Travel Resumes Tonight Through Lamar Valley at Soda Butte

Crews are working to repair a section of road in the northeast section of Yellowstone National Park that has been damaged by high water.

Rushing waters at the confluence between the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek have undercut a 30-foot section of the eastbound lane of the park’s Northeast Entrance road just west of Soda Butte.

The road has been temporarily closed to all travel since late Friday evening. It is unknown how long it may take to reopen the road to through travel.

Visitors can still travel into the Northeast Entrance of the park from Red Lodge, Montana or Cody, Wyoming, over the Beartooth Highway or the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway. The road is open as far as the Lamar River Stock Trailhead, west of Pebble Creek Campground, approximately 13 miles from the Northeast Entrance.

The road is open east of Tower Junction as far as Fisherman’s Pullout, approximately 8 miles from the junction.

All other park roads and entrances are open.

Updated information on park road conditions is available 24 hours a day by calling the park’s road information hotline at 307-344-2117.

Vehicle travel through Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley will resume tonight at 7:00 pm following a June 24 road washout between Tower Junction and the park’s Northeast Entrance near Soda Butte.

Park crews used specialized heavy equipment to repair approximately 200 feet of road that was damaged by high water at the confluence between the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek. Nearly 100 loads of rock and fill dirt were needed to provide a stable roadbed and restore full lane width across the undercut area.

A second high water area affecting the road two tenths of a mile downstream from last Friday’s washout prompted crews to spend an additional day stabilizing approximately 50 feet of road with dirt and large boulders to proactively avert another washout situation.

Two-way travel will be permitted through the newly-repaired section of road. However, drivers are cautioned to reduce speed through the temporary gravel surface, which will be marked with the appropriate road hazard signage.

High and fast-rushing water at the confluence due to heavy late spring runoff was the contributing factor in causing the washout.

Park staff members are closely monitoring other portions of the Northeast Entrance road that may be vulnerable to undercutting and washouts as warm temperatures forecasted in the coming days are expected to keep river and stream flows high.

Visitors are cautioned that changing weather during this time of year can cause road closures with little or no advance warning.

Updated information on park road conditions is available 24 hours a day by calling the park’s road information hotline at 307-344-2117.