It’s almost the official start of summer, the weather is warming up and the snow is melting. This means the National Park System is busying itself with construction projects around the parks.

Get ready for a number of projects to make it easier and safer to get around the National Mall/ National Park Service

For those of you planning a trip to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., The National Park Service is undertaking a number of projects over the next year to improve accessibility and safety and create seamless connections across the National Mall. This work will rehabilitate trails and roads, and it will feature new and enhanced infrastructure for park visitors walking and bicycling. For more information on where and when construction is scheduled, click here.

An artist rendition of the new Visitor Contact Station, Cedar Breaks National Monument / National Park Service

About an hour’s drive from Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah is the lesser-visited Cedar Breaks National Monument. If you are planning a side trip to Cedar Breaks, the Point Supreme Overlook will be closed to all access starting Monday, June 14, 2021 as construction staging begins on the new Cedar Breaks Visitor Contact Station. The closure will begin early Monday morning and will be in place through the 2022 season. In addition to the closure of the overlook, two-thirds of the parking lot will also be closed. A limited number of parking spaces will be available at the South Rim Trailhead (formerly known as Ramparts or Spectra Trail). For more information about the construction and a link to the park’s 2021 Visitor Guide webpage, click here.

Throwback to the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel in the 1930s, Zion National Park / National Park Service

A visit to Zion National Park in Utah, means the likelihood of encountering ongoing construction for the bridge and tunnel preservation project that started in April 2021 to increase service life and avoid major rehabilitation needs. The main goals of this project include general maintenance, historic preservation, and updating traffic safety devices. For more information on where and when construction is scheduled within the park, click here.

Plowing Going-to-the-Sun Road back in April 2021, Glacier National Park / National Park Service via Flickr

Glacier National Park in Montana preparing for a busy 2021 summer season, in general, and there are several construction projects underway. Going-to-the-Sun Road is not fully open yet over Logan Pass, so road crews are continuing the job of snow removal at higher elevations, installing guard rails, and clearing fallen rock and debris. Road construction on Camas Road will require 30-minute delays in both directions. Before you drive or fly to the park, check the website for additional information on construction in and around the park. For more general information on what is and is not yet open, click here.

Old Faithful Overpass construction, Yellowstone National Park / National Park Service

Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming (and Montana and Idaho) has three major construction projects underway for 2021. The Tower-Roosevelt to Canyon Junction construction project will widen the road and provide additional/improved pullouts; create a larger, safer parking area at Tower Fall General Store; and improve the trail and overlook for Tower Fall. The road between Tower-Roosevelt and Canyon Junction will be completely closed for the 2021 season, which includes Tower Fall Campground and Tower Fall General Store. There will be no access to hiking trails in the closure, including Mount Washburn, Calcite Springs Overlook, and Tower Fall. From early November through March, Tower Fall and trails in the vicinity will be open for skis and snowshoes, snow-permitting (follow all closure signage posted at Tower-Roosevelt). The anticipated completion date for this project is May 2022.

The park’s North Entrance station will be open, but you can expect traffic pattern changes as construction there will add an additional lane and kiosk to improve traffic flow and reduce lines; replace the existing two buildings with one larger building/station and two kiosks; improve the flow of employee and delivery traffic from Robert Reamer Avenue; improve pedestrian safety by realigning parking along Robert Reamer Avenue; and replace the water line along Robert Reamer Avenue. The anticipated completion date for this project is fall 2021.

And, while travelers can access Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin, lodges, stores, clinic, and gas station, expect delays to accommodate one-lane travel over the bridge. Work on the Old Faithful Overpass Bridge includes deck repairs, new approach slabs, new curbing, girder repairs, railing improvements, and the removal and replacement of deck drains. The anticipated completion date for this project is fall 2021.

If you plan to visit any of these park units listed, pack some extra patience, snacks, and water for the car.