Our visit to Yellowstone National Park was hosted by Yellowstone Country Montana. All ideas are always ours.
Yellowstone National Park was the first national park in the United States, and probably in the world. Parts of Yellowstone are in Idaho and Montana, but the park is mainly in Wyoming.
More than four million people visit Yellowstone each year to discover its geysers, trails, and natural attractions. Most of these visitors come in the summer. If you want to experience the unspoiled nature and the quiet kingdom, however, you should visit winter, when Yellowstone really shines.
Here are a few reasons to visit Yellowstone National Park in the winter.
1. It’s Beautiful
There is no doubt that Yellowstone is one of the most beautiful parks in the world. Many of its natural features include waterfalls, canyons, swamps, tropical springs, lakes, valleys, meadows, and forests waiting to be explored.
But in winter, the park glows with a glistening snow-covered landscape. You will see lakes surrounded by lush vegetation, hills covered with glittering snow, and streams gliding gently through the soft white snowflakes.
When you visit Yellowstone in winter, beauty is all about everywhere. Even if you are not a professional photographer, you will find yourself wanting to take a good place in photos that you can enjoy over time. The peaceful beauty is just as frightening.
2. You Will Avoid Crowds
If there is one thing we like to avoid when visiting a nature reserve such as a national park, it is crowds of other tourists. The best way to do that in Yellowstone is to visit in the winter, when the crowds have almost disappeared. While not all attractions or facilities are always open in the winter, many of them do. And you will have your best choice without waiting in line or having your peace ruined by the burdens of other people standing in your way.
While visiting Yellowstone in the winter, we watched the magnificent Old Faithful Geyser explode with its fury as close as possible. We’ve joined a few other people, a bodyguard, and a coyote. This is a completely different experience in the summer, when there are large crowds around the geyser and many other things to watch.
Enjoying the park almost alone with the beauty of winter is a different thing that we highly recommend.
3. There is so much to see and do
While not everything is open in the winter, much of what you will want to see and do is the same.
Old Faithful is there, along with other nearby geysers, exploding as it always does. And seeing them close to the ice highlights the immense power of these natural wonders. Paint pots in the Lower Geyser Basin gurgle with their bright mud bubbles. The Upper Geyser Basin with its shiny blue pools is even more impressive when surrounded by white.
You can hike through the jungle on snowmobiles – or enjoy the tranquility and serenity of skiing or snowboarding. You can take a wonderful snowcoach trip and see the park, stand on important promotions, and enjoy the beauty of winter inside a warm and fun warm car.
When you’re ready to take off your boots after exploring the glowing area, you can go inside the local area to grab a bite or a warm drink.
4. Wild Animals Are Out And About
During the winter, many animals work wonderfully in Yellowstone National Park. Although bears will probably be wintering, you will have the opportunity to see many other creatures.
Buffaloes abound and often roam the sidewalk in large herds. Because it will probably be just a few of you and them, you will see them much easier than you would have if there were crowds of people nearby. Wolves, elbows, deer, foxes, bighorn sheep, coyotes, and small animals such as muskrats are easy to spot on the ice.
On our visit, we saw all these animals as well as eagles and other birds. You can book a park car tour that will take you to all the right places to get the best wildlife views.
5. Availability and Price are Great
One of the many benefits of visiting Yellowstone in the winter is that competing with everything – from accommodations to restaurant reservations – is not so easy. Areas that need to be booked too far ahead are often too easy to enter during the winter months.
There are also great packages that suit your needs and preferences that make one purchase easier. Make sure you shop around and compare just to get what you want at the best price.
You will need to consider that the walking options within the park itself are limited in winter, when most access is only available by snowmobile or snowcoach.
6. You Will Not Contribute To The Great Depression
We have been spending most of our time planning a trip exploring ways to become responsible and sustainable travelers. Overcrowding is a real problem in some of the world’s most important places. Unfortunately, national parks are not protected.
This is one of our favorite reasons we recommend an amazing and responsible travel experience, and a visit to Yellowstone National Park in the winter is a good example. Winter visitors will see one of the most glorious places on Earth at a time when it is full of beauty. Crowds at least, so you’ll see more of the park in less time because you won’t have to face the queues or waiting times. You will also be able to enjoy the peace and exploration of wildlife and natural attractions without interruption or traffic or noise. That alone is a valid consideration for us.
7. You can relax better and enjoy your time
Because visiting Yellowstone in the winter reduces the amount of time you spend on important ads, you can relax and enjoy your time there. We often end up tired after the holidays because we have spent a lot of time trying to see and do everything on our list, all while spending time standing in line, facing long waits, and sharing the whole event and location with a crowd of others doing the same.
Yellowstone in winter offers the opportunity to enjoy the attractions with little competition and much freedom. You can plan ahead for some things, and then move on with the flow of others. If an unexpected thought comes into play, you can easily add to your schedule.
We didn’t know how much fun we could enjoy from the snow – but it turns out we loved it! And after about an hour snapping snow on the glistening trails of the white forest, we returned to our hotel and enjoyed a nice cocktail while strolling around the fireplace and looking out the window at the beautiful winter outside.
8. You Can Enjoy Dog Repair
Winter offers a way for even the locals who can’t wait to enjoy it. One of those treats is dog-sledding. Dog pulling is not done inside the park itself, but is done outside. We had never been bitten by a dog before and were a little worried about it, but we were amazed at how easy and fun it was.
The dogs are amazing, and they can’t wait to run. They literally jumped for joy when they were chosen to be part of the group. Skilled mushers will put you inside the sled and drive you to a spectacular landscape. If you are interested, you can also take the opportunity to lead the team yourself!
Dogs are lovingly cared for and are given rest when they need it, or when they do not want it. We stopped to appreciate the beauty of winter with cookies and hot chocolate before heading back.
There are dog-sledding challenges available in Montana and Wyoming near the park, so you can choose a location that suits you best.
Where to Stay, Two park dwellings within Yellowstone are open during the winter.
Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Cabins
Located in the Old Faithful area in the southwest part of the park, Old Faithful Snow Lodge & Cabins offers high quality and affordable bedrooms with full bathrooms, refrigerators, and other amenities as well as accessible and comfortable rooms and rooms. Walking Snowcoach is available for booking online, and you can choose from a variety of activities and stop creating your perfect adventure.
Mammoth Hot Springs & Cabins
Mammoth Hot Springs & Cabins offers an out-of-the-box enthusiast for a look at Northern Wildlife and ski trails. Residences include rooms for newly renovated hotels and suites. There are also rooms and a few hot tubs, each with a separate hot tub in the enclosure. Well, one of the reasons why visitors stay here is to see the tropical heat of the springs and the beautiful travertine plains.
West Yellowstone
There is also accommodation in West Yellowstone outside the park itself. The Best Western Desert Inn has an indoor pool with jacuzzi and a free breakfast. The Yellowstone Explorer Cabins are ready to go for generations, and all rooms come with kitchens. More friendly accommodations are available, too. And if you’re looking for an adult escape, the 1872 Inn offers shopping malls – no people under the age of 21 or pets are allowed.
Wildlife lovers can enjoy the Grizzly and the nearby Wolf Discovery Center. It is a non-profit animal park that offers rescue animals that can live in the wild the opportunity to be ambassadors for wildlife.
Yellowstone National Park is a great place to visit at any time of the year, but we think winter brings more opportunities to create a unique and memorable holiday.
