Yellowstone · Gardiner, MT

Yellowstone North Entrance: this week

Open to cars (year-round road) Week of Nov 9–15, 2026

The North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana is the only Yellowstone entrance open to wheeled vehicles all year, and right now it's one of only two ways to drive in. From here the road climbs to Mammoth Hot Springs and continues east through Tower Junction and Lamar Valley to the Northeast Entrance.

This week's conditions Risks here now Get GOES before you lose signal

When signal drops, GOES steps in.

Mammoth's thermal terraces, elk and bison along the road, and grizzly country beyond. Download GOES in Gardiner so its injury assessment, how-to guides and prevention tips work without a signal.

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Official conditions

This week at the North Entrance

From NPS pages and alerts fetched Nov 12, 2026. Each line links to its source.

OpenOpen year-round to regular vehicles: North Entrance → Mammoth → Tower Junction → Lamar Valley → Northeast Entrance. Every other park road is closed to cars (oversnow travel only from Dec 15). NPS NPS news
Heads-upGardner River High Bridge (0.5 mi southeast of Mammoth, toward Tower): single-lane traffic with up to 15-minute delays, 24/7, through Nov 24, 2026. Vehicles 8'6"+ wide, 75'+ long or 80,000+ lbs can't cross. NPS NPS alert
ClosedMammoth to Norris is closed to cars; it opens to oversnow vehicles Dec 15, 2026. NPS
OpenOpen at Mammoth per NPS operating dates: Albright Visitor Center, Mammoth Campground (first-come, first-served after Oct 15), Mammoth General Store, Mammoth Medical Clinic (closed on Thanksgiving), Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabins, Post Office. The Mammoth gas station is listed as closed — fill up in Gardiner. NPS
InfoRoad status: call (307) 344-2117 or text 82190 to 888-777 for Yellowstone road alerts. NPS

Entrance fee: Private vehicle $35. Non-US residents 16+ pay an additional $100 nonresident fee unless entering with an annual / America the Beautiful pass. NPS fees NPS API

Weather

Forecast near the North Entrance

Snapshot from the National Weather Service, fetched Nov 12, 2026. Live forecast loads below if you're online.Full NWS forecast

Period	Temp	Forecast	Wind
Tonight	34°F	Mostly Cloudy	8 mph
Thursday	64°F	Partly Sunny	3 to 7 mph
Thursday Night	35°F	Mostly Cloudy	8 mph
Friday	60°F	Partly Sunny	6 to 12 mph
Friday Night	36°F	Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain And Snow Showers	7 to 12 mph
Saturday	55°F	Chance Rain And Snow Showers	2 to 6 mph
Saturday Night	36°F	Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy	6 to 9 mph
Sunday	48°F	Mostly Sunny	9 mph

Know the risks

What actually matters here in mid-November

The goal is a good trip, not a scary one. These are the hazards NPS highlights for this area and season, and what to do about each.

Thermal terraces at Mammoth

Mammoth Hot Springs is the main thermal area you can reach by car right now. Stay on boardwalks and designated trails; thermal runoff can burn. Pets aren't allowed on boardwalks or in thermal areas. If you feel sick in a thermal area, leave immediately — gases can build up. NPS

In GOESOffline interactive health assessment + 50+ visual how-to guides

Elk and bison around Mammoth and the road

The rule: at least 25 yards from elk and bison, 100 yards from bears and wolves. If an animal moves toward you, back away. It's illegal to stay near any animal at a distance that disturbs it. NPS

In GOESWildlife Encounters: location-specific risk indicators for dangerous animals

Bears may still be active

NPS treats all of Yellowstone as bear country. Carry bear spray on any walk away from the car, hike in a group, and never leave packs or coolers unattended. NPS

In GOESWildlife Encounters: location-specific risk indicators for bears and other dangerous animals

Cold, ice and short days

This week's NWS forecast for Gardiner: highs around 55–64°F, lows in the mid-30s, with a chance of rain and snow showers by Saturday. NPS asks drivers to carry blankets and keep a full tank. NWS NPS news

In GOESEnvironmental Health: hypothermia and frostbite assessments

Before you go in

Checklist for the North Entrance

Fill the tank in GardinerNPS lists the Mammoth gas station as closed for winter.
Download offline maps + the GOES app before the archNPS says to dial 911 “if cell service is available” — don't plan around it.
Bear spray within reachOne can per person, in a holster, not in the pack. NPS: spray when a charging bear is 30–60 ft away.
Pack winter layers and a blanketEven after a 60°F afternoon, nights drop near freezing.
Check road status the morning you go(307) 344-2117, or text 82190 to 888-777.

Follow official NPS rules, posted closures and ranger instructions. They override anything on this page.

Park-wide

Yellowstone risks everywhere in the park

Thermal areas (scald burns)

Burns from thermal features are a common cause of serious injury and death in Yellowstone. Ground that looks solid can be a thin crust over superheated water. Stay on boardwalks, keep kids close, and never touch runoff. More than 20 people have died after entering or falling into hot springs. Biscuit Basin (near Old Faithful) remains closed after the July 2024 hydrothermal explosion. NPS NPS alert

In GOESOffline interactive health assessment + 50+ visual how-to guides

Bears

All of Yellowstone is grizzly and black bear country. Stay at least 100 yards from bears and wolves, carry bear spray where you can reach it, hike in groups of 3+, make noise, and avoid carcasses. Since 1970, 91% of people injured by bears in Yellowstone were hiking alone or with one partner. NPS

In GOESWildlife Encounters: location-specific risk indicators for bears and other dangerous animals

Bison, elk and other wildlife

Stay at least 25 yards from bison, elk and all other animals (100 yards from bears, wolves and cougars). The safest view is usually from inside your car. NPS

In GOESWildlife Encounters: location-specific risk indicators for dangerous animals

Winter driving and cold

NPS asks fall and winter drivers to watch the weather, keep plans flexible, expect limited services and closures without notice, pack blankets and cold-weather essentials, and keep a full tank. NPS news

In GOESEnvironmental Health: hypothermia and frostbite assessments

NPS alerts

All active Yellowstone alerts

Pulled from the NPS Data API on Nov 12, 2026; the same alerts appear on nps.gov/yell.

Park ClosureMost Park Roads Closed to All Vehicles. Most roads are closed to prepare for commercially-guided snowcoach and snowmobile travel during the winter season, which will begin December 15 (weather depending). The road between the North and Northeast entrances is the only road open year-round to regular vehicles. More
InformationTraffic Delays - Gardner River High Bridge. Expect a single lane of traffic with up to 15-minute delays, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from April 1 through November 24, 2026. Oversized/overweight vehicles (8'6"+ wide, 75'+ long, 80,000 lbs+ gross vehicle weight) will not be able to cross the bridge during this time. More
Park ClosureBiscuit Basin Closed Due to Hydrothermal Explosion. The parking lot, boardwalk, and Firehole River at Biscuit Basin, located north of Old Faithful, is closed to all travel until further notice due to the possibility of another event at the site of a hydrothermal explosion that occurred July 23, 2024. More

Your outdoor safety companion

When signal drops, GOES steps in.

Mammoth's thermal terraces, elk and bison along the road, and grizzly country beyond. Download GOES in Gardiner so its injury assessment, how-to guides and prevention tips work without a signal.

Works with no cell service: interactive health assessment and 50+ visual how-to guides, available offline.
Location-specific risks: wildlife (bears, venomous snakes), hypothermia, frostbite, heat illness, altitude, ticks, poisonous plants, UV and smoke/air quality.
200+ prevention tips across 60+ medical topics, also available offline.
Built by wilderness medicine physicians: founded by Dr. Grant Lipman, former Stanford Emergency Medicine professor and director of its wilderness medicine fellowship; Chief Medical Officer Dr. Colin Little, MD, FAWM.

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

Free to download. Premium features need a monthly or annual subscription after a 7-day free trial. GOES provides guidance. It is not a substitute for professional medical care. Follow official NPS rules and ranger instructions.

Other Yellowstone entrances

North EntranceOpen to cars (year-round road)
Northeast EntranceOpen to cars, reached via Gardiner

Yellowstone overview, closures and park-wide risks →

Sources

Where this week's information comes from

Fetched Thu Nov 12, 2026 (JST), which is Wed Nov 11 evening in US time zones. We don't publish wait times, bear sightings or conditions we can't source. Check the official pages before you go — they're updated more often than we are.