Yellowstone Treasures Blog

In a week or so I’ll be going on my first-ever visit to Zion National Park. Besides wanting to see the incredible scenery and geology, I am interested in finding out just how the shuttle system they have there works.

I’ve felt for some time that Yellowstone could profit by having its own such system, but on a limited basis, since the park is so much larger than Zion—or Yosemite, which also uses shuttles. Yellowstone has a much more complicated array of roads than does either Zion or Yosemite, and most of Yellowstone’s roads are closed in winter, so a shuttle there needs to be limited to the most-traveled western section of the park and to the summer season.

I plan to post here about my idea for a workable shuttle in Yellowstone, when I return in mid May. Almost two years ago (my July 18, 2009 Transportation post), I wrote about ideas then being tossed about for something similar. Major changes like this do not come quickly.

This time, as gas prices and environmental concerns escalate, maybe I’ll send a letter about my plan and the need for action on creating a shuttle alternative, to the management of Xanterra, the park concessionaire, and to the new superintendent, Dan Wenk, who promises to be a decidedly forward-looking leader for Yellowstone. But I know he has a few other things on his plate!