Rare Yellowstone closure from historic floods spells hardship for 'gateway' towns

Major sections of the park's northern half are expected to remain closed for the rest of the season, dealing an economic blow to adjacent gateway communities counting on a rebound in Yellowstone tourism for the park's 150th anniversary following two years of COVID-19 restrictions.

By Wednesday, all of Yellowstone's visitors, at least 10,000 people, had been safely evacuated, except for a dozen back-country campers still making their way out on their own, Superintendent Cam Sholly said in an online news briefing. At the request of local law enforcement agencies, the Montana National Guard sent helicopters to assist in search and rescue efforts in the small towns of Roscoe and Cooke City.

Floodwaters along the Yellowstone River were nearly a meter higher than their previous record highs measured more than a century ago, according to the National Weather Service. Closing half of Yellowstone for the season will be a seismic shockwave for its devoted visitors and the gateway communities catering to them.The world’s first national park and one of the most popular outdoor destinations in the U.S., Yellowstone hosts 4 million visitors each year. Its $159 million annual budget helps maintain more than 1,500 buildings and 450 miles of road.

In future not so 'rare'.

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