Yellowstone National Park nearly fully open after historic floods
It's been just over four months since Yellowstone National Park sustained major damage from catastrophic flooding. Now, park leaders are celebrating a milestone in the recovery. After a key park entrance reopened yesterday, approximately 99% of roads throughout Yellowstone are now available for visitors to use.
Park officials kicked off the weekend by reopening the park's Northeast Entrance Road in Montana. That entry point has been shut down since the 500-year flood event in mid-June.
“We are very pleased to be restoring public access to the northeast corridor just four months after the June flood event,” park superintendent Cam Sholly said in a statement last week.
The damage stemmed from melting snow and what the NPS said was unprecedented rainfall amounts beginning June 12, with high waters triggering rockslides and erosion, and washing out sections of the road throughout the massive park, which touches portions of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.
Following an evacuation in June, the National Park Service temporarily shut down all of Yellowstone for the first time in decades as officials assessed the damage.
Ultimately, they found the worst destruction in the park’s north loop, which remained completely closed for weeks this summer, even as the park service reopened southern portions of the park to a limited number of visitors.
Park leaders warned in June that it would likely be a "substantial length of time" before visitors were able to return to portions of the north loop. Construction crews have been working since then to repair areas still hampered by damage.
The Northeast Entrance Road, which carries visitors into the park from Cooke City and Silver Gate in Montana, was among the areas of focus. Workers had to contend with five significantly damaged spots along the road.
Now, with the vast majority of park roads reopened, just one key entrance remains closed.
Extensive work continues on Old Gardiner Road from the gateway community of Gardiner, Montana, at the park's north entrance to Mammoth Hot Springs, park leaders said.
This was the stretch of Yellowstone that sustained the most severe damage this summer, officials said at the time, and reopening the north entrance was the “highest flood recovery priority."
Still, it appears there's optimism that the area will fully reopen soon. With work wrapping up at the north entrance, officials expect paving on the road will be complete and open once again to cars by Nov. 1. In the meantime, as long as you're not in a car, you can fish, hike or otherwise visit this section of the park, as long as you stay away from areas specifically marked closed.
Related: Complete guide to visiting Yellowstone National Park
If you're planning to visit Yellowstone National Park in the near future, be sure to check its alerts page before your arrival. This is where the National Park Service gives updates on which portions of the park are open and which have restrictions.
And when you do visit, keep in mind that while open, portions of the north loop may still be an active construction area, with repairs expected to last well into 2023. Despite continued repairs, operations at Yellowstone are beginning to look far more normal, four months after the historic flooding.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.