Dan Egan
Post Register
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK - Unlike its bears, Yellowstone doesn't go to sleep in the winter. Even in the midst of the nastiest winters in the continental U.S., the geysers blow, the mud pots glirp, the hot springs steam and the deer, elk, antelope, wolves and bison still roam. And, of course, the tourists flock, but not like in the summers, when millions of visitors choke the roadways and hiking trails.
Winter visitation between December and March runs around 150,000., and many find a sublime experience in the nation's oldest park when the crowds fade and the snow flies. "It really is kind of a winter wonderland," said Yellowstone spokeswoman Cheryl Mat-thews. "During winter it is an entirely unique area."
The west entrance to Yellowstone opens when there is 12 to 14 inches of snow fall. "Our season doesn't really hit until Christmas," said Tim Whitman, owner of Back Country Adventures Inc. and Snowmobile Rentals in West Yellowstone. "That's when it really takes off."
The park is also Nordic skier's paradise, with plenty of mapped trails for everyone from the beginner to expert skier. Snowshoes are another popular pastime, and both are a good way to get a distant glimpse of the herds of elk and bison weathering in the winter. Binoculars are recommended.
"One of the advantages to seeing the world's oldest park in the winter is that much of the wildlife comes down from the higher elevations, said Yellowstone spokeswoman Cheryl Matthews." She added that the 1.2 million-acre park's world-famous thermal features, there are 10,000 of them, are undaunted by the subzero temperatures, and often appear even more dramatic against the winter alpine landscape.
During winter months there are approximately 200 miles of roadside turned-snowmobile trails in Yellowstone. The only roads open to automobiles are the one between Mammoth headquarters and Gardiner, Mont., and the one between Mammoth and Cooke City, Mont.
To see the rest of the park, you need to either strap on a pair of skis or snowshoes or fire up a snowmachine. Snowmobiles can be rented from all the park's gateway communities, including West Yellowstone. Costs run roughly from $75 and $125, depending on the style and speed of the machine.
The Mammoth Lodge and dining room opens for the winter Dec. 20. Rooms start at $47.50. The Lodge is open until March 2. The Snow Lodge and cabins at Old Faithful open Friday. Cost for the Snow Lodge is the same as Mammoth Lodge. Cabins start at $68.90. Once the west entrance opens, individuals can take a snowcoach into Old Faithful from West Yellowstone. Roundtrips cost $63.
The park is also well serviced by the communities of Gardiner and West Yellowstone. In each of those towns visitors can get all the winter essentials.
For more information, contact Yellowstone National Park Headquarters, (307) 344-7381 or TW Services, (307) 344-7311.