Visiting Yellowstone in Winter
Yes! You can (and should) visit Yellowstone in winter - IT'S A WINTERY WONDERLAND!
Yellowstone Park has announced the West entrance to Yellowstone National Park will open for over-the-snow visitors on December 15, 2010 and is scheduled to remain open through March 15, 2011.
It's as magical and magnificent as ever. It's an experience not to be missed whether for the first time or the fiftieth.
For over forty years, over-the-snow vehicles including snowcoaches and snowmobiles have left daily from West Yellowstone for tours of the park. These vehicles are specially constructed with the best available environmentally-friendly technology.
Muscle powered activities like cross-country skiing and snow shoeing are other options.
YELLOWSTONE PARK'S WEST ENTRANCE WINTER SEASON DATES
Scheduled closing for the summer season is November 7, 2010
Scheduled opening for over-the-snow traffic is December 15, 2010
Scheduled closing for over-the-snow traffic is March 15, 2011
Scheduled opening for vehicle travel is April 15, 2011
PARK ENTRANCE FEES
As always, all visitors pay an entrance fee to Yellowstone and there are several options:
$12.00 per person visiting by snow coach for one day or $20 for multiple days (up to 7 days), or a $20 family pass (spouses and children under 21 residing in the same household) good for 7 days. Annual or Lifetime Passes are possible alternatives to the above fees.
$15.00 per snowmobile for a single day or $20.00 per snowmobile for up to seven consecutive days. Annual or Lifetime Passes are possible alternatives to the above fees.
For complete details on all Park Entrance Passes contact Yellowstone National Park
at (307) 344-2107 or click here for Yellowstone's Web site.
There are two options. You can travel with one of our fine snow coach tour operators who provide skier and snowshoe "drops." (This means they drop you for a portion of the tour and re-connect with you later in the tour).
You can also go "back country." Check with the National Park service for details by going to their web site at nps.gov/yell or call 307-344-2107.
TO VISIT BY SNOWCOACH
Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks are set to open for the 2010-2011 winter season as scheduled on Wednesday, December 15. A temporary plan to provide for snowcoach access has been approved allowing up to 78 commercially guided snowcoaches in a day in Yellowstone for the 2010-2011 winter seasons. Snow coaches are over-the-snow vehicles that accommodate approximately 10-20 passengers. Or, you can reserve a private snow coach for your family or group. Simply make your reservations with any one of our fine Snow coach Operators click here
TO VISIT BY SNOWMOBILE
Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks are set to open for the 2010-2011 winter season as scheduled on Wednesday, December 15. A temporary plan to provide for limited, regulated snowmobile access in Yellowstone National Park for this winter has been approved. The plan allows up to 318 commercially guided, Best Available Technology (BAT) snowmobiles for the 2010-2011 winter season. It also continues to provide for motorized oversnow travel over Sylvan Pass and the East Entrance road. Click here for Yellowstone Snowmobile Operators.
As of this Moment in Yellowstone Park
The West Entrance to Yellowstone National Park will close to wheeled vehicle travel on Monday, November 7, 2010 at 8:00 AM. The Park Service plans to reopen for over-the-snow travel on December 15, 2010 which will mean you can travel by snowmobile, snow coach, cross country ski or snowshoe into Yellowstone. Yellowstone's west entrance will remain open until March 15, 2011, for over-the-snow travel. It will then close to prepare for wheeled vehicle travel re-opening again on April 15, 2011.
STAY INFORMED:
Work is progressing on a new winter use plan for Yellowstone National Park. Comments received during public scoping in January, February and March have been reviewed and considered. They were used to help create a draft range of alternatives, which are being released today.
The six alternatives will be analyzed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), which will be released for public review and comment in early 2011.
The alternatives cover a wide range of possible approaches to the future of winter use in the park. Two alternatives look at different daily limits on snowmobiles and snowcoaches. Another alternative focuses on daily and seasonal caps on machines, while allowing for some unguided snowmobile access to the park. A proposal to phase out snowmobiles in favor of snowcoaches also is being considered; as is a plan to plow the roads from West Yellowstone and Mammoth Hot Springs so commercial wheeled vehicles could enter the park in the winter. A "no-action" alternative would eliminate all snowmobile and snowcoach travel in the park after the 2010/2011 winter season.
A summary of the comments received during public scoping, and a newsletter that describes the range of alternatives are available on the National Park Service Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) web site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/yell , and click on Winter Use Plan; or by calling (307) 344-2019.
OUT OF YELLOWSTONE SNOW ACTIVITIES
Yes! You can (and should) use the recreational opportunities that the Gallatin and Targhee National Forest lands have to offer. Cross-country ski, snowmobile and snowshoe activities are all available outside of Yellowstone on groomed trails or via back country access.
West Yellowstone connects with more than 400 miles of snowmobile trails in the Gallatin and Targhee National Forests. Check out world class cross-country skiing on the renown Rendezvous Trail System at 35K located at the edge of West Yellowstone. Or, try a snowshoe trail in our neighboring national forests.
Out of state snowmobilers are required to register their sleds for forest service trail riding. The states of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming each require non-resident snowmobiles to be registered. These are annual registrations.
The groomed snowmobile trail system, leaving from West Yellowstone, covers trails in both Montana and Idaho. Registering for both states is recommended. Opportunity to sled in Wyoming is limited as access is through Idaho. If you plan on traveling the southern extent of the trail system, a Wyoming registration is also recommended.
Montana non-resident registrations are $25.00 per snowmobile and can be purchased in advance at fwp.mt.gov (available in season only)
Idaho non-resident registration is $32.50 per snowmobile. They can be purchased in advanced by calling: 800-247-6332
Both registrations are available for "in person" purchase at locations in West Yellowstone including the Visitors Center at 30 Yellowstone Avenue.
Click on the following for more information on lodging, snowmobile tours, restaurants, attractions, shopping or call the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce at 406-646-7701
