Yellowstone Opening for Winter Season
On Monday, December 15, Yellowstone opens for the winter season. That means it’s time to start thinking about taking a winter trip to Yellowstone and what you’ll need to know to make that a reality. Here on the East side of the Park, we use Gary Fales Outfitting to head in either for a day trip to Old Faithful or Canyon. They also provide two or three-day trips to see more of the park during its winter glory.
Most Park Roads are Closed to Automobiles in Winter
Yellowstone National Park’s winter season begins Sunday, Dec. 15. Annually from mid-December until mid-March, visitors can travel most of the park’s roads from the West, South, East, and North entrances. You must use approved commercially guided snowmobiles and snowcoaches and via the non-commercially guided snowmobile access program.
The accumulation of snowfall on roads varies across the park each winter. You can check the amount of snow at
SNOTEL sites that measure the snow across the West. Explore more through this link. This means that visitors will be able to travel in the park. However, how you travel on the park roads with a commercially guided snowmobile or snowcoach tour company depends on road conditions. Throughout the winter season, park staff work closely with all operators and provide updates as conditions change.
Roads that are Open to Regular Vehicles in Winter
A couple of Yellowstone Roads remain open in winter. These include the route from Gardiner through Mammoth to Cooke City, taking you through the Lamar Valley. This road is only accessible through the North Entrance, as the road from Cody to the Northeast Entrance is not currently plowed the entire way. Having the road open through the Lamar Valley allows the residents of Cooke City to continue to have access to the outside world. However, travel along here is completely dependent on the weather, so expect road closures during bad weather.
Staying Warm in Yellowstone’s Winter
Yellowstone is cold in the winter. Winter temperatures range from zero to 20°F (-20°C to -5°C) throughout the day. Sub-zero temperatures are common, especially at night and at higher elevations. If you head in by snowmobile, you can rent the winter gear you need and buy some hand and foot warmers for extra heat.
Your trip includes stops at warming huts, but note that park services are very limited in winter. If traveling into the interior of Yellowstone by snowcoach from Gardiner or West Yellowstone, you still will want to bundle up in layers.
Plan Your Winter Adventures
The East Entrance of Yellowstone remains open from December 15 to March 15. Seeing the beauty of Yellowstone in winter is something everyone should do at least once. Now is the time to get your reservations in order.
Sunlight Sports can help you with any ski or snowshoe rental equipment. Up near the East Entrance at Pahaska, a system of maintained cross-country ski and snowshoe trails provides a great way to get outside in winter.
North Fork Anglers can help you find out where to go to get some winter fishing in.
At the beginning of January, Cody hosts the Wyoming Ice Festival with some of the best ice climbing in the world. And in late January, Meeteetse has its annual Ice Fishing Contest. And be sure to check our Cody Community Events Calendar for all the small-town goodness happening.
Janet Jones
Owner, Publisher, Editor
Janet has a rich history in Cody with her grandparents moving here in the late 1930s. Her grandfather started Wyoming Well Service. Janet is a writer, photographer, graphic designer and webmaster. Cody Journal and Cody Calendar blends her skills and talents with her love of the area.