THE GOVERNMENT NEWS DESKSTATE & NATION TRAVEL
National parks, historic sites and practical visitor updates, directly from the National Park Service.
NPS sources checked 10/3/2026, 2:02:48 PM Eastern
Due to a water shortage, flushable toilets are currently unavailable at the Ok-A-Beh Marina. Vault toilets are available at the upper parking lot and a floating restroom is available on the courtesy dock.
Official NPS sourceWhen lake levels are below 3625, boaters are advised to avoid areas south of Horseshoe Bend and the South Narrows due to low water levels. Throughout the year, lake water levels fluctuate greatly. Hazards and launching abilities change with the water levels. Please use caution when recreating on Bighorn Lake.
Official NPS sourceOur main phone number for the visitor center is temporarily disconnected. Please call 307-877-4456 to reach a ranger.
Official NPS sourceAlthough an entrance pass is required to enter Yellowstone National Park, vehicle reservations are not needed. You are encouraged to purchase an entrance pass before arriving, but you may also purchase passes at any entrance station upon arrival.
Official NPS sourceThe 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.
Official NPS source
The National Park Service (NPS) signed a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and associated Wetlands/Floodplains Statement of Findings (SOF) to reconstruct the North Entrance Road between Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming, and Gardiner, Montana, in Yellowstone National Park.
Official NPS source
Yellowstone National Park hosted 856,467 recreation visits in August 2026, down 3% from August 2025 (881,936 recreation visits).
Official NPS source
The Department of the Interior today announced that Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cameron “Cam” Sholly will conclude nearly three decades of federal service and almost eight years leading America’s first national park.
Official NPS source
Effective Friday, Sept. 4, the remaining fishing restrictions on the Firehole, Madison and Gibbon (downstream of Norris Campground) rivers and all associated tributaries will be lifted due to cooling weather and water temperatures. Anglers will be able to fish these rivers, in addition to most other park rivers, streams and lakes, daily from sunrise to sunset as specified in the 2026 Fishing Regulations booklet.
Official NPS source
Beginning Aug. 31, Yellowstone National Park will temporarily close Buffalo Creek, a tributary of Slough Creek in the northern part of the park, for treatment to remove invasive fish as part of ongoing conservation efforts to preserve native species. It will reopen to the public on Sept. 7.
Official NPS source
Grand Teton National Park is entering the next phase of several major construction projects, bringing changes to visitor access at Taggart Lake Trailhead and along the Moose-Wilson Road corridor. Visitors should plan ahead for changing conditions, follow posted closures and allow additional time when traveling through construction areas.
Official NPS sourceThe National Park Service has approved an amendment to the Record of Decision for the Moose-Wilson Corridor Comprehensive Management Plan in Grand Teton National Park.
Official NPS source
Yellowstone National Park hosted 958,706 recreation visits in July 2026, down 2% from July 2025 (975,109 recreation visits).
Official NPS source
Celebrate America’s Story at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area During National Park Week Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area invites visitors of all ages to “Celebrate America’s Story” during National Park Week, August 22–30, 2026, and to take part in a full season of engaging programs running through September. With hands-on activities, stewardship opportunities, and adventures on land and water, Bighorn Canyon offers a memorable way to experience the landscapes and stories that define our nation.
Official NPS sourceGrand Teton National Park, in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Western Federal Lands Highway Division, will begin a roadway rehabilitation project on North Park Road (U.S. Route 89/191/287) starting in early August. The project is expected to take about two months to complete.
Official NPS source
Fort Laramie, Wyoming. Fort Laramie National Historic Site will spotlight the rich history of the 1830s Fur Trade on Friday, July 31 and Saturday, August 1, 2026.
Official NPS source
Grand Teton National Park will temporarily close a section of Moose-Wilson Road on Tuesday, July 28, Wednesday, July 29, and Thursday, July 30 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.
Official NPS source
Beginning Saturday, Aug. 1, people may apply to the 2026-2027 winter lottery for permits to snowmobile in Yellowstone National Park without a commercial guide.
Official NPS sourceGrand Teton National Park will temporarily close a section of Moose-Wilson Road on Tuesday, July 21, and Wednesday, July 22, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to allow crews to safely complete a critical phase of ongoing road construction.
Official NPS source
The parkwide fire danger level for Yellowstone is now HIGH.
Official NPS sourceThe Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) has confirmed a second case of measles in Teton County.
Official NPS source
Yellowstone National Park hosted 903,025 recreation visits in June 2026, down 3% from June 2025 (928,250 recreation visits).
Official NPS source
Yellowstone has lifted the remaining temporary trail, backcountry campsite and fishing closures near Old Faithful that were put in place after a May 4 bear incident in which two hikers were injured by an adult female grizzly bear with cubs.
Official NPS sourceWe conclude the celebration of Devis Tower National Monuemnt 120th B-day with a final presentation about the hisotry of the park and what the futre looks like.
Official NPS sourceNational Historic Trail
Follow in the footsteps of over 250,000 emigrants who traveled to the gold fields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840s and 1850s: the greatest mass migration in American history. The California National Historic Trail is over 5,000 miles long and covers portions of 10 states. Step into history along more than 1,000 miles of ruts and traces from travelers and their overland wagons.
California · Colorado · Idaho · Kansas · Missouri · Nebraska · Nevada · Oregon · Utah · WyomingNational Historic Trail
It is hard to believe that young men once rode horses to carry mail from Missouri to California in the unprecedented time of only 10 days. This relay system along the Pony Express National Historic Trail in eight states was the most direct and practical means of east-west communications before the telegraph.
California · Colorado · Kansas · Missouri · Nebraska · Nevada · Utah · WyomingNational Historic Trail
Imagine yourself an emigrant headed for Oregon: would promises of lush farmlands and a new beginning lure you to leave home and walk for weeks? More than 2,000 miles of trail ruts and traces can still be seen along the Oregon National Historic Trail in six states and serve as reminders of the sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs of early American settlers.
Idaho · Kansas · Missouri · Nebraska · Oregon · Washington · WyomingNational Park
National Historic Trail
Explore the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail across five states to see the 1,300-mile route traveled by Mormons who fled Nauvoo, Illinois, to the Great Salt Lake Valley in 1846-1847.
Illinois · Iowa · Nebraska · Utah · WyomingNational Recreation Area
The vast, wild landscape of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area offers visitors unparalleled opportunities to immerse themselves in the natural world, and experience the wonders of this extraordinary place. With over 120,000 acres, one can find an astounding diversity in ecosystems, wildlife, and more than 10,000 years of human history to explore.
Montana · WyomingNational Monument
The Tower is an astounding geologic feature that protrudes out of the prairie surrounding the Black Hills. It is considered sacred by Northern Plains Indians and indigenous people. Hundreds of parallel cracks make it one of the finest crack climbing areas in North America. Devils Tower entices us to learn more, explore more and define our place in the natural and cultural world.
WyomingNational Historic Site
Originally established as a private fur trading fort in 1834, Fort Laramie evolved into the largest and best-known military post on the Northern Plains before its abandonment in 1890. Nicknamed the “Grand Old Post,” Fort Laramie witnessed the entire sweeping saga of America’s western expansion and Indian resistance to encroachment on their territories.
WyomingNational Monument
In the ridges of southwest Wyoming are some of the best-preserved fossils in the world. They tell the story of ancient life in a warm, wet environment in and around a freshwater lake. Stingrays swam in the lake. Turtles basked in the sun. Leaves rustled in the breeze while early horses darted between the trunks. We reveal more of the past with each fossil found.
WyomingNational Park
Soaring over a landscape rich with wildlife, pristine lakes, and majestic alpine vistas, the Teton Range stands as a testament to generations of stewards. For over 11,000 years, communities have thrived in the valley known as Jackson Hole, turning these mountains into more than just peaks—they embody imagination and enduring human connection.
WyomingDestination directory sourced from NPS state listings, October 3, 2026. Official NPS directory