Yellowstone Nat'l Park RV'ing in the winter?

[VicR]

We are going to be driving past Yellowstone National Park the week of Thanksgiving this year, and though we would stop at Mammoth for a few days. Has any one RV'd there in the winter before? Just wondering what to expect in the way of crowds/road conditions/ any think else you can think of. How much snow do they 'usually' have that time of year?



Thanks,



-Vic

 

[Forrest]

If the snow's flying, I thought they close the roads. As a matter of fact, we were thinking about parking @ West Yellowstone & hopping on the snow cat & staying @ the lodge.

 

[VicR]

Yes and no

Forrest,



The north road from Mammoth to Cooke City remains open year 'round because the other access to Cooke City, Montana (Beartooth Pass) is impossible to keep passable. As I recall, its almost 11,000 at the pass. Anyway, that allows the park service to keep the campground at Mammoth open all year. From what I've been able to find, they close down all of the other roads in the Park to wheeled vehicles about mid-December.



We did the W. Yellowstone/ Snow Coach into Old Faithful last February. It was great - I can't say enough good about the trip. If you like Yellowstone, you'll love it in the winter!



This trip we are planning in late November we are going to try sighting some wolves. We camped at Grand Canyon 2 years back over Thanksgiving and almost had the place to ourselves. I am guessing Yellowstone will be pretty quite that time of year too, but you never know.



PM me if you want some details about our Snow Coach trip. By the way, looks like we are neighbors.



-Vic

 

[klenger]

As I recall, Mamoth is lower in elevation than most of the rest of the park. I think it might be open year-round. Have you checked the Yellowstone website for better info?





http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm

 

[jsnyder]

In general, you should be fine that time of year. We have gone to Mammoth over New Year's before, and there really wasn't that much snow. Gardiner and Mammoth are kind of in a snow/rain shadow because of the high peaks to the west.



I doubt you will have much for crowds that time of year, although Gardiner will probably be pretty busy with elk hunters that week. Stop in Gardiner and have a burger at Helen's.



Keep in mind that all of this could change overnight and you could wake up to two feet of snow. Browning and East Glacier got about three to five feet of snow out of a single spring storm this year.



Jason

 

[richardcoxid]

The above posts are correct about the Mammoth/Cooke areas being open all year. The big catch is that the last time we were at Mammoth in Nov and Grant Village in Sept. the NPS prohibited generator operation after 4PM! No hook up's. That means that there is a long time before you get up in the morning. Remember that the Lake area is about 7733’ in elevation! The two passes between Old Faithful and West thumb are 8262’ and 8391’ respectively. Even at Mammoth (6239’) at Thanksgiving time you better have extra battery capacity in order to keep warm.



As far as the rest of the park: from Norris junction, Canyon and Lake on down to the South entrance the road closure goes something like this: (depending on weather)



Mid Nov. - Roads closed to all vehicular traffic.

Mid Dec. - The closed roads are open to Snowmachines, Snow Coaches, X Country Skies etc. (No wheeled vehicles)

Mid April- Roads closed to all traffic. (This gives the NPS time to plow the roads)

Mid/late May- All of Y’stone park open is open! The Inn at Old Faithful opens about the 3rd weekend in May.



This means that by Thanksgiving if you want to see the majority of the park: Norris, Upper, Lower and Old Faithful Geyser basins, the Falls and Canyon of the Yellowstone River it would be iffy. Check out the Y’stone web site shown above or better yet call to get up to date information.



As for crowds they will be non existent! We normally only go to YSNP and the Tetons before Memoral Day and after Labor Day.



Hopes this helps and have a good trip that is the country that we live in!