Yellowstone in Winter, the Insider Season

In winter, most of its roads close to cars, two lodges stay open, and the only way to reach Old Faithful is by snowcoach, snowmobile or skis. It is the same park with a fraction of the people, steam rising off the geyser basins and bison walking the plowed-over roads.

For American travellers it is also a home advantage. Under the park’s current fee schedule, US residents pay $80 for an annual America the Beautiful pass. Visitors from abroad pay $250 for theirs, and non-US residents aged 16 and older pay a $100 per-person nonresident fee at Yellowstone on top of the regular entrance fee, according to the National Park Service. The scarcer resource is beds: two winter lodges, a three-month season and a strong pull from repeat visitors.

When it’s open

Yellowstone National Park‘s winter season traditionally begins on 15 December. In 2025 the NPS opened it on Monday, 15 December, with guided snowmobile and snowcoach travel running on most park roads from the West, South, East and North entrances until mid-March, when plowing begins. Roads reopen to cars in mid-April.

For winter 2026–27, the park concessioner, Yellowstone National Park Lodges, lists:

• Old Faithful Snow Lodge: open 16 December 2026 to 7 March 2027.
• Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel: open through winter, closing 8 March 2027. Standard cabins close in winter; the hot tub cabins stay bookable.

Dates are subject to change, the concessioner notes, and snow conditions can affect which vehicles run on which roads.

The one road you can drive

The road from the North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana, to the Northeast Entrance at Cooke City and Silver Gate stays open to cars all year, via Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower Junction and the Lamar Valley, the NPS says. That makes the north of the park the self-drive option: base in Gardiner or at Mammoth, and spend early mornings in the Lamar Valley, where winter wildlife watching is the main event.

Getting to Old Faithful

Everything south of Mammoth requires oversnow travel. Access is by approved commercially guided snowmobile or snowcoach, or through the NPS’s non-commercially guided snowmobile access program, which requires a permit.

The concessioner’s scheduled snowcoach between Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Old Faithful Snow Lodge runs daily, with check-in at 7:45 a.m. or 1:45 p.m. and arrival at noon or 6 p.m. For 2026–27 it costs $179.45 per adult and $89.72 per child aged 3 to 11 from Mammoth ($182.90 and $91.45 in the other direction), taxes included, gratuity extra. Children under 3 ride free. Each guest may bring two bags, a small carry-on and skis or snowshoes. The winter airport shuttle and the snowcoach cannot be booked on the same day, so plan a night at Mammoth before the morning coach.

What to expect

• Cold: daytime temperatures range from 0 to 20°F (−20°C to −5°C), the NPS says, and nights are often below zero, especially at higher elevations.
• Wildlife on the road: expect bison and other animals on park roads; they always have the right of way. Stay at least 100 yards (91 m) from bears, wolves and cougars, and 25 yards (23 m) from all other wildlife.
• Thermal areas: stay on boardwalks, and use traction aids where they are icy.
• Ravens: some have learned to unzip backpacks. Store food properly.
• Connectivity: cell service is limited. Download the NPS app and offline content before you arrive.

Fees

At Yellowstone, a private vehicle pays $35 for seven days. A snowmobile permit is $30 for seven days for up to two snowmobiles and four passengers, and visitors on foot, ski or bicycle pay $20 each (16 and over). A Yellowstone annual pass for US citizens and residents costs $70.

Getting there

The North Entrance at Gardiner is the gateway for the year-round road and for Mammoth. West Yellowstone, Montana, at the West Entrance, is a common base for commercially guided snowmobile and snowcoach tours into the interior. Most visitors fly into Bozeman, Montana, and drive or transfer from there; winter driving conditions apply.

Plan it

• Best window: January and February, after the holiday rush, with the full oversnow season under way.
• Book rooms first: the NPS advises reserving winter lodging “as far in advance as possible.” With two lodges in the park, the rest of the trip depends on them.
• Combine north and south: two nights at Mammoth for the Lamar Valley, then the snowcoach to two nights at Old Faithful.
• Pack: insulated boots, layers, a balaclava, goggles for snowmobile days and traction aids.

Sources

• NPS, Yellowstone winter season begins Dec. 15, 2025
• NPS, Explore in Winter
• NPS, Yellowstone Fees & Passes
• Yellowstone National Park Lodges, opening and closing dates
• Yellowstone National Park Lodges, snowcoach transportation