Yellowstone Seeks Your Thoughts On Road Changes

The National Park Service (NPS), working with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is inviting the public to share feedback on an environmental assessment (EA) for the reconstruction of a permanent North Entrance Road in Yellowstone National Park. The proposed road would continue to provide year-round access between Gardiner and Cooke City/Silver Gate, Montana, improve safety, and ensure reliable visitor access while protecting Yellowstone’s natural and cultural resources.

On June 13, 2022, Yellowstone experienced a 500-year flood that caused extensive damage to infrastructure in the park’s northern area. Several sections of the North Entrance Road between Mammoth Hot Springs and Gardiner, Montana, were destroyed, along with portions of the Northeast Entrance Road between Tower Junction and Cooke City/Silver Gate, Montana. These roads are especially important because they provide the only year-round and winter vehicle access into and out of the park.

After the flood, the roads were temporarily closed to regular visitor traffic. A temporary North Entrance Road between Gardiner and Mammoth Hot Springs opened to the public on October 30, 2022. While this temporary road has successfully restored access, it was not designed for long-term use, which is why a permanent solution is now being proposed.

Yellowstone invites the public to attend either an in-person or virtual meeting to learn more about the North Entrance Road Reconstruction Project and ask questions about the proposed road alignment options. During each meeting, NPS and FHWA staff will present three preliminary alignment alternatives, including a video fly-over of the preferred option, followed by a question-and-answer session. The same information will be shared at both meetings.

The in-person meeting will be held Tuesday, January 13, 2026, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. MST at the Yellowstone Forever Institute Conference Room, located at 308 Park Street in Gardiner, Montana. A virtual meeting will take place Wednesday, January 14, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. MST. Participants joining from a mobile device are encouraged to download the Microsoft Teams app. The virtual meeting will be recorded and posted on the North Entrance Road Reconstruction Project website and on YouTube.

The public is encouraged to review the EA and related project materials on the North Entrance Road Reconstruction Project website. Public comments will be accepted from January 5 through February 4, 2026, with online submission preferred at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/NorthEntranceRoad
. Comments may also be mailed to the Yellowstone Center for Resources, Attn: North Entrance Road EA, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. All comments received during the 30-day comment period will be reviewed and considered, and a final decision is expected in spring 2026.