Yellowstone National Park Closes After Historic Flash Floods Take Out Bridges, Roads

Virginia KrutaJune 15, 2022

Historic flooding forced Yellowstone National Park to evacuate everyone and close on Monday after the rushing water left main roads damaged or submerged and bridges either impassable or washed out.

According to a report from the Jackson Hole News and Guide, storms on Sunday evening brought heavy rains that overwhelmed the rivers and streams that flow through the surrounding area, causing the swollen Yellowstone River to damage roads leading into the park. Carbella Bridge in Red Lodge, Montana, was wiped out — and the river also destroyed a number of buildings in Gardiner, MT, which sits on the northern border of the park.

Current conditions of Yellowstone’s North Entrance Road through the Gardner Canyon between Gardiner, Montana, and Mammoth Hot Springs.

We will continue to communicate about this hazardous situation as more information is available. More info: https://t.co/mymnqGvcVB pic.twitter.com/S5ysi4wf8a

— Yellowstone National Park (@YellowstoneNPS) June 13, 2022

“Due to record flooding events in the park and more precipitation in the forecast, we have made the decision to close Yellowstone to all inbound visitation,” park Superintendent Cam Sholly explained in a statement. Citing “multiple road and bridge failures, mudslides, and other issues,” Sholly announced plans to evacuate amid fears that flooding would also impact roads toward the southern end of the park.

“We will not know the timing of the park’s reopening until flood waters subside and we’re able to assess the damage throughout the park. It is likely that the northern loop will be closed for a substantial amount of time,” Sholly said.

Gardiner resident Jim Halfpenny said that the flooding was far more devastating than any he’d seen in his lifetime — and according to a stream gauge located in Corwin Springs, MT, Halfpenny was right. The gauge was measuring flows of 49,200 cubic feet per second on Monday afternoon, and the previous record for June 13 was set in 1918: 30,000 cubic feet per second.

Jeff Olson, a guide with Jackson Hole EcoTour Adventures, called the flooding “the worst thing that’s happened disaster-wise since the fires of ’88” — when wildfires burned more than one-third of the park. “To have all five entrances closed because of one event during the summer season? It’s crazy.”

Park officials shared an update to the situation on Tuesday evening, tweeting, “Northern portion of Yellowstone likely to remain closed for substantial length of time due to severely damaged, impacted infrastructure. Visitors traveling to park soon must stay informed about current situation, roads & weather.”

⚠️UPDATE (6/14 @ 6:38pm)⚠️
Northern portion of Yellowstone likely to remain closed for substantial length of time due to severely damaged, impacted infrastructure. Visitors traveling to park soon must stay informed about current situation, roads & weather https://t.co/mymnqGvcVB pic.twitter.com/li6Vwy4qLt

— Yellowstone National Park (@YellowstoneNPS) June 15, 2022

The National Park Service posted a more detailed update to the official Yellowstone National Park website on Tuesday as well: “The road from Gardiner, MT, to Cooke City, MT., will likely not reopen for the rest of the 2022 season due to the recent road damage. This will adversly effect the Northern Loop rd and surrounding communities at the North and Northeast Entrance including Gardiner, Mammoth and Cooke City. Hard closures will take place at Canyon and at Norris going north for the season. Assesment on when to reopen the Southern Loop rd including Canyon Village is underway based on the current flood damage but should reopen relatively soon. When the South Loop does reopen, it will include the West Entrance, the South Entrance and the East Entrance. Assesement should take approximately a week or less.”