Adventure Tuesday

Yellowstone National Park - Winter Edition

The Park

We have traveled to Yellowstone many many times the past few years. Mostly in the wintertime, but lately a bit more in the summertime. Well, lately as in last summer of 2017, when we went there twice. Yellowstone is divided up into East, West, North and South Yellowstone. It's impossible to do it all in one day. It takes quite some time to drive from one end of the park to the other, especially if you include bisonjams and tourists. I have driven through all the entrances in the park over the years. From the northwest entrance in Gardiner, to the northeast entrance in Cook City it is about 56 miles. From the entrance in Gardiner to the west Yellowstone entrance its about 54 miles, and to get to Old Faithful from Gardiner it is also about 56 miles. From the northwest entrance in Gardiner to the south entrance (the one that takes you into Grand Teton National Park) its about 94 miles. On the website of Yellowstone National Park you find all sorts of maps, gps coordinates and brochures about how to plan your trip. There is even an app nowadays.

Christmas Celebrations

W is from Bozeman, and he has been in Yellowstone many many times. He has done research there, and his dad does research there. So, both of them knows the ins and out of all of Yellowstone. Ever since the first Christmas I spent with W in Bozeman, we have visited Yellowstone every time we go there. In the wintertime we always enter through the North Entrance, the one in Gardiner. Not all the roads are open in the wintertime, but it is possible to get to most places if you go by snowmobile or snowcoach. Of course there are restrictions on where you can drive your snowmobile or not. You can also go on snowmobile or snowcoach guided tours in the park, but we have never done that. We usually ski, or drive around looking for wildlife. You can drive from the northwest entrance to Mammoth hot springs, but not farther south unless you go by snowcoach or snowmobile. Different years have different closing and opening days of roads, so the best thing to do is to check the website for up to date information.