Yellowstone Part 3, Automobiles Come into the Park.

March 16, 2025

News – Sheridan Media

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In the first two parts of this story, we visited the early days in Yellowstone, and the time when it became a the first National Park. This column will look at the coming of the automobile and more modern day Yellowstone.

At first, travel in the park was restricted to horse-drawn carriages and wagons. But soon the automobiles began to take over the roadways. The first year to officially allow autos in the park was 1915.

This in the Basin Republican, December 8, 1911 –Washington Letter. Interesting News About Wyoming Folks At The National Capital. Washington, Dec. 6.—The charge that Senator Warren was opposed to allowing automobiles in the park because he is said to be heavily interested In the park transportation company is particularly amusing to Washington people familiar with the situation, and has fallen flat in view of recent developments. As a matter of fact, Senator Warren was commissioned by Secretary of the Interior Fisher to make an investigation during his trip through the park this summer, with a view to recommending changes in the park roads to overcome departmental objections. The senator believes he will be able to make a report that will result in autos being admitted as soon as the necessary changes can be made in the roads.

Senator Warren and his colleagues are known here as most persistent advocates of the plan to allow autos in the park—realizing that such a policy would bring many people through the state. Wyoming, probably more than any other state, would reap an advantage from such a policy, and the members of our delegation haven ever overlooked an opportunity to urge the Secretary of Interior to grant their request.

The interior department has always opposed the plan, not only because of the fear that horses would be frightened by them and serious runaways result owing to the narrow roads and dangerous declivities, but for the further reason that the park roadways in many places require the most skillful handling of cars. The fact that a large percentage of autoists would be from, the east and therefore wholly unused to the mountainous road conditions found in the park, would lead to many accidents, in the opinion of the Interior Department. Senator Warren will recommend a widening of the roads in certain places and restrictions prohibiting autos from a few dangerous places for the present, and believes he can persuade the secretary to allow autos to enter the park in the very near future.

By 1916, autos were allowed in the park, but were highly restricted as far as speed limits and operating around livestock. Motorcycles were not allowed.

This from the Lander Eagle and Riverton Chronicle July 13, 1916 – Regulations governing the admission of automobiles into the Yellowstone National Park for the season of 1916 are set forth in a folder issued by the Department of Interior at Washington, DC The folder also contains an excellent map of the park with a table of distanced between points and schedule for autos. Regulations state that the park is only to such automobiles as are operated for pleasure and not carrying passengers who are paying directly or indirectly for the use of this machine. Motorcycles are not permitted to enter the park…….

Fees are payable in cash only and will be as follows, $7.50 for a single trip through the park, and $10 for the season. Muffle cut outs must be closed while approaching or passing riding horses, horse drawn vehicles, camps or soldier stations.

Limit of Speed – Speeds must be limited to 12 miles per hour ascending and 10 miles per hour descending steep grades, to eight miles an hour while approaching shape curves. On good roads with straight stretches and when no team is nearer than 200 yards, the speed my be increased to 20 miles per hour……

Due to the high altitude of the park roads, averaging 7,650 feet for the belt line and east, north and west entrances, the power of automobiles is much reduced, so that about 50 per cent more gasoline will be required than for the same distance on lower altitudes. Likewise, one lower gear will have to be used on grades than would have to be used in other places. A further effect that must we watched is the heating of of the engine on long roads, which may become serious unless care is used. Gasoline can be purchased at regular supply stations.

This from the Powell Tribune, Friday, August 11, 1916 – Auto Travel In Parks – Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park, Mount Rainier; hunting, good roads, auto races, and motor travel in general are a few of the subjects listed in the table of contents of the July Northwestern Motorist, an exceptionally well edited, well-Illustrated magazine published at Missoula. The July issue Is No. 2 of Vol. 1 of the periodical.

The Yellowstone National park is treated in an article by Olin D. Wheeler. It is one of the most practical descriptions of the reserve ever published. Switching from national parks and automobiles for a time. Hie magazine prints an account of the recent sportmen’s tournament at Deer Lodge. F. A. Silcox contributes an article on the recent federal good roads bill.

The magazine prints an interview with Robert A. Putzier. traveling passenger agent of the Wylie Permanent Camping company, in which it declared that the Yellowstone national park will be vastly enlarged because of the automobile. The opening of the reserve to motors will result, Mr. Putzier declares, in a broad extension of highways which will open an area nearly one-third the size of the territory now visited in regular trips through the park.

“I believe that the admission of automobiles in Yellowstone park Is one of the most important steps taken to popularize the park since it was created,” said Mr. Putzier. “Although the regulations only went Into effect in August, last year, the official government records show that 958 automobiles, carrying 3,513 tourists, passed through the park during tlhe rest of the season. We were Interested in watching the results because, strange as it may seem, two-thirds of the automobile tourists preferred to stop at the permanent camps located at each principal point of scenic interest, rather than at the hotels.

While most of the tourists have no objection to making their own camp on the road to and from the park, they seem to prefer the regular park camps when once inside the Wonderland, as this gives them more time to enjoy the many things of interest along the route. We believe that last year’s automobile tourist record will fade Into insignificance when the figures for 1916 are announced, and that automobile travel through the park will make this a record season in the history of the Wonderland.”

Over the years, cars improved, roads improved, and by the 1960s Yellowstone Park saw a surge in surge in tourism and Private automobiles became the most popular way to visit the park. For many years, the bears in Yellowstone were a big tourist draw, as they were common along the roads and people fed them, creating bear-related traffic jams, injuries, and property damage. Later, the bears were moved into the back country, or to other mountain ranges, and it became illegal to feed or approach the wildlife.

Bear along the road in 1965.

In 1965, Wallace Vannoy of Clearmont, took his family to Yellowstone, and wrote this in his journal. July 22, “We left before breakfast for Yellowstone, had breakfast at Arrowhead Lodge (Big Horn Mountains) Got to park gates around 2 p.m. Got Lodging at Old Faithful Cabins. Double cabin $24. July 23 – Saw sights and some bears on the highway, got home around 11 p.m.