Yellowstone National Park announced Monday that all entrances are temporarily closed because of hazardous conditions caused by flooding.
In a news release, the park cited “unprecedented amounts of rainfall” for causing flooding of roadways, mudslides and rockslides.
“Effective immediately, no inbound visitor traffic will be allowed into the park until conditions stabilize and the park can assess damage to roads and bridges and other facilities,” the park stated. “This includes visitors with lodging and camping reservations.”
As of Monday morning, power was out at multiple locations inside a park that spans 3,500 square miles in parts of Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.
Flooding is so extensive that damaged roads might take weeks or longer to reopen.
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“Preliminary assessments show multiple sections of roads throughout the park have been either washed out or covered in mud or rocks, and multiple bridges may be affected,” the park stated.
More rain is expected through midweek, and rapid snowmelt is causing rivers to swell, exacerbating the situation. The park stated that flooding on the Yellowstone River is “beyond record levels.”
“With additional rainfall forecasted, the park does not want large numbers of day-use visitors stranded in the park,” the news release explained.
The National Park Service and county authorities in Montana and Wyoming “will work with gateway communities to evaluate flooding impacts and provide support to residents.”
Those planning to visit Yellowstone in the coming weeks can click here for up-to-date road conditions.
–Images courtesy of Yellowstone National Park
