Check out our Yellowstone Itineraries

Anticipated Opening Dates 2023 (weather permitting)

Roads will open at 8 am on the following dates (conditions permitting):

• April 21: West Entrance to Madison Junction, Mammoth Hot Springs to Old Faithful, Norris to Canyon Village

• May 5: East Entrance to Lake Village (Sylvan Pass), Canyon Village to Lake Village

• May 12: South Entrance to West Thumb, Lake Village to West Thumb, West Thumb to Old Faithful (Craig Pass), Tower Junction to Tower Fall

• May 26: Tower Fall to Canyon Junction (Dunraven Pass), Beartooth Highway (US-212)

• TBD: Between Cooke City, MT, on US-212 to Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (WY-296)

Current conditions

Hiking

With over 900 miles of hiking trails, Yellowstone is the perfect destination for avid hikers and beginners alike.

• Mt. Washburn- Moderate 6.8 mile out and back trail with an incredible 360-degree view from the summit. Map

• Ribbon Lake Trail- Moderate 4.1 mile out and back trail. Great for birding, camping, and fishing. Map

• West Thumb Geyser Basin Trail- Easy 1 mile loop trail. A quick walk to view beautiful geysers. Large parking area with bathrooms. Kid-friendly. Map

• Fairy Falls Trail- Easy 1.6 mile out and back trail to a spectacular waterfall. The area is popular for hiking, camping, and trail running. Kid-friendly. You can continue on the trail to see Spray and Imperial geysers, which adds 1.2 miles to the hike. Map

• Lamar River Trail- Moderate 33 mile out and back trail. Great for backpacking and camping. Grizzly bears frequent the area, so don’t forget bear spray. Map

Fall is an ideal time to visit the park. Colorful foliage, cooler temperatures, and less crowds make September-November a great time to visit. Cooler temperatures cause wildlife to move to lower elevations, so the likelihood of spotting wildlife increases.

Temperatures typically fall between 20 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Days get gradually shorter as winter nears, and temperatures tend to drop rapidly once the sun goes down.

Getting out onto trails, even if you only go a mile or so from the trailhead, is a great way to see the fall colors without the distraction of too many other people. You also stand a good chance of seeing wildlife. In addition to bear and elk, you may see pronghorn, bighorn sheep, deer, moose and eagles.

Fall can be the best time of year to fish and catch the largest and most beautiful browns of the season. Most of the brown trout in southwest Montana will spawn between late-October and mid-November. Late season anglers often see the big fish move out of their lairs and become more vulnerable to flies and more aggressive.

Yellowstone webcams

West Entrance

North Entrance- Roosevelt Arch

Mammoth Hot Springs

Mount Washburn

Old Faithful Geyser

Yellowstone Lake

Must See Stops in the Park

• Old Faithful & Upper Geyser Basin

• Grand Prismatic Spring

• Midway Geyser Basin

• Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

• Norris Geyser Basin

• Mammoth Hot Springs

• Wildlife in Hayden Valley

• Wildlife in Lamar Valley

Winter in the park

There are many reasons to visit Yellowstone National Park in the wintertime. With steaming thermal features, incredible snowy landscapes, and recreation opportunities for both the novice and the expert, Yellowstone in the winter is a trip of a lifetime.

Yellowstone is known for incredible wildlife watching. This is even truer in winter, when wolves, fox, moose, elk, bison and other animals are more visible and majestic against a blanket of white snow.

One of the best ways to immerse yourself in Yellowstone’s winter is by cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. Both allow you have a more intimate experience in the park while giving you the ability and freedom to explore geyser basins, see frozen waterfalls, and reach incredible views you would not otherwise be able to.

Wildlife photographers love the snow and frost in Yellowstone, which make for unimaginably dramatic scenes. Yellowstone’s colorful hot springs become even more vibrant against the snow, frost, and steam of the park’s geyser basins.

Camping

Whether you are sleeping under the stars, in a tent, or in an RV, Yellowstone has many campsites to choose from. Each campground has its own reservation process, so contact them directly for details. Some of our favorites inlcude:

• Madison

• Grant Village

• Mammoth Hot Springs

• Canyon

• Slough Creek

• Bridge Bay

• Lewis Lake

• Norris

Sawtelle Mountain Resort has a convenient RV park and campground located just 22 miles from West Yellowstone