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Summary:Yellowstone offers three distinct visiting seasons, each with different levels of access, services, and visitation. Peak season is the busiest time of year, when most visitor services are open. Off-peak season brings fewer crowds, though weather can be unpredictable and many services and roads are closed or limited. Winter season features snow-covered landscapes and unique travel experiences, though access is restricted and only a few facilities remain open. The month-by-month highlights below give a general overview of what to expect, but always check operating dates and park road conditions before arriving—weather can close roads and services any time of year.
Peak season is the busiest time of year, when most visitor services are open. Beat the summer crowds by arriving at a park entrance before 7 am (or after 12 pm), avoiding main attractions during peak hours (10 am to 4 pm), or hiking down a trail.
May
Moderately Busy
Location
Average High / Low (°F)
Average Precipitation
Average Snowfall
Mammoth Hot Springs (6,200 ft elevation)
60° / 35°
1.8 in
2.0 in
Yellowstone Lake (7,782 ft elevation)
52° / 28°
2.3 in
6.0 in
Weather: Snow lingers at higher elevations, while lower areas begin to see spring melt with milder temperatures
Facilities: Many open; campgrounds begin to open (view operating dates) Access: All roads typically open by Memorial Day weekend (weather depending); some bear management area closures are lifted Memorial Day weekend Suggested activities: Hiking and backpacking (lower elevations), fishing, and wildlife watching What you'll see: Black bears (Lamar Valley), grizzly bears (roadside meadows), bison calves (Lamar Valley), elk calves (Mammoth Hot Springs), wolf pups emerging from dens (Lamar Valley), moose calves (Lamar Valley), pronghorn calves (Lamar Valley), chorus frogs (wetlands throughout the park), ruffed grouse drumming (conifer forests), and wildflowers (glacier lilies, bitterroot)
June
Busiest
Location
Average High / Low (°F)
Average Precipitation
Average Snowfall
Mammoth Hot Springs (6,200 ft elevation)
71° / 43°
1.7 in
0.3 in
Yellowstone Lake (7,782 ft elevation)
63° / 35°
2.2 in
1.8 in
Weather: Variable conditions—snow is still possible at high elevations, but most areas have thawed by the end of the month
Facilities: All open; all campgrounds open by mid-June; boating services open on Yellowstone Lake (view operating dates) Access: All roads are typically open; high-water limits access to some backcountry campsites and swimming areas Suggested activities: Boating, fishing, hiking and backpacking (lower elevations), ranger programs, and wildlife watching What you'll see: BIghorn sheep calving (Lamar Valley, Calcite Springs Overlook), cutthroat trout spawning, elk calving (Mammoth Hot Springs), mountain goats calving (northeast entrance), bears less visible as they move to higher elevations, wildflowers (arrowleaf balsamroot), songbirds in full song, and waterfalls flowing at full volume
July
Busiest
Location
Average High / Low (°F)
Average Precipitation
Average Snowfall
Mammoth Hot Springs (6,200 ft elevation)
83° / 49°
1.2 in
0.0 in
Yellowstone Lake (7,782 ft elevation)
74° / 43°
1.1 in
0.0 in
Weather: Warmest month in the park. Afternoon thunderstorms are frequent, and there's an increased chance of seeing haze from wildfires
Weather: Generally pleasant days and cooler nights, with the possibility of early snow at higher elevations
Facilities: Many open; campgrounds begin to close for season; Yellowstone Lake boating services begin to close for season (view operating dates) Access: All roads are typically open (weather depending) Suggested activities: Hiking, backpacking, fishing, guided trips, ranger programs, and wildlife watching What you'll see: Elk rut (Mammoth Hot Springs, Grant Village), black and grizzly bears (roadside meadows), raptor migration (Hayden Valley), fall color (above 7,000 feet), and fewer mosquitos
Off-peak season brings fewer crowds, though weather can be unpredictable and many services and roads are closed or limited. The highly variable weather can cause sudden road closures due to snowy conditions in the spring or fall. Drive carefully and always check the latest conditions before your trip.
March
Least Busy
Location
Average High / Low (°F)
Average Precipitation
Average Snowfall
Mammoth Hot Springs (6,200 ft elevation)
42° / 20°
1.1 in
10.6 in
Yellowstone Lake (7,782 ft elevation)
36° / 10°
2.0 in
24.6 in
Weather: Winter continues, though longer days bring some gradual warming
Facilities: Few open (view operating dates) Access: Most roads are closed to regular vehicles—the road between the North and Northeast entrances is the only road open year-round to regular vehicles; roads begin closing to guided snowcoach and snowmobile travel for spring plowing Suggested activities: Skiing and snowshoeing, and wildlife watching What you'll see: Grizzly bears begin to emerge from dens, neotropical birds begin to arrive (bluebirds, meadowlarks, osprey, robins), and wolves (Lamar Valley)
April
Least Busy
Location
Average High / Low (°F)
Average Precipitation
Average Snowfall
Mammoth Hot Springs (6,200 ft elevation)
50° / 26°
1.4 in
7.6 in
Yellowstone Lake (7,782 ft elevation)
42° / 18°
2.1 in
22.6 in
Weather: Winter conditions often persist, with snow still likely in many areas
Facilities: Few open (view operating dates) Access:Roads begin opening to regular vehicles in mid-April (weather depending) as spring plowing continues—the road between the North and Northeast entrances is the only road open year-round to regular vehicles Suggested activities: Hiking (lower elevations), skiing and snowshoeing (higher elevations), and wildlife watching What you'll see: Bison calving (Lamar Valley), black bears emerge from dens (Lamar Valley), bull elk antlers in velvet (Northern Range), chorus frogs (wetlands throughout the park), grizzly bears (roadside meadows), marmots (Northern Range), more birds arriving (ruby-crowned kinglets, Wilson’s snipe), Uinta ground squirrels, and wildflowers beginning to bloom (buttercups, shooting stars, pasqueflower)
October
Moderately Busy
Location
Average High / Low (°F)
Average Precipitation
Average Snowfall
Mammoth Hot Springs (6,200 ft elevation)
54° / 30°
1.5 in
4.4 in
Yellowstone Lake (7,782 ft elevation)
47° / 24°
1.9 in
10.6 in
Weather: Colder weather begins to set in, with snow increasingly common across higher elevations
Facilities: Some open (view operating dates) Access: Most roads are typically open (weather depending); Dunraven Pass and Beartooth Highway (outside northeast entrance) close mid-October Suggested activities: Hiking, backpacking, fishing, ranger programs, and wildlife watching What you'll see: Bears return to lower elevations and are more visible along roads, elk rut (Mammoth Hot Springs, Grant Village), raptor migration (Hayden Valley), and fall color (below 7,000 feet)
November
Least Busy
Location
Average High / Low (°F)
Average Precipitation
Average Snowfall
Mammoth Hot Springs (6,200 ft elevation)
40° / 20°
1.2 in
12.4 in
Yellowstone Lake (7,782 ft elevation)
33° / 14°
1.9 in
24.7 in
Weather: Winter storms often arrive, bringing snow and freezing temperatures
Facilities: Few open (view operating dates) Access: Most roads are closed to regular vehicles—the road between the North and Northeast entrances is the only road open year-round to regular vehicles Suggested activities: Hiking and wildlife watching in the northern part of the park What you'll see: Bighorn sheep rut, wolves (Lamar Valley), bison begin migrating to lower elevations, and snow beginning to accumulate below 7,000 feet
Winter season features fewer crowds, snow-covered landscapes, and unique travel experiences, though access is restricted and only a few facilities remain. Most roads are closed to regular vehicles in the winter. If you are on the road between the North and Northeast entrances—the only road open year-round to regular vehicles—drive carefully on snow and ice.
December
Least Busy
Location
Average High / Low (°F)
Average Precipitation
Average Snowfall
Mammoth Hot Springs (6,200 ft elevation)
31° / 13°
0.9 in
11.9 in
Yellowstone Lake (7,782 ft elevation)
25° / 7°
2.0 in
34.4 in
Weather: Expect very cold temperatures and heavy snow throughout the park
Facilities: Few open (view operating dates) Access: Most roads are closed to regular vehicles—the road between the North and Northeast entrances is the only road open year-round to regular vehicles; some roads typically begin opening to commercially-guided snowcoach and snowmobile travel in late December (weather-dependent) Suggested activities: Skiing and snowshoeing, snowmobiling, snowcoach tours, overnight trips to Old Faithful, and wildlife watching What you'll see: Wolves (Lamar Valley); bighorn sheep rut, rime ice and steam inversions (thermal areas), and trumpeter swans (rivers with open water)
January
Least Busy
Location
Average High / Low (°F)
Average Precipitation
Average Snowfall
Mammoth Hot Springs (6,200 ft elevation)
32° / 12°
0.7 in
10.3 in
Yellowstone Lake (7,782 ft elevation)
25° / 3°
1.7 in
35.0 in
Weather: Expect very cold temperatures and heavy snow throughout the park
Facilities: Few open (view operating dates) Access: Most roads are closed to regular vehicles—the road between the North and Northeast entrances is the only road open year-round to regular vehicles; some roads are typically open to commercially-guided snowcoach and snowmobile travel (weather-dependent) Suggested activities: Skiing and snowshoeing, snowmobiling, snowcoach tours, overnight trips to Old Faithful, and wildlife watching What you'll see: Wolves, American dippers (rivers with open water), coyotes and foxes hunting (snow-covered meadows throughout the park), rime ice and steam inversions (thermal areas), and trumpeter swans (rivers with open water)
February
Least Busy
Location
Average High / Low (°F)
Average Precipitation
Average Snowfall
Mammoth Hot Springs (6,200 ft elevation)
33° / 12°
0.9 in
12.5 in
Yellowstone Lake (7,782 ft elevation)
27° / 2°
1.9 in
29.0 in
Weather: Deep snowpack and frigid conditions remain common across all elevations
Facilities: Few open (view operating dates) Access: Most roads closed to regular vehicles—the road between the North and Northeast entrances is the only road open year-round to regular vehicles; some roads are typically open to commercially-guided snowcoach and snowmobile travel (weather-dependent) Suggested activities: Skiing and snowshoeing, snowmobiling, snowcoach tours, overnight trips to Old Faithful, and wildlife watching What you'll see: Wolves, American dippers (rivers with open water), coyotes and foxes hunting (snow-covered meadows throughout the park), rime ice and steam inversions (thermal areas), and trumpeter swans (rivers with open water)
