Inside Yellowstone

Yellowstone coloring book released

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

Yellowstone National Park in May released “Yellowstone: Color It Wild,” a coloring book for all ages featuring 26 regional artists and writers inspired by the scenery of Yellowstone. The book includes illustrations, short essays, poems, and inspiring historical and contemporary quotes.

Adult coloring books have become a publishing phenomenon, and “Yellowstone: Color It Wild” offers fresh inspiration for those who enjoy these books as well as an inviting format for those discovering the hobby for the first time.

The book encourages visitors to take a journey around the Grand Loop Road of Yellowstone and experience the park through art and words. Coloring enthusiasts can use their inspiration to color and create illustrations or doodles of their own that conjure memories of their time exploring Yellowstone.

To celebrate the release of the new book and the ongoing role of arts in national parks, Yellowstone National Park will offer a monthly Visiting Artist Outreach Program throughout the summer in the park. Featured artists will provide opportunities to group color and to explore the artist’s preferred medium.

Written and visual reflections on Yellowstone in the late 19th century aroused the interest of the world and resulted in Yellowstone National Park’s designation as the world’s first national park in 1872. Today, regional artists and writers continue to share their creations and experiences about the wonders that are Yellowstone National Park.

“Yellowstone: Color It Wild” is a collaborative effort between Yellowstone National Park, the Yellowstone Association, and Montana State University Institute on Ecosystems. The book is available in Yellowstone Association park stores and at yellowstoneassociation.org/product/yellowstone-color-it-wild.

Yellowstone road upgrades may delay summer travel plans

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

Yellowstone visitors are likely to encounter road construction projects as they make their way through the park this summer. Short, daily traffic delays are expected along portions of the Grand Loop Road, but the improvement work should not cause visitors to make major changes to their scheduled travel plans.

The most significant project is the second phase of improvement on the 16-mile stretch of road between Norris Geyser Basin and the Golden Gate area south of Mammoth Hot Springs.

This 4.7-mile project will improve and widen the current 18- to 22-foot road to the Yellowstone standard of 30 feet. It will also add and improve pullouts, widen shoulders, and install safer parking areas. This project is the most significant upgrade to the road since it was first constructed in the 1920s, and will be completed in three phases over the next several years.

Visitors this summer should expect traffic delays of up to 30 minutes in construction areas. At night, the section of road between Roaring Mountain and the Moose Exhibit parking area—about 2 miles south of the Indian Creek Campground—may be closed entirely. Visitors can expect nighttime closures in effect from 10 p.m. on June 1 through 7 a.m. on Sept. 11.

When night closures occur, travel from Mammoth to Norris will have to be done via Tower, Dunraven Pass and Canyon. The Indian Creek Campground will not be affected by this closure.

In the fall, this section of road will close to all traffic from 10 p.m. on Sept. 11 to 7 a.m. on Oct. 7. The Grizzly Lake, Solfatara and Mount Holmes trailheads will be closed during this period.

There will be no daytime traffic delays or overnight road closures on the Fourth of July weekend—between 5 p.m. July 1 and 7 a.m. July 5—and during Labor Day weekend between 5 p.m. Sept. 2 and 7 a.m. Sept. 6.

Other construction projects causing short delays include the Glen Creek Stock Trailhead parking area south of Mammoth Hot Springs, and chip sealing throughout the park.

All other Yellowstone National Park roads and all park entrances are open for the season.

Official mobile app launched for park

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

The NPS Yellowstone National Park app is now available from the Apple App Store, and an Android version will be available soon. This free, official mobile app provides useful information about visitor centers; places to stay and eat; shopping and services; and historic places and natural features.

Cell service and Wi-Fi are limited in the park, so visitors are encouraged to download the app before they arrive. More information is available at go.nps.gov/yellowstoneapp.

The new app offers many useful features. Users can:

• Explore the interactive park map, which is easy to use while outdoors and includes large font sizes, illustrated trails and services, scenic highlights, and multiple zoom levels. By tapping the “Locate me” button, you will always know where you are.
• Learn more about points of interest with text and photographs.
• Discover rich natural and cultural resources with self-guided walking tours.
• Get up-to-date information about what is happening in Yellowstone, including links to geyser predictions and road construction information.
• With the tap of a button, share a digital postcard with friends and family.
• Get up-to-date accessibility information for facilities and some trails in the park, audio-described sites, and alternative text for images.

Visitation increased considerably last year, and this summer promises to be just as busy—if not busier. To get the most out of a Yellowstone adventure, visitors should plan carefully before they arrive. Lodging and campgrounds fill early, and it’s unlikely to find a place to stay at the last minute. The official Yellowstone National Park website provides a wealth of trip planning information at nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/index.

The NPS Yellowstone National Park app was developed in partnership with the National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, NPMap, Harpers Ferry Center, Montana State University, and Colorado State University. The app was made possible, in part, by a donation from Canon U.S.A., Inc., through the Yellowstone Park Foundation.