Yellowstone’s a really special place to visit, and in winter, it can be even more spectacular with its snowy landscape (picture bison dusted with snow!) It can even snow in July or, conversely, hit high temperatures in the autumn… the key is to be prepared. To that end, some of the National Park Service rangers have gotten together and created a Facebook video sharing the top things they want visitors to know if they’re planning to visit this winter. In roughly three minutes, the rangers cover 11 tips of important information while their live backgrounds display Mother Nature's incredible power and beauty.
RECOMMENDED: Buy an Inheritance Pass for your descendants and visit Yellowstone’s new Tribal Heritage Center.
1. In winter, only the north gate in Gardiner, MT is open to cars. You’ll be sad if you try to drive into one of the other four entrances. Drive carefully and use pullouts to watch wildlife and let other cars pass.
2. If you want to visit the Old Faithful geyser or the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, you’ll need to book a guided tour or apply for a snowmobile permit. You can also book a guided snowshoe or ski trip, but it’s not required.
3. Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel are open for visitors throughout the winter. There are other hotels and even camping outside park limits. Make sure you have accommodations figured out in advance.
4. Weather can be unpredictable in the park, so check road conditions online before embarking. Temperatures can range from 0 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and drop below 0 at night.
5. Stay away from wildlife and take photos with a zoom lens instead. Stay 100 yards away from wolves and bears and 25 yards from everything else, including the bison that sometimes go after stupid people who don’t respect them as wild creatures. Maybe you’ll get a chance to see a wolverine!
6. Keep on the boardwalk. The thermal areas of Yellowstone are no joke; people have been burned and even killed by stepping onto ground they thought was firm but wasn’t.
7. Keeping trash in the park’s bear-proof trash receptacles is key for protecting wildlife—if they are attracted to food scraps and get too close to humans, they may have to be put down. Use the provided bear box trash containers, and if one is too full, find another.
8. Bring bear spray. You may encounter bears, bison, elk, coyotes and even cougars out in the wild while snowshoeing or skiing so have bear spray with you (and know how to use it. Taking time to read the instructions on the canister while a bear is rushing you = too late). Travel in groups and make lots of noise as you go so you don’t startle wildlife and get them fight or flighty.
9. Services can be limited during winter, so make sure you’re full on gas and have plenty of food and water with you.
10. Download the National Park Service app to enhance your experience and be updated on conditions at the park. You can also download interactive maps in case you don’t have connectivity later.
11. Take the Yellowstone Pledge.
Similar to the Island of Hawai’i’s Pono Pledge, the Yellowstone Pledge is about protecting the park by acting responsibly.
For an armchair experience, check out the nine live webcams at Yellowstone.
Watch the full video here.