Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks are announcing modifications to operations at the request of local county health officers from Park County, WY, Park County, MT, Teton County, WY, and Gallatin County, MT. The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners is our number one priority. The National Park Service (NPS) is working servicewide with federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic. Effective immediately, Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks are closed to all park visitors until further notice. There will be no visitor access permitted to either park. State highways and/or roads that transcend park/state boundaries and facilities that support life safety and commerce will remain open. https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/20013.htm

Yellowstone National Park is announcing modifications to operations to implement the latest guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and local and state authorities to promote social distancing. The park evaluated areas of potential risk of exposure to COVID-19. Based on this analysis, effective immediately, the park will temporarily close the Albright Visitor Center and Boiling River soaking/swimming area (which usually closes due to high water in the spring) until further notice. https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/20012.htm

Nancy Finley, a 30-year veteran of the National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), has been named as the new chief of the Yellowstone Center for Resources (YCR) in Yellowstone National Park. She will arrive in the park in May 2020. https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/20011.htm

The first confirmed grizzly bear sighting in Yellowstone National Park of 2020 occurred on Saturday, March 7. The bear was observed from the air by biologists during a radio telemetry flight near Grand Prismatic Spring just one day before last year’s first sighting. https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/20010.htm

Beginning Sunday, March 1, bison operations began at the Stephens Creek administrative area in Yellowstone National Park. Bison capture and shipping operations begin when bison migrate from the interior of the park into the Gardiner (Montana) Basin and may continue through late March. https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/20009.htm