Which month gives you Yellowstone with its roads open, its animals out and its crowds thinner? The best time to visit Yellowstone is September: every road is still open, bull elk bugle at Mammoth Hot Springs, and park highs average 18.5 °C (65 °F). June is the next-best month, with the waterfalls at full volume and the elk calving at Mammoth. July is the warmest and driest month, but also the busiest, with 975,109 visits in July 2025. From November to mid-April, most of the park is closed to cars.
Average high, °C: lowest −3.3 °C (26 °F), Park in December; highest 28.8 °C (84 °F), Gardiner in July. Wet days: lowest 4, Park wet days in July; highest 12, Park wet days in February. Days with snow on the ground: lowest 0, Park snow days in July; highest 31, Park snow days in January. Park visits: lowest Low (0.07), Park visits in November; highest Peak (2.46), Park visits in July. Best months: June, September.
- September is the best month: every road stays open into October, the elk rut runs from early September to mid-October, and highs average 18.5 °C (65 °F).
- June to August are the busiest months: July 2025 drew 2.46 times an average month's visits, and July and August bring afternoon thunderstorms and wildfire smoke.
- November to mid-April is the closed season: cars reach only the Gardiner to Cooke City road, and from December 15 guided snowcoaches carry visitors to Old Faithful.
When are Yellowstone's roads open?
Yellowstone's interior roads open to cars in stages from mid-April to late May and close at the end of October. The 2026 dates:
| Road | Open to cars in 2026 |
|---|---|
| North Entrance (Gardiner) to Northeast Entrance (Cooke City), through Lamar Valley | All year |
| West Entrance to Madison and Old Faithful, Madison to Norris, Mammoth to Norris, Norris to Canyon Village | April 17 to October 31 |
| East Entrance over Sylvan Pass, Canyon Village to Bridge Bay | May 1 to October 31 |
| South Entrance to West Thumb, Craig Pass to Old Faithful, West Thumb to Lake Village, Tower-Roosevelt to Tower Fall | May 8 to October 31 |
| Dunraven Pass (Canyon Village to Tower Fall), and the Beartooth Highway outside the Northeast Entrance | May 22 to October 12 |
Each road opens at 8 a.m. on its first day, weather permitting. The park has not yet published its 2027 opening dates.
In the winter of 2026 to 2027, guided snowmobiles and snowcoaches run from December 15 to mid-March. Mammoth to Norris closes first, on March 7. The West, South and East entrances close last, on March 15.
Spring: April and May
Spring in Yellowstone is calving season, with snow still on the high country and half the roads closed.
April
Best for bison calving and bears out of their dens
- Weather: highs 6.1 °C (43 °F), lows −8.5 °C (17 °F); 71.7 mm (2.8 in) of rain and snow over about 11 wet days, with snow on the ground all month
- Roads: West Entrance to Old Faithful, Norris and Canyon from April 17 (2026 date)
- Season: low, 0.20 times an average month's visits
- Plan it: where to go in April
Yellowstone's West Entrance roads opened to cars on April 17 in 2026, so an April trip before then reaches only the road from Gardiner to Cooke City. Bison calving starts in Lamar Valley in April, and black bears leave their dens there. Grizzly mothers with cubs follow in April and early May.
April brings about one visitor for every twelve in July, but nights still fall to −8.5 °C (17 °F). Old Faithful's eruption predictions start only when its visitor center reopens in mid-April. Cyclists may ride the road from Mammoth to the West Entrance before it opens to cars, usually from early April.
Before April 17, come for the animals rather than the geysers. Book Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel for its reopening on April 23 in 2027.
May
Best for newborn bison, elk and wolf pups as the last roads open
- Weather: highs 11.1 °C (52 °F), lows −3.3 °C (26 °F); 76.5 mm (3.0 in) of rain and snow over about 11 wet days
- Roads: East Entrance from May 1, South Entrance from May 8, Dunraven Pass from May 22 (2026 dates)
- Season: peak, 1.43 times an average month's visits
- Plan it: where to go in May
May is Yellowstone's month for young animals: reddish-brown bison calves in Lamar Valley, elk calves at Mammoth Hot Springs and wolf pups out of their dens. Crowds are under two-thirds of June's. Every road is usually open by Memorial Day weekend.
Snow still covers the ground at park elevations for most of the month. Old Faithful Inn opens on April 30 in 2027, so the geyser basins have a bed nearby all month.
The last week of May is the one to aim for, once Dunraven Pass opens. Watch the calves from the car, since they stay close to their mothers.
Neal Herbert / NPS (Public domain)A newborn red-orange bison calf nurses beside its mother in Lamar Valley
Summer: June to August
Summer is the easiest time to drive all of Yellowstone and the hardest to see it without a crowd: every road is open, and the park draws over half its year's visitors.
June
Best for full waterfalls and bitterroot on the Beaver Ponds Trail
- Weather: highs 18.3 °C (65 °F), lows 1.3 °C (34 °F); 65.9 mm (2.6 in) of rain over about 9 wet days, with snow still possible at high elevations
- Roads: all open
- Season: peak, 2.34 times an average month's visits
- Plan it: where to go in June
Every waterfall in Yellowstone runs at full volume in June. See the 308-foot (94 m) Lower Falls from Artist Point early in the morning. Elk calve at Mammoth, and late in June the bitterroot flowers along the Beaver Ponds Trail.
Nights still drop near freezing, and the crowds come close to July's, at 928,250 visits in June 2025. Bears move to higher ground and are harder to spot from the road than in May.
Choose June over September if the waterfalls matter more to you than the elk, and save an afternoon for the Beaver Ponds Trail out of Mammoth.
July
Best for the warmest, driest days and the bison rut
- Weather: highs 23.9 °C (75 °F), lows 4.0 °C (39 °F); 30.9 mm (1.2 in) of rain over about 4 wet days, the driest month
- Roads: all open
- Season: peak, 2.46 times an average month's visits, the busiest month
- Plan it: where to go in July
July is Yellowstone's busiest month, with 975,109 visits in 2025. Get in before 7 a.m. or after noon. Save the big geyser basins for before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m., and spend the middle of the day on a trail. Old Faithful erupts about every 102 minutes, plus or minus 10.
July brings the warmest, driest days of the year. The bison rut starts late in the month in Lamar and Hayden valleys, when the herds swell to as many as 1,000 animals. Afternoon thunderstorms are frequent, and wildfire smoke can haze the views.
July's crowds are the year's biggest. September keeps every road open with about 135,000 fewer visits.
August
Best for the bison rut in Hayden Valley
- Weather: highs 22.9 °C (73 °F), lows 2.7 °C (37 °F); 41.3 mm (1.6 in) of rain over about 5 wet days
- Roads: all open
- Season: peak, 2.22 times an average month's visits
- Plan it: where to go in August
August in Yellowstone is a little quieter than July, at 881,936 visits in 2025. The bison rut is in full swing in Hayden Valley, between Canyon and Yellowstone Lake. Days stay warm, at 22.9 °C (73 °F), and you still face July's afternoon storms and wildfire haze.
If it has to be summer, take August over July for the rut. Watch from a Hayden Valley pullout in the early evening, then see Grand Prismatic Spring at Midway Geyser Basin early the next morning.
Diane Renkin / NPS (Public domain)Grand Prismatic Spring and its boardwalk from the overlook above Midway Geyser Basin
Fall: September and October
Fall is Yellowstone's best season: the elk are in rut, and visits fall from 839,579 in September to 313,959 in October.
September
Best for the elk rut with every road still open
- Weather: highs 18.5 °C (65 °F), lows −0.5 °C (31 °F); 59.8 mm (2.4 in) of rain over about 7 wet days
- Roads: all open, Dunraven Pass until October 12 (2026 date)
- Season: peak, 2.12 times an average month's visits
- Plan it: where to go in September
In September, bull elk bugle across Yellowstone's Mammoth Hot Springs while every road and nearly every lodge is still open. Fall color reaches the aspens above 7,000 feet (2,100 m), and raptors migrate over Hayden Valley.
Lows average slightly below freezing, and campgrounds start to close. September still drew 839,579 visits in 2025, about 135,000 fewer than July.
Base yourself at Mammoth for the rut and keep well back: elk chase, and sometimes injure, visitors there every year. For a first trip, pick September.
October
Best for fall color and bears along the roads, before the gates close
- Weather: highs 10.1 °C (50 °F), lows −5.5 °C (22 °F); 62.5 mm (2.5 in) of rain and snow over about 8 wet days, with snow on the ground about 17 days
- Roads: Dunraven Pass closes October 12, the other interior roads October 31 (2026 dates)
- Season: low, 0.79 times an average month's visits
- Plan it: where to go in October
Go to Yellowstone in the first ten days of October for the fall color and the last of the elk rut, which runs until mid-month. Color comes down below 7,000 feet (2,100 m). Bears feed on lower ground, where they are easier to spot from the road.
Visits drop to 313,959 for the month, a third of July's. Old Faithful Inn closed on October 11 in 2026, and Dunraven Pass was due to close the next day. Snow lies on the ground for about half the month at park elevations. After mid-month, as roads close, check the road status each morning.
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Neal Herbert / NPS (Public domain)A bull elk bugles in front of golden trees at Mammoth Hot Springs
Winter: November to March
Winter closes Yellowstone's interior to cars: from November, cars reach only the road from Gardiner to Cooke City, and from December 15 guided snowcoaches run to Old Faithful and Canyon.
November
Best for wolves from Gardiner, with the interior closed
- Weather: highs 1.6 °C (35 °F), lows −10.9 °C (12 °F); 64.2 mm (2.5 in) of rain and snow over about 10 wet days, with snow on the ground about 28 days
- Roads: closed to cars except North Entrance to Northeast Entrance; no snowcoaches until December 15
- Season: low, 0.07 times an average month's visits, the quietest month
- Plan it: where to go in November
Yellowstone's interior is closed to cars in November and the snowcoaches wait until December 15, so November is the park's quietest month, at 26,961 visits in 2025. Cyclists may ride some closed roads for the first two weeks, until plowing stops in mid-November. Old Faithful's eruption predictions pause until mid-December.
Wolves are out in Lamar Valley, on the road from Gardiner that stays open to cars, and bighorn sheep rut. Stay in Gardiner or at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, open through the winter, and save Old Faithful for after December 15.
December
Best for steaming geyser basins and the first snowcoach trips
- Weather: highs −3.3 °C (26 °F), lows −15.5 °C (4 °F); 68.0 mm (2.7 in) of snow over about 12 wet days, with snow on the ground all month
- Roads: guided snowmobiles and snowcoaches from December 15, 2026; cars on the Gardiner to Cooke City road only
- Season: low, 0.09 times an average month's visits
- Plan it: where to go in December
Yellowstone's snowcoaches and guided snowmobiles start running into the interior on December 15, 2026. Old Faithful Snow Lodge opens the next day and is one of two hotels open inside the park, so book it as soon as you have dates. Rime ice coats the trees around the thermal areas.
Come after December 15. To reach Old Faithful or Canyon, join a guided tour or get a permit from the park's program for non-commercial snowmobile groups.
Take a snowcoach from West Yellowstone to Old Faithful, then ski or snowshoe the geyser basin trails. Every unplowed road and trail in the park is open to skis.
January
Best for wolf watching in Lamar Valley
- Weather: highs −2.7 °C (27 °F), lows −15.5 °C (4 °F); 57.7 mm (2.3 in) of snow over about 10 wet days, with snow on the ground all month
- Roads: snowcoaches and guided snowmobiles in the interior; cars on the Gardiner to Cooke City road only
- Season: low, 0.10 times an average month's visits
- Plan it: where to go in January
In January, drive from Gardiner into Yellowstone's Lamar Valley before dawn for the wolves, which are most active at dawn and dusk. The park calls its northern range "one of the best places in the world to watch wolves." Coyotes and foxes hunt the snow-covered meadows.
You face serious cold: lows average −15.5 °C (4 °F), and the park's record is −54 °C (−66 °F). The road from Gardiner stays open to cars all winter, so January's wolves need no snowcoach.
February
Best for a snowcoach trip to Old Faithful
- Weather: highs −1.4 °C (29 °F), lows −15.9 °C (3 °F); 72.9 mm (2.9 in) of snow over about 12 wet days, the coldest nights of the year
- Roads: snowcoaches and guided snowmobiles in the interior; cars on the Gardiner to Cooke City road only
- Season: low, 0.11 times an average month's visits
- Plan it: where to go in February
For Old Faithful in snow, February beats December in Yellowstone: the snowcoaches run all month, where December's start on the 15th. Bison crusted with frost stand along the Madison River.
February has the coldest nights, at −15.9 °C (3 °F) on average, but longer days than December. Ski or snowshoe the trails around Old Faithful, and on a separate day from Gardiner, walk the Mammoth terraces among the steam.
March
Best for the last snowcoach weeks and the first grizzlies
- Weather: highs 3.2 °C (38 °F), lows −12.2 °C (10 °F); 63.9 mm (2.5 in) of rain and snow over about 10 wet days, with snow on the ground all month
- Roads: snowcoaches until March 7 to 15, 2027 by road; then the interior closes for plowing
- Season: low, 0.08 times an average month's visits
- Plan it: where to go in March
Yellowstone's snowcoaches make their last runs between March 7 and 15, depending on the road, and Snow Lodge closes in early March. Male grizzly bears wake in early March: the park's biologists saw the first of 2026 on March 9. Bluebirds, meadowlarks and ospreys start to arrive.
Come in the first week of March for a last snowcoach trip. Skip the second half: the interior is closed to snowcoaches and cars alike while crews plow, and the West Entrance roads wait until mid-April.
Plan your Gardiner trip →
Jacob W. Frank / NPS (Public domain)A yellow snowcoach on the snow-packed road through the Hoodoos
How much does it cost to enter Yellowstone?
Yellowstone's entrance fee is $35 per private vehicle, valid for seven days. You need no vehicle reservation or timed-entry ticket.
| Pass | Price | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Private vehicle | $35 | One car and everyone in it, 7 days |
| Motorcycle | $30 | Up to 2 motorcycles, 7 days |
| Per person | $20 | On foot, bicycle or skis, aged 16 and over, 7 days |
| Yellowstone annual pass | $70 | Unlimited entry for a year, US citizens and residents |
| America the Beautiful annual pass | $80 US residents, $250 non-residents | Every national park for a year |
| Non-resident fee | $100 per person | Each non-US resident aged 16 and over, on top of the entrance fee |
The $100 non-resident fee applies at Yellowstone and ten other busy parks, including Grand Canyon, Glacier and Zion. The fee is waived for anyone entering on an annual pass, including the $250 America the Beautiful pass for non-residents. The park's fee-free days now apply to US residents only.
Which month suits your trip?
| If you want | Go in | Because |
|---|---|---|
| A first trip with every road open | September, or June | The elk rut and 18.5 °C (65 °F) highs in September, full waterfalls in June |
| Baby animals | May | Bison calves and wolf pups in Lamar Valley, elk calves at Mammoth |
| The warmest, driest days | July | Highs of 23.9 °C (75 °F) and about four wet days, in the busiest month |
| The elk rut | September to mid-October | Bulls bugle across Mammoth Hot Springs |
| Wolves | December to February | The northern range, open to cars all winter |
| Old Faithful in snow | Mid-December to early March | Snowcoaches run from December 15, and Snow Lodge opens December 16 |
| Fewer people with the park open | Early October | A third of July's visits, with most roads open until October 31 |
| Avoid for the interior | November, and the second half of March | The interior is closed to cars and snowcoaches |
Yellowstone month by month
| Month | Park high | Gardiner high | Park wet days | Snow on the ground | Visits vs average | Interior roads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | −2.7 °C (27 °F) | −1.0 °C (30 °F) | 10 | 31 days | Low (0.10) | Snowcoach |
| February | −1.4 °C (29 °F) | 0.2 °C (32 °F) | 12 | 28 days | Low (0.11) | Snowcoach |
| March | 3.2 °C (38 °F) | 6.4 °C (44 °F) | 10 | 31 days | Low (0.08) | Snowcoach to mid-March |
| April | 6.1 °C (43 °F) | 10.4 °C (51 °F) | 11 | 30 days | Low (0.20) | Cars from April 17 |
| May | 11.1 °C (52 °F) | 15.9 °C (61 °F) | 11 | 27 days | Peak (1.43) | All open by May 22 |
| June | 18.3 °C (65 °F) | 23.5 °C (74 °F) | 9 | 2 days | Peak (2.34) | All open |
| July | 23.9 °C (75 °F) | 28.8 °C (84 °F) | 4 | 0 days | Peak (2.46) | All open |
| August | 22.9 °C (73 °F) | 27.9 °C (82 °F) | 5 | 0 days | Peak (2.22) | All open |
| September | 18.5 °C (65 °F) | 22.8 °C (73 °F) | 7 | 2 days | Peak (2.12) | All open |
| October | 10.1 °C (50 °F) | 13.9 °C (57 °F) | 8 | 17 days | Low (0.79) | Open to October 31 |
| November | 1.6 °C (35 °F) | 4.2 °C (40 °F) | 10 | 28 days | Low (0.07) | Closed |
| December | −3.3 °C (26 °F) | −1.3 °C (30 °F) | 12 | 31 days | Low (0.09) | Snowcoach from December 15 |
Gardiner sits at the North Entrance and runs warmer than the park's interior. Visits are 2025 recreation visits against an average month.
Plan the trip
Two other Rocky Mountain parks have full plans of their own, the 5-day Glacier National Park itinerary and the 3-day Rocky Mountain National Park itinerary. The US national parks guides cover when to go to each park.
Every MonkeyEatingMango trip plan shows each stop's weather for your month. The free packing list generator picks what to bring for a month of frost and snow, or a July of thunderstorms.
Plan your Yellowstone National Park trip →Pick your month and entrance and the planner builds the trip day by day: plan a Yellowstone trip.
Last updated November 2026.
Common questions
What is the best month to visit Yellowstone?
September is the best month to visit Yellowstone. Every road is open until October, bull elk bugle at Mammoth Hot Springs from early September, and park highs average 18.5 °C (65 °F). June is the next-best month, with the waterfalls at full volume and the meadows green.
What is the best time to visit Yellowstone to avoid crowds?
October is the quietest month with most of Yellowstone still open to cars: the park drew 313,959 visits in October 2025, against 975,109 in July. Dunraven Pass was scheduled to close on October 12 and the other interior roads on October 31, so go in the first ten days of the month.
What is the best month to visit Yellowstone for wildlife?
May is the best month for young animals in Yellowstone: bison calves and wolf pups in Lamar Valley and elk calves at Mammoth Hot Springs. September brings the elk rut, and December to February is wolf season on the northern range, around Lamar Valley.
Is Yellowstone open in the winter?
Yellowstone stays open in winter, but most park roads close to cars from early November to late April. The road from the North Entrance at Gardiner to Cooke City stays open all year, and guided snowmobiles and snowcoaches reach Old Faithful and Canyon from December 15, 2026 to mid-March 2027.
When does Yellowstone open for the season?
Yellowstone's first interior roads opened to cars on April 17 in 2026, from the West Entrance to Old Faithful, Norris and Canyon. The East Entrance followed on May 1, the South Entrance on May 8 and Dunraven Pass on May 22. The park has not yet published its 2027 dates.
When does Yellowstone close for the season?
Most Yellowstone roads closed to cars on October 31 in 2026, and Dunraven Pass and the Beartooth Highway were scheduled to close on October 12. The road from Gardiner to Cooke City, through Lamar Valley, stays open all winter.
Is Yellowstone open in October?
Yellowstone is open in October, and every interior road stayed open to cars until October 31 in 2026, except Dunraven Pass, scheduled to close on October 12. Park highs average 10.1 °C (50 °F), and snow covers the ground on about 17 days of the month.
Is September or October better for Yellowstone?
September is better for a first visit to Yellowstone: highs average 18.5 °C (65 °F) against 10.1 °C (50 °F) in October, and every road and nearly every lodge is open. October suits a second trip, with fewer than half of September's visitors and bears feeding along the roads.
What is the weather in Yellowstone in September?
Yellowstone's September highs average 18.5 °C (65 °F) and its lows −0.5 °C (31 °F), so mornings often start below freezing. About 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain falls over seven wet days, and snow is possible on any day.
Do you need a reservation to enter Yellowstone?
Yellowstone needs no vehicle reservation or timed-entry ticket. A $35 private vehicle pass covers seven days and can be bought online or at any entrance station; non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an added $100 each.
How much does it cost to get into Yellowstone?
Yellowstone's entrance fee is $35 per private vehicle, $30 per motorcycle and $20 per person on foot or bicycle, each valid for seven days. A Yellowstone annual pass costs $70, and the America the Beautiful pass covers every national park for $80 a year for US residents.
Written by Shobhit Shrivastava · Founder
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