○ Only a small portion of Yellowstone is open to passenger vehicles in the winter months. Expect much smaller crowds than you would during the summer, but then again, it is Yellowstone, so don't expect to be alone either.
○ If you want to explore the deep internals of Yellowstone you'll need a snowmobile or snowcoach tour, led by a guide. These can be expensive, but going as a small group can help spread the cost.
○ Even the portion of the park that is open to passenger vehicles can get quite icy, and the snow plows don't operate 24/7. Make sure your vehicle is equipped for winter conditions and prepare for the worst.
○ You will be cold! Bring several layers and chemical hand warmers.
○ You will be hot! Hiking, snowshoeing, and skiing will really get you warmed up. Bring a way to put your layers away if you need to.
○ Wildlife is shy. Don't drive up next to it and slam your doors, you'll scare it away. You wouldn't believe how often this happened to us - someone would see us enjoying some sort of wildlife and come running up so they can see it too only to terrify it out of the valley.
○ You'll have to arrive early and stay late for the best chances to see wildlife. Dawn and dusk will give you the best opportunities, and as an added bonus, you'll get to see sunrise and sunset!
○ There are not many opportunities to stay inside the actual park overnight since most of the campgrounds are closed. This year, the lodges also closed due to COVID concerns. We stayed in a yurt camp managed by Yellowstone Expeditions, who also provided snowcoach service, and I have to say that the private tour experience you'll get from them will get you a much more intimate view of all the hard-to-reach parts of the park has to offer.
○ Bring hot chocolate. Trust me.
