“Immediately in effect, all entrances to Yellowstone National Park are temporarily CLOSED due to significant flooding, landslides and mud on the streets from recent unprecedented rainfall and flooding,” the park said in a Facebook post. Incoming traffic is not allowed “until conditions stabilize and the park can assess damage to roads and bridges,” the post added. The entrances to the North, Northeast, West, South and East are all closed. Many parts of the park are also experiencing power outages, according to the park’s Facebook post. “With the forecast of additional rainfall, the park does not want large numbers of daily visitors to be trapped in the park,” the post said. “The river has never been so high next to my house,” said Elizabeth Aluk, a resident of Gardiner, Montana, north of the park that serves as a gateway for visitors. As of Monday afternoon, Aluck said she could not evacuate because roads and bridges in the area had been washed away. Travelers planning to visit Yellowstone National Park in the coming weeks should monitor the road conditions, the park advises.
“Things have gotten harder”
A family living in a short-term rental house in Gardiner near the park entrance can no longer get out of their cabin due to flooding in the area. Indiana couple Melissa and Parker Manning told CNN they arrived at their rental on Saturday with their family and are expected to leave Monday morning. “This will not happen soon,” said Parker Manning. “The water levels were high on Saturday, but in the last 10-12 hours things have gotten rough.” The couple participated in a call with emergency management personnel on Monday afternoon. Officials at the call suggested to local businesses to consider food security, just in case. Manning said they went to the grocery store and everyone was smart about what to get and did not panic. “Our exit from the city would be north at 89, but these roads are all underwater at the moment,” Manning said. The couple has no idea when they will be able to leave the city, but Manning hopes to be there within the next 48 hours. The host of their hire was very understanding of the situation, Manning added.
Avoid streams and creeks
Earlier Monday, the park said in a press release that roads in the north of the park would be temporarily closed for “a long time” before announcing the wider closure. “Preliminary estimates indicate that many sections of the park road have been washed away between Gardiner and Cooke City, Montana, and many bridges may be affected,” the statement said, adding that visitors to the north were being evacuated. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a flood warning for the park on Monday and advised campers and hikers to avoid streams and creeks. “Turn around, do not drown when you encounter flooded roads,” NWS warned those in vehicles. Mammoth, Osprey Falls, Indian Creek Campground and Lava Creek Campgrounds, all located in the park, are flood-prone locations, NWS reported. Top Picture: High water levels on the Gardner River next to North Entrance Road in Yellowstone National Park.
