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Barring Unexpected Storm, Yellowstone National Park's East Gate Opens Friday

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Barring an unexpected storm, the East Entrance to Yellowstone National Park will open Friday, and the South Entrance should open the following Friday, May 8.

The road from the park’s North Entrance at Gardiner, Mont., through Mammoth Hot Springs to the Northeast Entrance, Silver Gate and Cooke City, Mont., is open all year. The road east of Cooke City to WY-296, which typically opens by mid-May, opened this past Tuesday afternoon.

Crews from the National Park Service and the Montana Department of Transportation strive to open US-212 over the Beartooth Pass to Red Lodge, Mont., in time for the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Tower Fall to Canyon Junction (Dunraven Pass) is also set to open May 22.

Construction is under way north of the entrance to the Norris Campground on the road to Mammoth Hot Springs. Crews are rebuilding a 5.4-mile section of the road, as well as the bridge over the Gardner River. Visitors should expect daytime delays of up to 30 minutes throughout the summer season.

Crews are also replacing the Isa Lake Bridge, which is on the road between Old Faithful and West Thumb Junction. This section of road will open June 11, with up to 30-minute traffic delays. Details on both of these projects and updated Yellowstone National Park road information is available 24 hours a day by calling 307-344-2117, or on the Web at http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/roadclosures.htm.

Very limited visitor services will be available during the next several weeks. For updated information, visit http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/index.htm, or consult the park newspaper available at the entrance station.

Visitors should be aware that spring in Yellowstone is unpredictable and often brings cold temperatures, high winds and snowfall. Travelers should use caution as road-clearing operations may be occurring at any time throughout the park. In the case of extreme weather conditions, temporary road closures are also possible with little or no advance warning. 

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