Hunter Graham and his dog, Baby, stood alone in the middle of the highway leading through what appeared to be a ghost town in Silver Gate, Montana, Tuesday. The cabins and lodges in the tiny town are usually bustling with tourists in late spring. On this day the streets were abandoned and covered with mud and debris, businesses shut and the community’s immediate future unclear due to Monday floods that rushed through the small Yellowstone National Park gateway community and neighboring Cooke City.

Graham had tried to go to work at 4 a.m. as a park wildlife guide for Silver Gate Guides, which just opened for business this year. But he found the Northeast Entrance closed and water rising. “The water just kept coming,” he said.

Soon, flood waters inundated the tiny community, threatening homes and the lodges and restaurants that serve tourists heading to the park, isolating it from the rest of the world.

The road was washed out in a small section between Silver Gate and Cooke City. Maintenance crews were making quick work of repairs Tuesday after removing debris and pavement stripped away by water racing to the river in the valley below. Many in the town were ready for the high water, Graham said, and most residents and guests evacuated Sunday prior to the flooding.

The road through the Northeast Entrance and on to Gardiner, Montana, has washed away in several places and will take months to repair. Those living in Cooke City and Silver Gate use the park road as their only supply route in the winter. 

Graham fears for the community, including his own job. “I don’t know what to do at this point,” he said, unaware of road conditions and damage in the park at the time.

But he was more concerned about the possibility of further flooding this weekend as temperatures are forecast to quickly soar and melt snow in the peaks above. The work to repair the road made it possible for anyone who wished to leave to do so, but it could happen again, he feared.

At the same time, Cooke City was buzzing with activity as businesses had power back and were open for business. By Tuesday evening, Park County, Montana, Deputy Sheriff Jeff Jackson had been on the job for two straight days between the two communities “helping where I could,” he said. 

Monday, the Sheriff’s office search and rescue team, Montana National Guard helicopter crews and the Cooke City/Silver Gate Emergency Services volunteers rescued several residents trapped in the communities, including eight people rescued by helicopter in Cooke City.

“They all came together. They work together to get stuff handled,” Jackson said, praising the men and women who came to the rescue. “At this point, everybody is out that wants to be out.”

Those staying behind now have the task of cleaning up and repairing the damage. And doing what they can to brace for more water if the snow melts too fast.

In Crandall, Wyoming, Department of Transportation (WYDOT) crews removed tons of trees and debris caught under the main bridge near the only store in the small community. The water quickly receded after the debris cleared, according to local residents harvesting some of the now available firewood.

WYDOT crews also cleared debris from under the bridge near Clark’s Edelweiss Riverhouse restaurant in an attempt to save the structure. By Tuesday, the water was flowing high, but freely, thanks to their efforts.

At the East Entrance, the North Fork Highway was temporarily closed Monday, but was clear to the park by Tuesday morning. Traffic was largely limited to trucks sporting government plates and a few tourists and area residents curious to see the damage. Very few stopped at Pahaska Tepee Resort to shop for souvenirs, despite being the only business open for miles.

The lodge and restaurant was forced to close after the flood broke through the resort’s dike protecting their potable water supply. But the gift shop remained open.

Co-owner Angela Coe had a full crew working Tuesday, repairing the breech and cleaning the facility from top to bottom. Her management team had worked hard to bring in a full staff in preparation for a huge tourist season during the park’s 150th anniversary celebration. But, a stack of cancellations was building and Coe was worried the season could be a bust.

The resort will need to pass testing of their water for two straight days before they can reopen — something she said should be done as early as Friday. Her bigger worry was national news coverage of flooding in the park.

“CNN and FOX and all of those stations are crucifying us,” she said as she stood at the register in her well-stocked, but shopper-less store. “Now people are trying to cancel for July and August already.”

She hopes park officials will be able to open the lower loop soon. If not, all of her food orders could go to waste. “It’s a catastrophe up [in the northern part of the park]. I understand that they don’t want all these people in there. But, you know, by Friday, they should have the lower loop open.”

The Coe family purchased the resort in 1946 and has seen some tough times, she said, but this time is different.

“This one took us by surprise. You know, we’re always watching the dike. But the river has totally changed now.”

The popular ski and horse trails near the river have washed away, she said. “They’re gone.”

Matt and Ferris Chappell, of Pickens, South Carolina, arrived in Cody with their family Monday night, only learning of Yellowstone’s closing when they found their hotel. They had scheduled an eight-day stay both in Cody and the park. 

In the Shoshone National Forest, some campgrounds, roads, and trails may need to be closed for resource protection as well as public safety, according to the Public Affairs Office. 

“We know that there are a lot of people who had planned trips to the Greater Yellowstone area and are now having to adjust itineraries because of closures,” said Wapiti, Clarks Fork, and Greybull District Ranger Casey McQuiston. “The Shoshone National Forest remains open to visitors and recreationalists. Additionally, the Washakie and Wind River Ranger districts of the Shoshone National Forest have not been as impacted as the northern portion of the Shoshone, and there are wonderful recreational opportunities on that end of the Shoshone as well.”

As daily high temperatures continue to increase throughout the week, with predicted temperatures above 90 by Friday, snowmelt and subsequent runoff could prolong and even potentially exacerbate some of these conditions, they reported.

After realizing their dream vacation was falling apart, the Chappell’s drove to the East Gate to be able to say they were there and to take family photos near the park’s iconic sign. To add insult to injury, heavy snow pelted the family as they posed for their photos.

Graeson Chappell, the eldest son, said they would soon leave the area, choosing another state to continue their vacation. “We’ll probably go see the Pacific Ocean, just to be able to say we’ve seen it.”

At the same time, representatives from the Cody chamber of commerce and the Wyoming State Parks were assisting a large influx of visitors evacuated from the park and just arriving, looking for lodging and other places in Wyoming to stage their vacations.

“What we’re gearing up for is all of the people who are going to be coming in because they had reservations in the park,” said Tina Hoebelheinrich, executive director of the Cody Country Chamber of Commerce.

Cody usually handles less than 20% of the millions of visitors heading to Yellowstone, but with the North and Northeast entrances closed for the foreseeable future, Park County, Wyoming, stands to see a larger percentage of visitors looking for accommodations. “I think what we are ready for is something that is just ingrained in who we are as a community. And that’s just the extension of exceptional Western hospitality. You know, that’s what we do,” she said.

Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly had already reached out to Hoebelheinrich, looking for lodging options for visitors and employees, she said. 

For the first time in her seven years at the chamber, Hoebelheinrich opened her home to two foreign visitors. 

As the city’s hotels and lodges fill up, Wyoming State Parks will begin taking overflow, even beyond their traditional capacity, said Laurel Thompson, outdoor recreation outreach coordinator for state parks.

“If any of the state parks in this area or statewide show they are fully booked online, visitors can reach out to the superintendents directly, and they’ll try to accommodate as many people as they can.”

The state parks are already making plans to serve more visitors, should the park open at some point this season. “if it’s just going to be the East Gate and the South entrance that potentially open, I would see it as an opportunity to have those visitors relocate and visit these East and South Gate communities,” Thompson said.

At the same time, they are sad and sending their best wishes to Yellowstone officials and employees.

“I will continue to pray for the park’s staff,” Hoebelheinrich said.

Sandy Newsome, R-Cody, state representative for House District 24, said, “I am just distressed, like everybody else.”

She was surprised by how quickly the flooding occurred and the devastating impact it has had on the area, particularly the necessity to close access to Yellowstone National Park. However, Newsome said she understands why it was necessary to close entrances to the park.

“I believe that it was the right decision because the town of Gardiner is completely isolated,” she said, noting that Gardiner, Montana, residents are facing significant power and supply issues.

“I met with [Cody] Mayor [Matt] Hall and he has asked the governor for some support with the National Guard,” Newsome said.

She also met with staff from the Cody Country Chamber of Commerce Tuesday morning.

Asked if the federal government may need to step in with disaster assistance, Newsome replied: “I think it has to. I think we have to get a disaster declaration.”

Receiving federal assistance for flooding in Wyoming is unprecedented, Newsome said. Yet, turning to the Federal Emergency Management Agency is an option at this point.

“We’re used to fires and mudslides,” Newsome said. “We’re not used to floods.”

(Tribune Editor Eric Gill contributed reporting.)