Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park are closed for business.
The decision was announced yesterday, preceded by a statement from Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly, saying quote “Yellowstone has received a substantial number of requests to temporarily close, from state and local partners, including the governors of Montana and Wyoming, health officials from all surrounding counties, and local government leadership. I have been in direct contact with the governors, many local leaders, and health officials within our gateway communities and counties.”
There will be no visitor access permitted to either park for the discernible future. State highways and/or roads that transcend park/state boundaries and facilities that support life safety and commerce will remain open and both parks will cooperate on the implementation of the closures.
This decision was made largely at the behest of health officers from the counties adjacent to the parks in question, namely Teton County, Gallatin County, MT and the Park Counties of both Montana and Wyoming. Their concern is an influx of tourists escaping social distancing could lead to an influx of urgent or even critical COVID-19 patients in rural hospitals already worried about managing cases with the limited resources and hospital beds they have.
With a global pandemic reaching its peak in the nation, nobody wants to take chances.
