“Record Flooding” Forces Closure Of Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park closed all entrances to visitors due to widespread dangerous flooding, forcing park evacuations, and has left some trapped inside as roads and bridges were swept away. 

“Due to record flooding events in the park and more precipitation in the forecast, we have made the decision to close Yellowstone to all inbound visitation.

“We will not know the timing of the park’s reopening until flood waters subside and we’re able to assess the damage throughout the park. It is likely that the northern loop will be closed for a substantial amount of time,” Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly said in a statement.

Yellowstone is a 3,500-sq.-mile national park nestled in Wyoming and parts of Montana and Idaho. The damage is unknown as the flooding only began over the weekend, and the park closed on Monday. 

“Our first priority has been to evacuate the northern section of the park where we have multiple road and bridge failures, mudslides, and other issues,” Sholly said. 

Footage of the flooding, rockslides, and other hazardous weather conditions were shared on social media. 

East Idaho News shared photos and videos of the wild weather:  

Home swept away 

Bridge collapse 

Severe flooding due to unprecedented heavy rain on snow is forcing the closure and evacuation of Yellowstone National Park.

Mudslides, rockslides and flooding are wiping out roads and bridges across the region.

Note: graphic language pic.twitter.com/B23oHwdyrD

— US StormWatch (@US_Stormwatch) June 13, 2022

Homes battered by flooding 

Part of a house is dragged into rushing water in Gardiner, Montana, as the Yellowstone River flooded after “unprecedented” rainfall.

All Yellowstone National Park entrances have been temporarily closed, the National Park Service announced on Monday. https://t.co/3OVjdvFaf0 pic.twitter.com/giN4CWdCkZ

— ABC News (@ABC) June 14, 2022

Town flooded 

Silver Gate, Mt. evacuated early this morning. NE entrance to Yellowstone NP #yellowstone #Yellowstone National Park #flood pic.twitter.com/AnaIWi9avA

— whyaskit (@whyaskit1) June 14, 2022

Infrastructure damaged

Aerial footage captured the devastating flooding that washed away roads and triggered mudslides at Yellowstone National Park. https://t.co/PFykNfcPld pic.twitter.com/RoFbdXNqJ6

— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) June 14, 2022

Another home swept away

Video near Yellowstone National Park shows a house falling into the raging Yellowstone River on Monday.

Heavy rain and melting snow have caused flooding, damage and triggered evacuations in and around the park. https://t.co/aSUy3KQD9C pic.twitter.com/QPudzkm1aj

— The Associated Press (@AP) June 14, 2022

More views of the disaster from above 

People attempting to flee Yellowstone

Escaping from the cabin, the bridge to get into Silvergate washed away minutes before. We found the last way out through a bridge by a local cabin above the Bannock Trail. #Yellowstone #Silvergate pic.twitter.com/gb7nr80JXy

— Bensei (@BENSEI_GG) June 13, 2022

“The Yellowstone area is experiencing major flooding. Bridges are being washed away, roads are collapsing, and access in and out of the northern range has been blocked,” one Twitter user said. 

The Yellowstone area is experiencing major flooding. Bridges are being washed away, roads are collapsing, and access in and out of the northern range has been blocked. These pics sent this AM from our property by cabin guest Steve Penrose (since evacuated by EMS volunteers). pic.twitter.com/gXEMgsRWjk

— Max Waugh (@MaxWaughPhoto) June 13, 2022

Another town flooded

Livingston, Montana and the Yellowstone river are not looking too good right now. Wow! pic.twitter.com/nkDJnfeSyK

— TroutFishingSensei (@TroutSensei) June 14, 2022

On the bright side, at least the supervolcano under Yellowstone didn’t erupt.