March 2019: Yellowstone in Winter: A Different World

Childhood Memories of Yellowstone

When I was a kid, I visited Yellowstone with my family a few times. Back then, it felt like the most exotic destination I had ever been to, and I never noticed any crowds. The park seemed endless—full of mountains, forests, and steaming geothermal features that left me in awe.

The Summer Crowds Today

Fast forward to now, and Yellowstone has become one of the most visited national parks in America. In summer, millions of tourists pour in, clogging the narrow park roads with traffic jams. What once felt wild and remote can now feel overwhelming and congested.

The Magic of Winter

Winter, however, transforms Yellowstone. With most of the park’s roads buried in snow and inaccessible except by snowmobile, the chaos disappears. Only a small northern section—Mammoth Hot Springs and the Lamar Valley—remains open to vehicles. Those who venture in are rewarded with steaming terraces, quiet landscapes, and herds of elk, bison, and bighorn sheep roaming almost undisturbed.

Montana Winter Roads

A Winter Escape to Montana

Flying Into Big Sky Country

For a long weekend, my friend Sterling and I flew into Bozeman to stay with my brother, who lived and worked in Big Sky. The plan was simple—ski one day, then head into Yellowstone the next.

Skiing Big Sky

We spent a day on the mountain, carving through powder and taking in the vast views that make Big Sky live up to its name. The slopes felt both rugged and wide open, a perfect warm-up for the adventure to come.

Road to Yellowstone

The next day we drove toward Yellowstone. The road itself was part of the experience—snow-dusted mountains, sweeping valleys, and wildlife scattered along the way.

Small Town Stops

We pulled into tiny Montana towns, grabbing meals in hole-in-the-wall bars where hunting trophies lined the walls and ranchers nursed beers after long days of work.

A Stark Reminder of Ranch Country

Hunting and ranching are a way of life here, and not all of it is pretty. At one point we passed a pickup truck piled with mutilated bison parts, a jarring reminder of how this land and its wildlife are still deeply tied to human use and survival.

Big Male Bighorn Sheep off the side of the road near my brother’s house

Truck with full of mutilated buffalo

Entering Yellowstone

The Historic Roosevelt Arch

It was amazing to enter the park through the iconic Roosevelt Arch, built in 1903 as a ceremonial gateway into Yellowstone.

A Presidential Connection

The arch was named after President Theodore Roosevelt, who happened to be visiting the park during its construction. By chance, he gave a speech from the very arch that would later bear his name, cementing its place in the park’s history.

Roosevelt Arch Entrance Gate in North

A Hidden Winter Oasis

Hiking to the River

One of our favorite moments in Yellowstone was the short hike that led us to a quiet stretch of river. Snow crunched under our boots, the air was sharp and cold, but we could hear the rush of water ahead.

Nature’s Hot Tub

At the river’s edge, steaming hot spring water poured directly into the current, warming a natural pool. Even in the dead of winter, we could slip in and soak, surrounded by ice and snow. It felt surreal—like Yellowstone itself was sharing a secret only a few travelers ever get to experience.