See that yellow bump in the winter for Yellowstone? You can access a fair bit of Yellowstone in the winter and I highly recommend it!
If you've ever been there in the summer the experience is much different. Instead of lines of cars and crowds of tourists you almost have the place to yourself. Drive to the base and they will take you on a snow cat up to the lodge. From there, you can cross country ski, take snow cat tours or just walk around and experience amazing things surrounded by quiet nature - snow-caked bison, wolves, foxes hunting mice in snow.
My wife and I were by ourselves waiting for Ol' Faithful to blow when a coyote walked by us heading toward the hills, passing no more than 20 feet away. It's not for everyone, but if you want to do something awesome and skip the crowds, it's a great experience!
I would add the caveat that you stay off any slope greater than 25-degrees or below the runout of any slope greater than 25-degrees or below slopes where the ridgeline has cornices unless you've got at least AIARE 1 training.
If you don't know how to measure slope angle, you probably shouldn't be on anything other than the gentlest of slopes.
Lottery applications for non-commercially guided snowmobile permits begin today and run through August. Winners are awarded in mid-September. Four permits per day.
Though most of the park is only accessible by snow cat or skis in winter, the fifty miles of road between the North Entrance at Gardiner and the Northeast Entrance at Silver Gate is maintained. Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower-Roosevelt, and the Lamar Valley are accessible by car (depending the weather).
Was in the area (roughly) and had a rented car. Just drove out there for an afternoon in February and it was magic.
Saw a pack of wolves harrassing a handful of elk (and heard a howl! It's a totally different experience than hearing it in a movie), got stuck in a bison traffic jam (repeatedly).
It was just astoundingly beautiful. Not even more bison than people, more wolves than people. I hear I got lucky seeing them though.
I'm sure if you cross country ski, ride the snow cat, stay at the lodge it's fantastic but if you ever show up in Montana definitely just go regardless.
If you've ever been there in the summer the experience is much different. Instead of lines of cars and crowds of tourists you almost have the place to yourself. Drive to the base and they will take you on a snow cat up to the lodge. From there, you can cross country ski, take snow cat tours or just walk around and experience amazing things surrounded by quiet nature - snow-caked bison, wolves, foxes hunting mice in snow.
My wife and I were by ourselves waiting for Ol' Faithful to blow when a coyote walked by us heading toward the hills, passing no more than 20 feet away. It's not for everyone, but if you want to do something awesome and skip the crowds, it's a great experience!