<mediadc-video-embed data-state="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"00000161-3486-d333-a9e9-76c6fbf30000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b93390000"},"cms.content.publishDate":1655326948224,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"0000017d-fe9d-da96-ad7d-ffbf8a5c0000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"cms.content.updateDate":1655326948224,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"0000017d-fe9d-da96-ad7d-ffbf8a5c0000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"rawHtml":"
var _bp = _bp||[]; _bp.push({ "div": "Brid_55244537", "obj": {"id":"27789","width":"16","height":"9","video":"1032720"} }); ","_id":"00000181-692c-d082-a1ad-7bfdb3ac0000","_type":"2f5a8339-a89a-3738-9cd2-3ddf0c8da574"}”>Video EmbedThe northern part of Yellowstone National Park is likely to remain closed through the end of the summer after heavy rainfall and flooding caused significant damage to roadways and bridges.
Many portions of the roadway in the northern areas of the park are “completely gone” and will require “substantial time” in order to reopen, closing off access to the park during some of its busiest months of the year, the National Park Service said Tuesday.
YELLOWSTONE CLOSES ALL ENTRANCES TO PUBLIC DUE TO ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ RAINFALL
“The National Park Service will make every effort to repair these roads as soon as possible; however, it is probable that road sections in northern Yellowstone will not reopen this season due to the time required for repairs,” the park service said in a statement.
All entrances to the park remain temporarily closed to visitors as flood waters recede and authorities conduct evaluations on the roads, bridges, and wastewater treatment facilities. Substantial flooding that began over the weekend has downed trees, collapsed bridges, and damaged homes in nearby communities.
More than 10,000 visitors have been driven out of the park with the anticipation of additional rainfall in the coming days, according to the Associated Press.
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Though the southern loop of the park sustained less damage, park officials said they are still assessing how to reopen portions of the park, weighing measures such as a new reservation system for visitors to help prevent traffic gridlocks.
Areas in the Beartooth and Absaroka mountains, in the northern portion of the park, received up to 5 inches of rain last Friday through Monday, combined with additional inches from spring snowmelt, totaling about 4-9 inches of extra water in surrounding rivers and streams, according to the National Weather Service.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
In 2021, visitation at the park was highest in the months of May, June, July, August, and September. A record-breaking 1 million people visited Yellowstone last July, the first time the park has seen such a number in a single calendar month.
