Winter
Powder days, Nordic trails, sleigh bells and steaming hot springs.
Photo: Dennis Matheson · CC BY-SA 2.5
Snow transforms the valley: two very different ski mountains within about an hour, groomed Nordic trails, frozen waterfalls, sled dogs, sleigh-ride dinners—and a warm soak to finish.
Hours, dates and seasons change—please check current schedules with each business or event before you go.
Top winter tours: check dates & book
November in Yellowstone: only the north road (Gardiner – Mammoth – Lamar – Cooke City) is open to cars. North-road tours such as the VIP North Yellowstone Winter Excursion run then.
A private 4WD day through the North Entrance: wildlife, Mammoth Hot Springs and the northern range. Runs November to April, Tuesday to Thursday.
Good for: Wildlife
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Check availabilityA private winter day in Yellowstone on snowshoes with a naturalist guide, looking for wildlife in the snow.
Good for: Wildlife
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Check availabilityA small-group winter wildlife day in Yellowstone with a guide, including Mammoth Hot Springs.
Good for: Wildlife
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Check availabilityA guided winter day in the park’s Northern Range: Lamar Valley, Mammoth Hot Springs and wildlife with spotting scopes.
Good for: Wildlife
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Check availabilityLook for wolves, bison and elk in the snow with a naturalist guide and spotting scopes.
Good for: Wildlife
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Check availabilityA private day in Lamar Valley looking for wolves with a naturalist guide, scopes, lunch and hot drinks.
Good for: Wildlife
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Check availabilityMammoth Hot Springs, Lamar Valley and Calcite Springs with a master naturalist; picnic lunch and snowshoes included.
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Check availabilityCompare Old Faithful tours. In winter the geyser basins are reached only by guided snowcoach or snowmobile.
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See toursSkip the rental-shop line: skis, poles and boots fitted in your room, with slope-side service.
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Reserve ski rentalAffiliate links: if you book through Viator or GetYourGuide we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Affiliate link: if you rent through GetRentacar we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Plan it: Things to do in Big Sky · Big Sky ski rentals
Nonprofit since 1955. 2,000 acres, 2,700 ft vertical, top 8,800 ft, ~300 in. average snowfall, 75+ trails, 11 lifts (1 quad, 6 triples, 1 double, 3 surface). Lifts 9am–4pm. Projected Dec 11, 2026 – Apr 11, 2027.
5,850 skiable acres, 4,350 vertical feet, Lone Peak summit 11,166 ft, 40 lifts incl. Lone Peak Tram, 2 gondolas, ~400 in. snowfall, 320 named runs, 6 terrain parks. Opening day Nov 25, 2026; open daily through Apr 11, 2027, plus bonus weekends Apr 16–18 and 23–25 (conditions permitting).
Book ski rentals & Big Sky winter activities
Skip the rental-shop line: skis, poles and boots fitted in your room, with slope-side service.
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Reserve ski rentalSnowboard and boots delivered and fitted at your lodging, then picked up at the end of your stay.
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Reserve snowboard rentalWinter tours and activities around Big Sky.
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See toursRafting, Yellowstone trips and mountain activities around Big Sky and the Gallatin Canyon.
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See toursAffiliate links: if you book through Viator or GetYourGuide we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Book a guided snowshoe or cross-country ski tour
A private winter day in Yellowstone on snowshoes with a naturalist guide, looking for wildlife in the snow.
Good for: Wildlife
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Check availabilityA private guided snowshoe or cross-country ski outing in the park’s northern range, gear included.
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Check availabilityMammoth Hot Springs, Lamar Valley and Calcite Springs with a master naturalist; picnic lunch and snowshoes included.
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Check availabilityAffiliate links: if you book through Viator or GetYourGuide we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
16621 Bridger Canyon Rd, Bozeman, MT 59715
Nonprofit; 45 km of groomed trails through 500 forested acres, 17 miles up Bridger Canyon Rd; classic & skate skiing, biathlon, snowshoeing, fatbiking; rentals and lessons.
Over 35 km of gently rolling, groomed cross-country ski trails through lodgepole pine and meadows, managed by the Forest Service, the Chamber and the West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation. Regular season typically December 1 – March 31; a day pass is required. Also open to snowshoers.
Plan it: Yellowstone winter tours guide · West Yellowstone snowmobile tours · Snowcoach tours · Old Faithful in winter · Winter tours from Bozeman
Book winter Yellowstone tours
Compare Old Faithful tours. In winter the geyser basins are reached only by guided snowcoach or snowmobile.
See prices & availability
See toursA guided winter day in the park’s Northern Range: Lamar Valley, Mammoth Hot Springs and wildlife with spotting scopes.
Good for: Wildlife
See prices & availability
Check availabilityLook for wolves, bison and elk in the snow with a naturalist guide and spotting scopes.
Good for: Wildlife
See prices & availability
Check availabilityTours from the West Entrance: geyser basins, wildlife and, in winter, over-snow trips.
Good for: Wildlife
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See toursAffiliate links: if you book through Viator or GetYourGuide we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
From mid-December to mid-March most Yellowstone roads are open only to over-snow travel: the only way to reach Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is on a guided snowmobile or snowcoach tour (or the non-commercial permit program). Winter travel hours are 7am–9pm. Local operators such as Yellowstone Vacation Tours run daily tours from West Yellowstone—reserve ahead.
Guided full-day Yellowstone tours (e.g., Old Faithful) and rentals for groomed National Forest trails around West Yellowstone, roughly mid-Dec to mid-March. Snowmobiles in Yellowstone must be on a guided tour or hold a permit.
Plan it: Dog sledding & sleigh rides in Big Sky
Big Sky (Moonlight Basin) & West Yellowstone
Hands-on instruction driving your own team of Alaskan huskies; recommended by Big Sky Resort. Phone 406-682-7994.
Big Sky
'Learn to Mush' ~2-hour adventure, all ages. Phone 406-223-5134.
One of America's top ice-climbing destinations with 250+ routes (WI2 classics like the Mummy Cooler to hard mixed). Most climbs start from the Grotto Falls parking lot; road plowed until March 31 (not sanded—AWD/4WD and winter tires). Guides: Montana Alpine Guides. Bozeman Ice Festival Dec 9–13, 2026 (gear demos open to public in evenings).
Après-ski
End a cold day with a steaming soak at Bozeman Hot Springs, 11–12 minutes from the homes—outdoor pools under the winter sky, plus indoor pools and a sauna.
See Mammoth Hot Springs on a guided tour
Mammoth Hot Springs terraces, Lamar Valley wildlife and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, private for your group.
Good for: Wildlife
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Check availabilityAffiliate links: if you book through Viator or GetYourGuide we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Book a winter wolf-watching safari
A private day in Lamar Valley looking for wolves with a naturalist guide, scopes, lunch and hot drinks.
Good for: Wildlife
See prices & availability
Check availabilityA private winter wildlife safari into Lamar Valley with a guide, optics and lunch.
Good for: Wildlife
See prices & availability
Check availabilityA private 4WD day through the North Entrance: wildlife, Mammoth Hot Springs and the northern range. Runs November to April, Tuesday to Thursday.
Good for: Wildlife
See prices & availability
Check availabilityPrivate wolf and wildlife watching in Yellowstone’s Northern Range with a local guide.
Good for: Wildlife
See prices & availability
Check availabilityCompare guided wolf and wildlife tours to Lamar Valley, the one park road open to cars all winter.
Good for: Wildlife
See prices & availability
See toursAffiliate links: if you book through Viator or GetYourGuide we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
A horse-drawn sleigh ride to the historic North Fork Cabin for a prime-rib dinner with live cowboy music, typically December to April. Reserve directly with the ranch (406-995-4644).
Free city rinks at Bogert, Southside and Beall parks, typically open once temperatures stay below freezing (often after January 1). Indoor public skating is available year-round at Haynes Pavilion and Gallatin Ice.
Guided ice fishing on Hebgen Lake with Madison Adventures; West Yellowstone's Kids 'N' Snow program also runs a March ice-fishing camp.
Crosscut Mountain Sports Center in Bridger Canyon offers snowshoeing alongside its Nordic trails, and West Yellowstone's Rendezvous trails welcome snowshoers too.
Bozeman Hot Springs (12 minutes) and historic Chico Hot Springs in Paradise Valley are both open year-round—there's nothing like a steaming soak after a ski day.
Downtown Bozeman's holiday tradition, typically the first Saturday of December (2026: Dec 5, 4:30–7:30pm): Santa, holiday lights, horse-drawn wagon rides and treats along Main Street.
Gallatin Valley Farmers' Market Holiday Market (Sat Nov 28, 2026, 9am–3pm) and the Saturday Bozeman Winter Farmers' Market all winter at the Fairgrounds.
Guided snowmobile or snowcoach tours to Old Faithful from West Yellowstone, or drive the year-round northern road to Mammoth and the Lamar Valley.
Farmers markets
The Bozeman Winter Farmers' Market runs most Saturday mornings from late September to late May at the fairgrounds—winter greens, meat, cheese, bread, hot breakfast and live music. The Gallatin Valley Holiday Market is the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Market detailsYellowstone day trips, rafting, horseback rides, fly fishing and winter tours, all in one place.
Montana, every day
Rivers, ranches, ski days and Yellowstone moments from across southwest Montana.
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