Check Yellowstone Roads & Entrances

BEFORE YOU DRIVE

Five checks in the right order

1. Open the NPS live road-status map and check both your entrance and every interior segment needed to reach your destination.
2. Call the recorded Yellowstone road line if you need a spoken update.
3. Check the applicable Montana, Wyoming or Idaho road system for conditions outside the park gate.
4. Review Yellowstone current conditions and destination-specific weather forecasts.
5. If approaching through the South Entrance, also check Grand Teton road status and remember that the two parks charge separate entrance fees.

FIVE ENTRANCES

What to check for each approach

SEASONAL ACCESS

Projected dates are not guarantees

• The North Entrance-to-Northeast Entrance route is generally open year-round to regular vehicles, but temporary weather or incident closures remain possible.
• Most other park roads close to regular vehicles from early November until late April or May.
• Limited oversnow travel operates on designated routes from approximately mid-December to mid-March; exact segments and dates vary.
• Yellowstone publishes year-specific projected opening and closing dates on the Park Roads page.
• Beartooth Highway and Dunraven Pass are high-elevation routes with shorter weather-dependent seasons.

PASSES & RESERVATIONS

Entrance access is a separate question

• Yellowstone requires an entrance pass but does not require a vehicle reservation to enter.
• The current standard private-vehicle pass is valid for seven consecutive days; check the official fee page before travel.
• Current NPS policy adds a nonresident fee for applicable non-US visitors unless admitted under a qualifying annual pass.
• Campgrounds generally require advance reservations, with a limited seasonal first-come exception at Mammoth.
• A backcountry permit is required for every overnight stay in Yellowstone’s backcountry; a campsite reservation and issued permit are not the same thing.

YELLOWSTONE-SPECIFIC TIPS

Use the official information correctly

1. An open entrance does not establish that the interior pass leading to your destination is open.
2. NPS manages roads inside Yellowstone; state transportation agencies cover approaches outside park boundaries.
3. NPS says driving between entrances can take several hours even without a closure.
4. Check Beartooth Highway separately when approaching the Northeast Entrance from Red Lodge.
5. Use the year-specific projected road dates, not a remembered “usual” opening date.
6. A webcam shows one location and cannot prove a road gate is open.
7. The North and West entrance webcams are useful for local traffic and weather context.
8. Mount Washburn cameras show high-elevation conditions but not road status at Dunraven Pass.
9. Weather can vary sharply across the park; use a forecast point near the actual destination.
10. Sign up for NPS road texts or save the recorded road number before entering areas with unreliable reception.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Avoid the common traps