Yellowstone in winter

Your own car works only on the northern road, through Mammoth Hot Springs and Lamar Valley to Cooke City. Roads carry snow and ice, so drive slowly and pack winter gear in the car.

Snowcoaches are enclosed oversnow vehicles run by authorized companies, and they are the simplest way to reach Old Faithful and the canyon. Guided snowmobiles cover the same groomed roads and also need a commercial guide, unless you hold a permit from the park's small non-commercial program.

Our partners do not sell single-day snowcoach trips into the park, so book those with a company on the National Park Service's authorized list. These tours are the winter options we can link to directly:

• Wolves in Lamar Valley. The National Park Service lists wolves here all through winter, and you can drive there yourself. Bring a spotting scope and arrive at first light.
• Bison and steaming basins. Rime ice and steam inversions build up around the thermal areas, and bison move down to lower ground.
• Old Faithful with few people. It erupts through the winter, and the Upper Geyser Basin boardwalks are open to anyone who gets there by snowcoach or snowmobile.
• Trumpeter swans and foxes. Look for swans and American dippers on open rivers, and coyotes and foxes hunting on snow-covered meadows.
• Skiing and snowshoeing. All unplowed roads and trails are open to it. You can reach the Mammoth, Tower and Northeast trails from Gardiner, and West Yellowstone has its own, but the Canyon and Old Faithful trails need a guided trip in.

Stay on boardwalks even under snow, as thermal ground stays dangerous all year.

Inside the park, only two lodges open in winter: Old Faithful Snow Lodge, reached only by snowcoach or snowmobile, and Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. Book them through the park concessionaire, Yellowstone National Park Lodges, as early as you can.

Gardiner is the base for driving to Lamar Valley, as it sits on the open road. See February hotels in Gardiner. West Yellowstone suits snowcoach and snowmobile trips through the West Entrance. See February hotels in West Yellowstone. Our where to stay in Yellowstone guide compares every base town, with hotel picks.

Mammoth is the mild end of the park, and higher areas are much colder and snowier. Check the live Yellowstone forecast before you set out, and pack insulated boots, thermal layers and a face covering for the wind.

Road dates, facilities and wildlife are from the National Park Service's Park Roads, Operating Dates and Seasons pages, read November 2, 2026. All dates are the park's projections and can move with the weather. Temperatures at Mammoth are NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Tour prices are as listed by each partner that day.