Yellowstone National Park Travel Forum

I am driving across the country and will be around the Yellowstone area the beginning of February. I'm trying to see how accessable the park will be. Granted, a storm could fly through and close down everything, but generally, if I have a 4 wheel suv, will the main roads through the park be open at all? I would like to either drive to Rock Springs and head north through the Tetons, or head across from Casper, also through the Tetons and then North to Yellowstaone. Is this possible this time of year? I would then like to proceed North on (89) to Canada.

www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/hours.htm

Most roads through the park are closed for the winter season. You may or may not want to take a tour on a snow-bus, but you will be able to drive on only one of the park's main roads on a 4WD SUV.

As mentioned, you will not be able to drive through Yellowstone from where you are coming from. You could come into Teton from either Casper or Rock Springs - all major roads in Teton Natl park and over the passes into the park are plowed and would be open barring a storm. Head west on WY rte 22 over Teton Pass to ID rt 33. Gorgeous views of the tetons then head over to I-15 for points north.

Even if you can't get to Yellowstone the scenery around the Teton's is marvelous and would make the drive interesting.

I believe you're able to enter the park into Mammoth only. The rest of the park is closed except to snow coach and snow mobile.
Grand Teton National park is best accessed as previous poster mentions over the pass. We love Tetons in the winter, totally different feel to it. Don't miss the elk refuge!

Do any of you know if they have short, family friendly snow mobile tours available? Obviously, with a 3 year old, we can't cross country ski into the park, but we have always wanted to get into the park this time of year.
Also, is access by the Mammoth entrance still a decent portion of the park? Thanks

Stephan, I will call my friends in the area tonite and find out for you.
Mammoth is a nice area of the park but, obviously, not THE area.

You're wanting to go to the geysers.
Yes, family friendly. When we went last, you are provided with all the necessary outfit and gear to snowmobile. Your child/children would double up with one of the adults. The ride is LONG and cold! But, you seem to be used to it. We're talking South Florida here and big wuzzies!
Nothing like it though, the park is absolutely amazing! The animals fat and beautiful and you ride right up to the buffalo and elk!
The geysers and steam vents are beautiful and appear much larger because of the effects of cold against heat.

The best place to catch the snowmobile tour is from Jackson side of Wyoming which, I think, is even nicer than Yellowstone.
I'll let you know what my friends recomend.

Thank you very much! It never ceases to amaze me how incredibly nice and helpful people on this site can be.

This is a good site Stephan. And yes, Mammoth (north entrance) is the only entrance/road into the park opened during the winter:

http://www.ultimateyellowstonepark.com/html/Yellowstone/winteractivities.html

Also, sent you an Email, let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Homer

Stephen,

What you see from the Mammoth entrance are the Mammoth Hot springs. They are wonderful and nice to see. The road will take you also to Tower Falls, but there is a hike involved and I couldn't say whether you would be able to do the hike in the winter. The rest of the road goes through the Lamar Valley which is the best place to see the wolves, but again I don't know whether they are very active in the winter. So yes there are some things to see however it is definitely an effort to get to the North entrance and if this is your only experience of the park it may be less than satisfactory.

I would not take my 3 year old on a snowmobile trip into the park, it would have been too long for my boys. There are options though. You can take a snowcoach trip in which you would be inside a heated vehicle and not have to do the driving.

Thanks, we were thinking the snowmobile would be a little too much for her. I have been to park in the summer, but that was probably 20 years ago.