Yellowstone National Park’s South Loop Reopens After Storm Damage

Yellowstone National Park will once again welcome visitors to its south loop on Wednesday morning, days after entrances, roads, and backcountry were closed due to recent flooding. 

The park will officially reopen its south loop at 8 a.m. on the morning of June 22, the National Park Service (NPS) announced. However, it will use an Alternating License Plate System (ALPS) at first in order to keep visitor levels down. 

That system will allow odd-number last digits to enter on odd days of the month, and even-numbered last digit days to do the same on even days. Those with personalized plates without numbers can enter on the odd days, and those in motorcycle groups will be able to enter on even days. 

Any visitors with proof of overnight reservations can enter the park any day of the month. 

“We have made tremendous progress in a very short amount of time but have a long way to go. We have an aggressive plan for recovery in the north and resumption of operations in the south,” Cam Sholly, Yellowstone National Park Superintendent, said in a statement on Wednesday. 

“We appreciate the tremendous support from National Park Service and Department of the Interior leadership, in addition to our surrounding Congressional delegations, governors, counties, communities, and other partners.”

The park’s northern loop will stay closed until further notice as the parks department continues to deal with the damage from last week’s floods. According to the National Park Service, that loop will reopen depending on “the extent of damage and ability to safely open additional sections as the year progresses.”