Can you visit yellowstone in march

Accommodations are also widely available in Gardiner in March, though a few hotels will be closed for the winter season. For a complete list of all the accommodations available in Gardiner this time of year, click here. Snow begins to rapidly melt, which means waterfalls are often running at their peak.

The hillsides begin to show the first signs of green vegetation. Several interior park roads open for the summer season on April 19, giving visitors the opportunity to enjoy Old Faithful and the other geyser basins with just a handful of other people. Bears begin to emerge from hibernation, accompanied by clumsy bear cubs.

Visitors should be aware Dunraven and Sylvan passes are still closed, and there is still no direct route to neighboring Grand Teton National Park from Yellowstone as the road from Lake Village to the South Entrance is closed as well.

It's about 50 - very scenic - miles to Cooke City, crossing first the Blacktail Plateau and later entering the Lamar Valley. This is the easiest place in Yellowstone where you might have a shot at seeing or hearing wolves, and one of the classic Yellowstone winter tours is to drive this road with a wildlife guide at dawn in the hope of spotting them. Your chances are dependent on the vagaries of wolf pack populations, and whether any of them choose to hang out near the road there's a lot of Yellowstone that is not near a road!

If you choose to drive the road yourself, be aware that although it's plowed it can still be snowpacked and potentially tricky to drive without 4WD.

Even if you don't see any wolves - I didn't - you're almost guaranteed to see bison, elk and deer. Leaving Mammoth, I took a snow-coach to Old Faithful. Snow-coaches in Yellowstone come in two flavors. The classic variety are the purpose-built vehicles that featured in the old Bond movies, made by Bombadier as long ago as the s, and still in service for Yellowstone tours. The more modern, but less romantic kind, are regular vans outfitted with tracks rather than tyres. They don't move very fast.

From Mammoth, it takes 4 or 5 bumpy hours to make it to Old Faithful. Along the way, the driver generally makes a couple of scheduled stops at thermal areas or landmarks near the road, and also stops whenever interesting wildlife is sighted - eagles and bison on my trip.

If you're familiar with the bus system in Denali National Park, in Alaska, the Yellowstone system in winter is very similar. Just as in Denali, it's the luck of the draw as to how knowledgeable or entertaining the driver is, but I was lucky twice so I surmise that you're unlikely to be disappointed.

It's a memorable trip. Old Faithful is the only place in the interior of the park where you can stay in winter. The famous and historic Old Faithful Lodge is closed - I imagine the heating bill would be astronomical - but you can stay either in the modern Old Faithful Snow Lodge or in some somewhat cheaper cabins that are attached to the Lodge. Booking well in advance is necessary, but it's not crazily over-booked like some National Park lodges.

Panorama of the Black Sand geyser basin. Based on my experience, most people staying at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge restrict themselves to short walks around the immediate Old Faitful area, and take snow-coach tours to see other parts of the park.

You can get a day tour, for example, to visit the Canyon area and see the partially frozen Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. If you make even a brief foray out on snow-shoes or cross country skis, you'll likely have the park's famous thermal features pretty much to yourself.

Yellowstone is seasonal. Plan your visit by learning about current conditions, seasons, road conditions, services, activities, and more. Planning is crucial to a good summer visit, as this is the time when most people come to the park. Explore This Park. Info Alerts Maps Calendar Reserve. Alerts In Effect Dismiss. Dismiss View all alerts. Explore in Winter. Visit our keyboard shortcuts docs for details Duration: 1 minute, 3 seconds Yellowstone offers lots of different ways to enjoy winter.

Top Things to Know in Winter 1. Roads are open to limited snowmobile and snowcoach travel from mid-December to mid-March. The only exception is the road between the North and the Northeast entrances, which is open to wheeled vehicles all year. Drive cautiously and watch out for snow plows. Do not stop, stand, or walk in the road. Use a pullout if you need to stop for any reason.

Want to See Old Faithful? Services are Limited Most facilities are closed during winter. Stay on Boardwalks People have been severely injured or killed by breaking through the thin ground in thermal basins or falling into hot springs. Protect Yourself and Others Consistent with CDC guidance, visitors to Yellowstone National Park, regardless of vaccination status or community transmission levels, are required to wear a mask indoors, on all forms of public transportation, and in crowded outdoor spaces.

Connectivity is Limited You will likely not receive calls or texts, even in the few areas you have cell reception. Warming Huts Shelter for skiers, snowshoers, and snowmobilers.