By Charles Pekow — The Old Yellowstone Trail South is getting restored, improved and reopened. The section runs 13.74 miles through Custer-Gallatin National Forest and Yellowstone National Park in Montana along the Yellowstone River south of U.S. Hwy 89. The gravel trail follows the path of the original railroad line into the park and an old wagon route and will be part of the Great American Rail Trail.
The project includes improving the trail surface and trailheads, adding interpretative signs and installing drainage culverts. The trail suffered significant damage from a flood in 2002. Flooding, erosion and rockfall closed the trail. Another project is addressing these issues.
The plan is to complete the work sometime next year.
The Federal Highway Administration put the cost of the project anywhere between $2 million and $5 million. See highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/projects/mt/flap-park-2021-1
