Yellowstone National Park - General Park Information

The park roads are open to automobile travel from May through October (weather permitting). The 60 miles of road between Gardiner and Cooke City, Mont., is open all year. During the off-season this road is accessible only from the northern entrance near Gardiner, Mont.; the northeastern entrance via Red Lodge, Mont. is open from about June through September.
Most park facilities are open May 30 to October 15, but food and lodging facilities are limited after October 1. During the off-season gas is available only at Gardiner and Cooke City, Mont. Interior park roads are open to snowmobiles from mid-December through the first week in March. During the summer, rental cars are available at Cody and Jackson as well as at Billings, Bozeman and West Yellowstone, Mont.

The roads through the park make many of the most prominent attractions readily accessible. During the summer travel season visitors may encounter slow traffic. Be especially alert for others stopped in the road to watch wildlife; if you must stop, pull well off the highway onto a marked wayside.
Note: According to National Park Service figures, about 80 percent of the park roads are "in a structurally deficient state...including narrow shoulders and rough surfaces." The roads are being gradually repaired under a 20-year program. For up-to-date road information, phone (307) 344-7381.

The park headquarters is at Mammoth Hot Springs, 5 miles from the north entrance. The main post office is at Mammoth; ranger stations are at Old Faithful, Grant Village, Tower-Roosevelt, Mammoth Hot Springs, Lake, Madison, South Entrance and Canyon. The Mammoth and Tower-Roosevelt ranger stations, which are open all year, are accessible by car in winter via the north entrance.
Park information can be received by tuning radios to 1610 AM. Low-powered transmitters broadcast from entrance stations and campgrounds.
From Memorial Day through Labor Day ranger-naturalists conduct geyser walks, natural and living-history talks, photographic workshops and children's programs at Bridge Bay, Canyon, Fishing Bridge Lake, Grant Village, Madison, Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin, Old Faithful, Tower-Roosevelt and West Thumb Geyser Basin. Free evening programs are given at most park campgrounds during the summer season.

The park's visitor centers offer a variety of interpretive exhibits and information. The Albright Visitor Center at Mammoth Hot Springs concentrates on a general survey of the natural and human history of the park; the Madison Museum, 14 miles east of the west entrance, features displays relative to national park development. The Old Faithful Visitor Center is devoted largely to geyser activity and its effects.
The Museum of the National Park Ranger, Norris, at Norris Geyser Basin, traces the development of the park ranger profession. The Fishing Bridge Visitor Center/Museum deals primarily with the biological life in the park. The Grant Village Visitor Center houses an exhibit about "Fire and Yellowstone."

The Canyon Visitor Center displays a bison exhibit. A field exhibit near Obsidian Cliff explains the mountain, which was created from a lava flow containing obsidian, a glassy rock.

The TourGuide System consists of a CD player with an accompanying disc available for half- and full-day rental mid-May through October. It features stories about the folklore, history, wildlife, geology and ecology of the park. Visitors can select information about park attractions at their convenience. The unit plugs into the vehicle's cigarette lighter. The TourGuide can be rented at Xanterra Parks and Resorts Activity Desks located in lodging facilities throughout the park. Rates are $24.95 for a full day and $15.95 for a half-day.