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Bathrooms Open in April

Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2019 10:15 am
by L_Photo
Hello! I'll be there Thursday for 5 days (and back in May). I've been to Yellowstone 8 or 10 times, so I'm familiar w/ the bathroom stops on the northern road and the roads opening on the 19th, but what I don't know is which of those will be open April 18-22. IIRC, from being there in early May, sometimes they're not all open because staffing and/or frozen pits. I figured someone here may be able to help me! Do you know which of the toilets will be open on the northern road Mammoth/Cooke City and the road between Mammoth/Norris and Norris/Madison?
Feel free to say which are open or which are closed, whichever is easier! I'm familiar w/ the park, so you can give me the common names like hitching post, etc.

thanks!!

Re: Bathrooms Open in April

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2019 8:47 pm
by billandkaren
I believe the bathrooms at Roosevelt, Slough Creek, and Pebble Creek are open. And, of course, the bathrooms at Mammoth are open as well. I'm sure there are others, but I can't personally verify. But that should give you a pretty good shot at being comfortable as you traverse the Northern Section ;)

Bill

Re: Bathrooms Open in April

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 10:29 am
by yellvet
April has always been a tough month for finding services of any kind in the Park. And the govt. shutdown most likely made the bathroom situation even worse. From what I've been reading in the local newspapers, though, the Park has had many local volunteers cleaning the bathrooms. And some of the local businesses from the gateway communities have also foot the bill to have some of the roads plowed in the Park. But I don't know which bathrooms will be open...sorry.

I think if you stick to the main Visitor Centers (at Mammoth, Norris, Canyon, West Yellowstone and to the popular wildlife viewing areas such as Slough Creek, Pebble Creek and the hitching post parking area, I think you should be able to find a bathroom since the road from Mammoth to the NE entrance and Cooke City is open all year. Some of the gas service stations where you can use your credit card at the pump to get gas 24/7 on a year-round basis, may also have a bathroom that you can use. But I'm just not sure what's going to be open this spring. Whether or not a bathroom will be open or not will likely depend on the Park's current funding situation and the availability of maintenance staff and local volunteers. Keep in mind that most Park services, historically, have never opened before mid/end of May. I also remember years when the general stores and gas stations didn't even open until early or mid June. Here are two phone numbers, though, that might be able to give you more info on what services will be available. For gas service station information, call 406-848-7548. For info on the Park's rest areas that will have an open public restroom, try the Park's customer service phone number at 307-344-7548. The resttooms at the Mammoth CG are always open and are, usually, very well-kept. They're heated and also have electricity. But whether or not they'll have running water this early in the season, however, remains to be seen. So my best advice is to bring along some TP, a shovel and a large plastic bag, so you won't leave anything behind that has the potential for attracting bears. Hope you have a wonderful trip. April and May are two of the best months to be in the Park but you've gotta be prepared and do some extra planning...no doubt about it. :)

Re: Bathrooms Open in April

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 7:36 pm
by Mike
As of today the 23rd Roosevelt,Hitching Post and Pebble are the only bathrooms. open,Slough Creek is not

Re: Bathrooms Open in April

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 8:23 pm
by yellvet
Glad you're in the Park to give us the "poop" :lol: on what bathrooms are open. Thanks, Mike.