Skip to main content

Now’s your last chance to visit this popular national park before winter closures

It's your last chance to visit Yellowstone National Park before it winterizes

West ridge of Amphitheater Mountain at Yellowstone National Park in the winter
Jim Peaco / NPS

Yellowstone National Park is open year-round, but several closures in the wintertime can impact your visit. This year, Yellowstone will implement its winterizing procedures on October 31st, so get in your fall visit while you still can.

Here’s everything you need to know about Yellowstone’s upcoming winter closures.

Rime Ice on trees near Canary Spring at Yellowstone
Jim Peaco / NPS

Starting November 1, the West, South, and East entrances and most park roads will close to regular vehicles as park officials prepare them for snowmobile and snowcoach season. The road from Tower Fall to Canyon Village (Dunraven Pass) will remain open through October 31, weather permitting. Not every road will close, though. One road that will remain open is the route between the North Entrance (Gardiner, Montana) and the Northeast Entrance (Cooke City/Silver Gate, Montana), which passes through Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower Junction, and Lamar Valley.

Recommended Videos

These closures mean that only limited parts of the park will be accessible by car until mid-December, when snowmobiles and snowcoaches begin to operate on certain routes. This includes roads leading to popular areas like Old Faithful, West Thumb Geyser Basin, Hayden Valley, and Yellowstone Lake. Hiking and wildlife watching will be restricted to areas accessible from the North Entrance route. While you can still enjoy Lamar Valley, Mammoth Hot Springs, and nearby trails, the options will be fewer until over-snow travel begins. Only Mammoth Campground remains open year-round, though services will be minimal.

If you plan to drive into Yellowstone after the closure, be prepared for changing weather. Snow, ice, and sudden weather shifts are common in the area, so have flexible plans in case you are delayed.

Sarah Joseph
Sarah is a lover of all things outdoors. With a bright sense of adventure and a heart for the mountains, she is always…
Going to Mount Rainier National Park this winter? Here’s what you should expect
No sledding this year at Mount Rainier, but here's what you can do instead
Mount Rainier National Park in the winter

Winter is almost here, and Mount Rainier National Park is gearing up for the 2024-25 winter recreation season with updates to its schedule. Starting Tuesday, November 12, new access guidelines were put in place to help visitors make the most of their winter adventures. Here’s what you need to know:
2024-25 Winter access at Mount Rainier National Park

The Paradise area will be available for four days a week, from Friday through Monday. You'll be able to drive there on these days, but the road will be closed for the rest of the week. The National Park Service has also announced that due to limited staffing, sledding will not be available anywhere in the park this winter. While this is unfortunate, there are still plenty of other activities to choose from.

Read more
How to plan your Glacier National Park visit for 2025: Reservation deadlines and key rules
Here's what Glacier National Park's new reservation system will mean for you in 2025
Hiking Glacier National Park in Montana.

Glacier National Park is one of the most gorgeous ones in the United States, so it's not a surprise that it saw almost three million visitors in 2023. Visitors can't get enough of Going-to-the-Sun Road, Lake McDonald, and the many lakes and glaciers in the area — the best time to visit Glacier National Park is often the busiest time. Because of the congestion in recent years, the National Park Service had previously enacted a reservation system for entry to the park as part of a pilot program. The National Park Service recently revealed this will continue in 2025, including timed entry reservations for the west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road and the North Fork — here's what you need to know.
Here's how it will look like going into 2025
Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier National Park Tevin Trinh via Unsplash / Unsplash
West Entrance: Going-to-the-Sun Road

Reservations required: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m., June 13 – September 28.
Applies to travel beyond Apgar Village.
Entry without a reservation: Before 7 a.m. or after 3 p.m.
Exceptions: Visitors with lodging, camping, or certain commercial reservations (originating beyond Apgar checkpoint) will be allowed entry.

Read more
National parks nationwide waive entrance fees for Veterans Day
Now's the time to visit your favorite national park
West ridge of Amphitheater Mountain at Yellowstone National Park in the winter

This Veterans Day, national parks across the United States invite all visitors to enter free of charge in honor of the service and dedication of America’s veterans, who have played a significant role in protecting and preserving our cherished national park system. From rescuing stranded hikers to neutralizing old explosives, these veterans have gone above and beyond to serve our nation and the land we hold most dear. Today, more than 4,000 veterans are employed in the National Park Service, and they account for about 20% of the park rangers across the nation.

If you're planning on visiting one of our gorgeous national parks on Monday, November 11, keep in mind that fees for camping and other special activities will still remain in effect. It's bound to be crowded, so make sure that you make any reservations well in advance.

Read more