Yellowstone in the summer is phenomenal but Yellowstone in the winter is next level. The park is covered in snow and basically empty! If you are lucky you will get to see wildlife up close and personal. I went on an all day tour with Gary Fales Outfitting. Our tour started at the East Entrance going to Yellowstone Grand Canyon (with many stops along the way). They also have a tour that goes to Old Faithful. With insurance and fees, the cost for one snowmobile (1 or 2 people) is $425. You will also need to purchase entry into the park but if you have a National Parks Pass bring that instead.
Here’s what you need to know about taking a snowmobile tour in Yellowstone in the winter.
It’s going to be cold so wear lots of layers. I had a t-shirt, fleece pullover, down coat and snowsuit. On the bottom I wore leggings on top of joggers, two pairs of socks and Sorel snow boots. I also wore a balaclava (an absolute must) and two pairs of gloves. I was warm except for on the ride home at around 5:00pm my toes and fingers started getting a little cold from the wind.
What to Bring
There isn’t a lot of cargo space on the snowmobile but here are some of the essentials to bring:
- Small day pack
- Lunch, snacks and water
- Handwarmers, winter hat and clothes mentioned above
- National Parks Pass if you have one
- Camera
- Sunglasses
- Lip balm, sunscreen and lotion
- Money for food, incidentals & tipping your guide
- Credit card to pay for gas at the end of the tour
- Bungee cord to secure pack to snowmobile
Fishing Bridge Warming Hut
One of the first stops was at the Fishing Bridge warming hut. It was a cool 0 degrees!
Dragon’s Mouth Spring
Apparently in 1912, an unknown park visitor named this Dragon’s Mouth Spring. You can hear rumbling sounds from steam and other gasses exploding through the water.
Uncle Tom’s Point
Norris Geyser Basin
Steamboat Geyser
We were lucky enough to see a herd of bison as we were driving down Grand Loop Road. We stopped the snowmobiles and the bison walked about 5 feet away from us. It was so cool!
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
Our final stop was at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The canyon was formed more than 600 years ago when a huge volcanic eruption occurred. The Lower Falls are 308 feet tall while the Upper Falls are 109 feet tall.
At the end of the tour we stopped at the gas station at Fishing Bridge to fill up the snowmobiles. For about 9 hours it only cost $25 in fuel. This experience was a lot of fun and something I’d consider doing again, maybe going to Old Faithful next time.
Where to Stay
If you are only in town for a night or two, I would recommend staying in Cody, Wyoming. Although, there are plenty of places to stay between the east entrance of Yellowstone and Cody along Highways 14-16-20 (Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway). We chose to stay at an Airbnb in Cody because it’s only about 30 minutes from the first meeting point for the tour, and a total of 52 miles from Cody to the east entrance.
I would definitely recommend this Airbnb. It’s a fully equipped cabin within walking distance to Sheridan Avenue (the main drag). Cody has a really cute downtown with lots of restaurants and shopping.
Thinking about taking a trip to Yellowstone in the winter? Pin this post for later!
