YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK – Road construction in Tower Junction and Canyon Village will begin the first week of July. The NPS expects these projects will have little impact on visitors.
The projects include reconstructing and widening a 2.5-mile stretch of road between Tower Junction and Tower Fall, reconstructing the Canyon Village parking lot, and replacing the Obsidian Creek Bridge at the Indian Creek Campground. HK Contractors, Inc., of Idaho Falls, Idaho will run the projects.
The Tower Road has not been reconstructed since 1939. This project will also include pullout improvements, retaining wall repairs, and addition of ADA-accessible routes to viewpoints at the Calcite Springs overlook. The current Canyon Village parking area is 55 years old. The historic Obsidian Creek Bridge was built in 1911. The redesign will retain the character of the original bridge.
The Obsidian Creek Bridge project should be completed by the end of this year. The Tower and Canyon projects are expected to be completed by October 2013.
Updated Yellowstone National Park road information is available 24 hours a day at (307) 344-2117.
Expected closures/impacts:
Tower Road: Early July – mid September, closed nightly 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. Expect 30-minute delays during open hours. Mid September – early November, full closure. Closure points will be at Tower Junction next to the Roosevelt Corral and just north of Chittenden Road between Tower and Canyon Village. Overnight visitors in the Tower Fall campground will be allowed entry or exit during closure for emergencies only. Trail access to Mount Washburn will remain available from the Chittenden Road and Dunraven Pass trailheads.
Canyon Village Main parking area: Construction will occur in four sections, one at a time, to keep day-use parking available for the Visitor Education Center, lodge and stores. The entire parking lot will be closed nightly from 11 p.m. – 6 a.m. All stores will remain open during normal operating hours.
Obsidian Creek Bridge (Indian Creek Campground): Construction will occur after the campground closes for the season Sept. 4.
