The East Entrance of Yellowstone Opens Next Week

Next Friday, May 2, at 8:00 am, the East Gate to Yellowstone opens for the summer season. We’ve come a long way since the early days when the men from Cody grabbed shovels and plows and started opening the east entrance from this side while the Park Service opened it from theirs.

Then, it was up to the weather to determine when the opening days would be. In the 1920s, the Park often didn’t open until June or even July. As roads and snow removal improved, the summer season in Yellowstone extended. In the 1990s, the Cody Chamber formed a Government Affairs Committee subcommittee to see if the Park could have more reliable opening and closing dates. This would allow the businesses in Cody (and other gateway communities) to better plan for the summer season. They worked with Park Service officials and accomplished this important task.

Currently, the East Entrance to Yellowstone opens on the first Friday in May and the season continues through October 31.

Rolling Openings in Yellowstone

While the North and West Entrances have enjoyed access to the interior of Yellowstone since April 18, the Park opens with rolling openings. Even if the roads have already been plowed, there aren’t the staff or services to handle the influx of visitors if all gates open simultaneously.

Given that Sylvan Pass is more prone to closures due to avalanches in the spring, the Park Service allows an extra two weeks to alleviate this problem. Even more time is given to the South Entrance and Dunraven Pass (between Canyon and Tower Falls).

Current Opening Schedule:

• North and West Entrances: April 18
• East Entrance: May 2
• South Entrance: May 9
• Dunraven Pass & (usually) Beartooth Highway: May 23
• Colter Pass east of Cooke City is usually targeted to open by Memorial Day (May 23)

The Cody Road to the Northeast Entrance

According to WYDOT, there will be work along the Chief Joseph Highway (WY296) in the Swamp Lake Section this summer:

“Milling of pavement and pavement overlay, chip sealing, minor slope flattening of Wyoming Highway 296 from milepost 0 (intersection of U.S. 212 and Wyoming 296) extending 8.5 miles toward Cody to .86 miles southeast of Crandall Creek. Bridge rehabilitation on Crandall Creek bridge, replacement of a 60-inch CMP pipe southeast of Crandall Creek at RM 8.11. Bridge rehabilitation of the Dead Indian Creek bridge at milepost 25.08. Expect delays. Mountain Construction Co. of Lovell, is the prime contractor on the $9.82 million project. Contract completion date is June 30, 2026. All work except reclamation and chip seal must be completed by October 31, 2025.”

Cody Celebrates the Opening of Yellowstone’s East Gate

And it’s time to celebrate the opening of the 2025 season next week! With that, we can look forward to a few events.

• Parks and Pancakes will be on Friday, May 2, this year. A pancake breakfast will be served in front of the Cody Chamber office from 8:00 am to 10:00 am.
• National Parks Day Cocktail Reception will take place on Sunday, May 4, 2025, from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm, at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West’s Bunker Sands Gallery. This is an opportunity to speak directly with Park Service Staff in a casual setting. Tickets for this event are available at the Chamber of Commerce. They are $15 per person and can be purchased at the Chamber office.
• The 73rd Annual National Parks Day Luncheon will be held at the Holiday Inn on Monday, May 5, 2025, from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. Speakers will be Cameron Sholly, Superintendent of Yellowstone National Park, and Chip Jenkins, Superintendent of Grand Teton National Park. During their talks, they’ll share their thoughts on the upcoming year and information on projects in the Parks. Tickets are $30 per person and are available at the Chamber of Commerce.

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