although visitors were present at the time of the event, no injuries were reported.

Black Diamond Pool and Black Opal Pool were affected by Tuesday’s explosion, and while they remain distinct features, the shape of Black Diamond has changed somewhat. Both pools are murky due to debris, and the unstable ground around their edges occasionally slides into the water. Just after the eruption, Black Diamond Pool exhibited minor roiling and water spouting. The water level in the pool rose over the course of the day, and by Tuesday afternoon the roiling transitioned to occasional bursts of hot water that reached about 8 feet (2.4 meters) in height.

What is happening now?

By Wednesday morning, July 24, the levels of Black Diamond Pool and Black Opal Pool had risen enough that both were overflowing and sending murky water into the Firehole River. No water bursts from Black Diamond Pool were witnessed Wednesday morning.

What are ongoing hazards?

Given the recent changes to the hydrothermal plumbing system, small explosions of boiling water from this area in Biscuit Basin continue to be possible over the coming days to months. USGS and NPS geologists will be monitoring conditions, mapping the debris field, and sampling water to assess any changes in the shallow hydrothermal system over the next several days.

Hydrothermal explosions typically occur in the park one to a few times per year, but often in the back country where they may not be immediately detected.

Similar, although smaller, hydrothermal explosions took place in 1989 at Porkchop Geyser in Norris Geyser Basin, and on April 15, 2024, from the Porcelain Terrace Area of Norris Geyser Basin. A small hydrothermal explosion occurred from Wall Pool, in Biscuit Basin, in 2009. Significant hydrothermal explosions, probably similar in size to that of July 23, 2024, occurred in the 1880s at Excelsior Geyser, in Midway Geyser Basin.

Yellowstone National Park has closed Biscuit Basin for the remainder of the 2024 season for visitor safety. Grand Loop Road remains open to vehicles, and other nearby thermal basins, like Black Sand Basin, are open.

Video: Joshua Sells