The National Park Service says the road between the North Entrance and Northeast Entrance is generally the only park road open year-round to ordinary vehicles. Most other park roads close to wheeled traffic and reopen for limited snowcoach and snowmobile travel during the winter season.
2026–27 oversnow dates
NPS currently lists oversnow travel beginning December 15, 2026. Route-specific closing dates run from March 7 through March 15, 2027, with the West, South and East entrances and remaining groomed roads listed through March 15. Dates are subject to weather and operational change.
Decide how you are entering the park before booking the rest
North to Northeast corridor
The Mammoth-to-Cooke City corridor is the primary year-round road for normal vehicles, weather permitting. It creates a very different winter trip than Old Faithful.
Snowcoach
Commercial snowcoach travel is one of the primary ways visitors reach interior winter destinations when groomed oversnow routes are open.
Snowmobile
Most winter snowmobile access is commercially guided, with a limited non-commercially guided permit program administered separately.
Old Faithful requires a transportation plan
In summer, travelers often think in terms of entrances and driving loops. In winter, interior destinations such as Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone usually require oversnow transportation. Book the access method and overnight strategy together rather than treating transportation as an afterthought.
South and East Entrance plans need extra road awareness
The South Entrance connects naturally with Jackson and Teton Country when oversnow operations are active. The East Entrance connects toward Cody. Both approaches can involve serious winter driving outside the park, so current WYDOT information belongs in the same planning session as the NPS road page.
A quieter park with a smaller operating footprint
Snow-covered geyser basins, wildlife adapted to winter and fewer visitors create a dramatically different park experience. The tradeoff is reduced access, fewer open facilities, shorter daylight and a much greater need to confirm conditions.