Safety Straps, Snowshoes, and Studded Tires: Tour Yellowstone in Winter in Comfort and Style
“Brrrr! But isn’t it cold visiting Yellowstone National Park during winter?”
While outdoor temperatures certainly drop in the world’s first national park during December through early March, rest assured we at Yellowstone Wild Tours are prepared and well equipped to help you enjoy frost-covered wildlife and snowy landscapes in comfort and style while on tour with us here at the North Entrance and Northern Range of Yellowstone National Park.
Comfortable Tour Vehicles
Depending on the size of your group during your private tour, we can choose between two types of tour vehicles to help you best access the majesty and wonder of Yellowstone in winter. Our GMC Yukon XL four door SUVs are the perfect fit for groups ranging from one to six participants, while our Ford Transit vans comfortably fit up to 10 passengers. All our tour vehicles provide ample room for guests, gear, and all the equipment we provide to maximize your chances of viewing the animals and wide-open vistas, including Lamar Valley, dubbed the “Serengeti of North America, that make this region of Yellowstone world famous.
Studded Snow Tires and Safety Equipment
Your safety and comfort are our top priorities while you are on tour with us—and that includes all times of year including winter. At the conclusion of our summer season, we service all our vehicles and mount them with studded snow tires to help your guide safely navigate icy and snowy road conditions. We also include shovels, first-aid kits, and tow straps to help your guide address challenges in the field. A strong communication network between guides, managers, and services provided by the National Park Service ensure you are never far from help should unexpected circumstances arise while you are out on tour enjoying nature at its cold season finest.
Warm and Cold Beverages
Staying hydrated is important while you are exploring our high-elevation environment, so we are committed to providing options throughout your day for you to take in water according to your preference. When you meet your guide in the morning you will be offered hot water for coffee, hot chocolate, spiced apple cider, and an assortment of herbal teas. If you prefer something a little different as the day warms up, we provide an insulated cooler filled with drinking water and a variety of flavored sparkling waters. Please remember to bring a refillable water bottle—and a thermos, if you have room in your suitcase—to help us minimize waste. We always have plenty of compostable cups on hand if you forget or if you don’t have room in your luggage while you’re traveling.
Toe Warmers and Footwear
All our vehicles contain hand and toe warmers for you to tuck into your gloves and boots in the morning to help keep you comfortable during those early daytime temperatures when you are out watching wildlife. Though we ask our guests to come prepared with their own well fitting, insulated snow boots, we supply snowshoes for off-the-beaten-track outings and walking cleats to provide traction during icy conditions. New to snowshoes and walking cleats? Do not worry! Our guides can explain to you how to properly put them on so you can enjoy confident exploration of the park’s undeveloped, high-country terrain and steamy travertine hot spring basins. As an added bonus, our foam pads help insulate your feet from the cold ground when you are standing still and enjoying wildlife.
Guests are provided access to spotting scopes and binoculars on tour.
High-Quality Binoculars and Spotting Scopes
Viewing wild animals in Yellowstone often includes looking closely through high-powered optics including binoculars and spotting scopes. All our vehicles include top-of-the-line optics for you and your group to use (or learn to use) while out on tour. Digiscope adaptors allow our guides and guests to record sightings on smartphones for you to enjoy back at home after your tour and to show to friends and family who weren’t with you. If you are traveling with small children, we recommend considering “kid-friendly” versions of this technology that won’t get broken if young travelers accidentally drop or knock over their version of the equipment. Learn from our pros how to witness animals behaving naturally and without human interruption in the environment. Every day in Yellowstone something absolutely amazing is happening. It’s our commitment as guides and as a company to help you find it!
While every season in Yellowstone is special, winter showcases the trials and tribulations—as well as the successes and adaptations—that define the wild nature of this majestic ecosystem and its wildlife. Consider booking a tour with us, be it a one-day adventure or multi-day journey with likeminded individuals, and allow us to help you “Engage Your Curiosity” and discover your wild Yellowstone. Information on our winter tour options can be found on our website here. We also provide a detailed packing list for a winter outing with us on our “Frequently Asked Questions” web page here.
To learn more about Chelsea and the rest of the Yellowstone Wild team visit our “About Us” web page.