Yellowstone National Park is now completely open for the summer season with the opening of the Dunraven Pass and the Beartooth Highway, connecting Red Lodge, Montana to the Northeast Entrance and Cooke City.
The opening of the Beartooth Highway and the Dunraven Pass, which links Canyon Village with Tower Junction, means all roads in and leading to the Park are finally open for the summer season.
The Beartooth Highway, named for the mountain range it loops through, offers spectacular views of Montana and Wyoming topography, winding above the expanse of pine trees, hugging those peaks of Precambrian granite. Visitors should keep to the marked speed limit, since many of the roads are switchbacks curving along the mountainsides. Turns are sharp, but the views are well worth the drive.
Likewise, on the Dunraven Pass, visitors should keep to the speed limit as they wind through this more mountainous portion of the Park. Nonetheless, the views offered along Dunraven are well worth the slower drive.
Travelers in the Park should expect no delays or road closures over Memorial Day weekend.
Beginning Tuesday, May 27, construction resumes on a section of road between Norris Campground and Mammoth Hot Springs, which will cause up to 30-minute delays. The road section will also be closed between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. beginning June 1. In addition, it will be closed to through traffic from 11 p.m. on September 14 to 7 a.m. on September 30.
Work will also start on the Isa Lake Bridge, which runs between Old Faithful and West Thumb. It will be closed for the season on September 2 at 6:00 a.m.