Select roads within Yellowstone National Park will open for the spring and summer season Friday at 8 a.m., the park announced.
Concession services also will open, and as an added bonus for spring travelers, entrance fees will be waived Saturday as part of the annual National Park Week celebration.
The spring thaw is underway within Yellowstone, which encompasses a vast swath of Wyoming and portions of Montana and Idaho.
Migratory birds are arriving, bears are emerging from hibernation, bison births are occurring and, of course, geysers are blowing off steam.
Roads scheduled to open include the West Entrance to Old Faithful; Mammoth Hot Springs to Old Faithful (via Norris), and Norris to Canyon Village.
The road connecting the North Entrance to Mammoth Hot Springs, and the Northeast Entrance across the park, is open year-round.
The park reminds travelers that weather can change rapidly during spring and that can affect road conditions. Visitors are urged to check the park website for updated road conditions before making daily plans.
Springtime visitors will find limited but expanding hiking opportunities, as well as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing opportunities at higher elevations.
–Images are courtesy of Yellowstone National Park
