Yellowstone's Dunraven Pass staying open a little later; Beartooth Highway closes a little early

Yellowstone National Park enthusiasts are getting an extra week to travel across Dunraven Pass, while the Beartooth Highway has closed a bit early.

With good weather in the forecast and construction underway on the west side of the Yellowstone, park managers plan to leave the road over Dunraven Pass open until 8 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19

Dunraven Pass has remained generally snow-free so far. Photo courtesy National Park Service

"As always, the road may be closed at any time if weather conditions change and the pass becomes unsafe," Yellowstone officials said in a Tuesday announcement.

The stretch of the Grand Loop Road over Dunraven Pass connects Tower Fall and Canyon areas of Yellowstone, passing by Mount Washburn.

Up-to-date information on park roads is available at http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/parkroads.htm or by calling 307-344-2117.

Meanwhile, to the east of Yellostone, the Beartooth Highway officially closed for the season on Monday between its junction with the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and Red Lodge, Montana. The early closure was to allow some planned road work to take place, the Friends of the Beartooth All-American Road said.

Winter weather had already hit the high-elevation highway, with blowing and drifting snow shutting down a portion of the road on Friday.

You can still get to Cooke City, Silver Gate and Yellowstone's Northeast Entrance from the Cody area by using the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway.

Beartooth Highway, roads and bridges, weather, Yellowstone