Yellowstone National Park winter small group tours are the way to enjoy this pandemic world. Did you ever think about spending your winter vacation at Yellowstone? Forget about booking a warm vacation on some beach to escape the dark and snowy days of winter, embrace the beauty of nature and spend your winter vacations at Yellowstone National Park. A Winter in Yellowstone is a unique time to see, experience and explore the National Park, where you can easily see wildlife, from Wolfs to Bisson and enjoy the true western USA and the great outdoors on a guided snowshoe tour.
Are you still not convinced about visiting Yellowstone in winter? Here are some great reasons to start planning your winter vacation in Yellowstone.
- Experience Yellowstone National Park without the crowds.
In winter, with only two hotels open and park-access primarily by guided over snow transportation, experiencing Yellowstone’s canyons, woods, wildlife, and hydrothermal forces can be a much more intimate experience. During the winter at Yellowstone, you can truly escape from it all and enjoy peace. Yellowstone is a quiet haven where you can relax and renew body and spirit. Give your smartphone and laptop a rest and spend some time reconnecting with nature and the great outdoors instead.
- See the geysers against the snow.
The contrast of the grayish-white steam of the geysers against the snow and the stunningly blue skies creates a heightened sense of the Earth’s powerful forces. In winter when Old Faithful, the geyser that regularly shoots sprays of water more than 100 feet in the air, erupts, the near-boiling water hits the chilly air forming “geyser rain.” Watch as these tiny icy crystals and flakes fall to the ground.
- Spot animals easily.
Against the snowy background, the elk, bison, wolves, and other animals become relatively easy to spot and you can also see their tracks in the snow.
In winter, huge balls of snow dangle from the bison’s’ beards and, especially in geyser basins, they get a frosty covering. That, combined with the beasts’ breath hanging in the frigid air like fire, make the formidable animals look even more impressive. Do a wolf watching expedition.
Outdoor activity options are endless. If you enjoy an active vacation, you’re in luck. Yellowstone offers miles of trails that lead past frosty woods, steaming hot springs and snow-covered meadows. You won’t soon forget gliding within sight of a bison herd or striding near elk tracks. Explore a trail on snowshoes, such as the Lone Star Geyser trail that starts at Old Faithful Snow Lodge and is a total of nine miles roundtrip. You can learn about the wildlife and the winter ecology on guided snowshoe tours.
So how do our visitors get around during the winter months? By snowcoach, of course! Equipped with tracks, sometimes with front skis or four oversized low-pressure tires, the snowcoach moves on top of the snow and offers passengers great views of park scenery with guided touring of Yellowstone. See Old Faithful and the park’s Grand Canyon in the comfort of a snowcoach. From the third week of December through the end of February, most park roads close and snowcoaches and snowmobiles provide much of the transportation. One of the most unique things about Yellowstone in the winter is that travel within the park is very limited, most roads are groomed for over-snow vehicles only.
- Do a winter photo safari.
The contrasts of clear blue skies, snow-blanketed fields, steamy geysers, and woolly animals make for memorable images. Shoot these striking scenes on your own or go on a guide-led photo safari to learn tips that improve your technique. The travertine terraces formed by the hot springs bubbling through the limestone look like frozen waterfalls year-round. With fewer visitors, take your time admiring the formations then ice skate on Mammoth’s rink.
Ready to start planning your small, group, guided Yellowstone winter vacation? Explore the many ways you can experience winter in wonderland and consider booking a tour with Active Travel West USA. There are so many things to do in Yellowstone in winter so book a tour!
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