We have wonderful news! Yellowstone National Park officials have officially said that they will be reopening parts of the park after the devastating floods last week forced more than 10,000 people to have to be evacuated.
The historic flooding on June 12 (2022) triggered rockslides, mudslides, and heavy flooding throughout the park and caused more than $1 billion dollars in damage.
National Park Service officials announced that the historic national park will be open to the public on the park’s south loop end starting at 8am but the north loop area will likely be closed for a “substantial length of time.”
Starting Wednesday, Yellowstone officials said they will be implementing an interim visitor access plan called the Alternating License Plate System which will regulate visitors into the south loop entrances.
This method lets vehicles into the park based on whether the last number on their license plate is odd or even
“Odd-numbered last digits on license plates can enter on odd days of the month; even-numbered last digits, including zero, on license plates can enter on even days of the month,” NPS said in a press release.
There will be a few exceptions to the rule for commercial tours and visitors with proof that they have reservations to stay overnight at one of the hotels, campgrounds, or in the backcountry.
The license plate system is said to help with balancing the high demand for visitors wanting to enter the park and making sure the south loop end doesn’t get overwhelmed with too many people.
The parts of the park that visitors will be able to access are Old Faithful, West Thumb, and other areas, but the Norris and Lewis Lake campgrounds areas of the south loop will remain off-limits.
Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cam Sholly said in a statement that, “As we go through the reopening process, we will monitor the system’s effectiveness and work together to make adjustments that may be necessary. We will also reopen new sections of the park as repairs continue to be made.”