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When will Yellowstone open?
Todd Schlotfeldt • May 1, 2020
Roam Yellowstone Guiding and COVID-19
If you've found this blog post, you may be looking forward to a spring time road trip as the US begins to ease restrictions in place to protect citizens from the COVID-19 pandemic. If Yellowstone National Park is on your road trip radar, read through this article for the most current information from April 31st before planning your itinerary.
During a conference call between Yellowstone Park's superintendent Cam Sholly and Commercial Use Authorization (guiding permit) holders, we learned of the challenges the park will face while opening up and just exactly what the plan is. I would like to add that given the circumstances, Yellowstone's officers and officials have been exceptional.
The first thing to note is that as of Yesterday, there was no specific opening date planned for Yellowstone. However, we did hear that it is reasonable to expect The Park to open sometime in late May or June. The opening date is not secure because Yellowstone has to comply with the health guidelines of each of the 3 states it occupies. The opening of the park will be phased meaning that when The Park opens, most facilities will remain closed. We can expect trailheads and restrooms to open in phase 1 but lodging will not open til a later phase.
How will the park enforce social distancing and other regulations relating to the novel coronavirus? Guiding services like Roam Yellowstone guiding will be required to submit operating plans stating how each will mitigate the risk of spreading the virus. Risk mitigation will be left widely up to the individual companies. Coach buses and vehicle based tours will have difficulty following regulations. As an outdoor and trail based company, Roam Yellowstone Guiding strives to maintain privacy and distance from others as part of the natural experience - for us, social distancing is the norm!
For the public, the park will again leave it up to individuals to follow regulations. This may seem crazy but it is not The Park's assignment to enforce social distancing. They cannot put their staff at excess risk nor do they have the staffing resources to control each popular area. Everyone has to do their part. We all know the regulations and how to comply. This may mean skipping popular areas, avoiding peak times of day, and simply not coming if you have been in physical contact with the virus, are feeling sick or have to quarantine due to out of state travel, etc.
The Park will not hesitate to close down if people are selfish and non-compliant.
How will Roam Yellowstone Guiding keep clients and staff safe?
We are lucky that our business model calls for social distancing even without the threat of a virus. However, rest assured every precaution is taken to protect our clients, ourselves, and others.
What's the plan?
- Clients will be required to indicate if they have been in physical contact with anyone who contracted COVID-19 or if they have signs or symptoms of sickness. If they have we unfortunately will not be able to provide service this season.
- Depending on the date of the hike and future updates about COVID-19, we will suggest lesser used trailhead's to enable easier distancing.
- We will maintain a 6 foot distance by staying away from others and stepping off trail if necessary.
- As always, rental equipment will be sanitized before and after use.
- As always, best practice food safety will be utilized to avoid food borne illness.
Our plan is continually adapting with the changing regulations. Please check back for updates!
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2020 left many visitors out of convenient lodging inside Yellowstone National Park. For 2021, our excellent park service has created a detailed list of what lodges, campgrounds and stores are going to be open, when they will open and when they will close. Please note that all dates are subject to change. As always feel free to contact us if you have questions while planning your travels. Staying inside the park is the most convenient way to experience Yellowstone but make sure to plan ahead to ensure a smooth vacation. Consider booking our Private Summer Safari Tours or our Private Day Hiking Excursions to make the most out of your time in Yellowstone!
Covid-19 has created its challenges, but we are embracing new changes so we can have an adventurous and exciting winter season while taking every measure to ensure the health of out clients and staff. Yellowstone will be different during the pandemic. There will be a decrease in international tourism and stagecoach bus tours can not operate in their normal capacity. Our Guides are taking all the necessary safety precautions while leading our tours . We hope this information gives you peace of mind as you plan your outings this summer. Call 406.551.6518 or fill out a form on the Contact page to receive more information. What measures will be taken to minimize exposure while interacting with clients? Clients will be greeted with a healthy amount of hand sanitizer instead of a handshake. Guides will stand at a safe 6 foot distance from clients when possible and practice enhanced sanitation procedures. What social distancing measures are we taking during tours? Masks will be encouraged in situations where we can’t maintain social distancing. We will practice social distancing with other people on the trails/boardwalks as well. We will educate and enforce the importance of Covid-19 measures within the park as our clients continue their visit in Yellowstone. How will CDC Hand Washing & Sanitation measures be followed? Every client of Roam Yellowstone Guiding must sanitize before the tour begins, before and after lunch, and at the end of the tour. Tour guides will have hand sanitizer on their person at all times and will encourage clients to bring their own as well. How often will we sanitize gear and equipment? There is only one group, per guide, per day which keeps families/cohorts separate. Any borrowed gear will be sanitized at the beginning and end of every day with a sanitizing spray or alcohol wipes. Binoculars will be sanitized between each individual use and everyone will have their own gear to avoid sharing and cross-contamination. Will any gear be shared? The only shared gear will be binoculars and bear spray. The guide will have their own pair of binoculars and a few other pairs will be dispersed throughout the group. They will be sanitized with an alcohol wipe between each client and at the end of the day. The bear spray will be held by a few chosen individuals in the group and sanitized at the beginning and end of every day. If a client needs assistance with their gear, the guide will demonstrate, explain verbally, or have a member of the cohort assist said client eliminating any foreign human contact. If you choose to have food provided, how will we ensure minimal exposure and transmission? Roam Yellowstone will follow all rules and instructions from Serve Safe food handler's training to ensure proper food handling. Every lunch is packaged individually and will be carried by the client independently. How will we ensure that guides and clients are not ill? Guides will not be able to receive tours if any symptoms arise and Roam Yellowstone Guiding will check in often with our guides to make sure everyone is feeling healthy and fit. We will ask clients a series of questions before the tour as well as the morning of (I.e. do you have any symptoms? Does anybody you’ve been with in the last two weeks have any symptoms of Covid-19?) Peace of Mind: Roam Yellowstone Guiding will follow all Covid-19 regulations while in Yellowstone Park but also at home in our personal lives. Each client will be vetted before the booking request is accepted and we will check in with clients up until the tour begins. The business model of this particular guiding service eliminates brief interactions as well as extended interactions. Lets work together to create a safe environment during this beautiful Montana summer! Get outside. Be active. Give air hugs. -Roam Yellowstone Guiding
In Yellowstone you can find solitude. Yellowstone has a reputation for busy roads, animal jams, crowded boardwalks and uniformed/thoughtless tourists. When you go for a walk into the back country, this is rarely the case. You can be alone. In Yellowstone you can experience the most intact ecosystem in the lower 48 states. The management of the National Park Service (NPS) has created an amazing reserve of natural splendor. On the trails of Yellowstone you can tun a corner and be face to face with a Volkswagen sized bison, at which point you should retreat. You can see eagles and osprey dive for native Yellowstone cutthroat trout. You can watch bears and wolves scavenging and hunting as long as you want. You won't have to worry about stopping a mile long line of traffic behind you. In the backcountry, there aren't traffic jams. You can observe and photograph as long as you desire. In Yellowstone you can hike through hydrothermal areas - even in the backcountry. Many thermal areas in Yellowstone are roadside, have boardwalks, are incredibly beautiful and have a constant flow of tourists wandering through them. There are many more thermal areas in the backcountry that are just as beautiful and that you will likely have all to yourself (along with maybe a few bison). There won't be boardwalks or signs. It is up to you to stay safe and enjoy them in peace. In Yellowstone you can hear the true sounds of the wild. You can listen to the wind blowing, the bison grunting, the rivers cascading, the geysers thumping, the wolves and coyotes howling, the thunder in the distance, birds singing and trees creaking - all without the sound of other visitors, cars or dogs taking away from the natural symphony. The backcountry of Yellowstone offers the true sounds of nature. The wildlife, the hydrothermal areas, the mountains, the rivers, the sounds and more make Yellowstone one of the most interesting and engaging areas you can hike in. You have to really try to not have a memorable experience. Click here to learn more about our guided hikes in Yellowstone.