Yellowstone is closed to cars and buses during the winter months, and the only way to get to Old Faithful and the geyser basins on Yellowstone’s lower loop is by snowcoach or snowmobile.  The snowcoach is included in the tour price, but the snowmobile is an optional extra charge.

Your snowcoach will take  you from West Yellowstone into the park on a trip which so few will ever take. Yellowstone is deserted in the winters, and you will travel over the snow alongside the Madison River and into the Madison Valley, stopping whenever there is something of interest to be seen. The Madison Valley is one of the parts of Yellowstone where you can expect to find bison and elk, particularly in the winters, as it is lower in elevation, and the winters, while still brutal, do not last quite as long.

In addition, the meandering Madison River spreads its waters out around the lush valley, causing the snow to melt earlier than it would otherwise have done, meaning that there is more vegetation for the animals to eat.

Your snowcoach will come to Madison Junction, where the road meets up with the Grand Loop Road through Yellowstone, and you will turn right, and head towards Yellowstone’s famous geyser basins, following the Firehole River.

Your guide will decide where to stop, depending on conditions that day, but amongst the basins you will pass are the Lower Geyser Basin, the Midway Geyser Basin, Biscuit Basin and Black Sand Basin.  The tour will definitely stop at Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin, and you’ll have time to watch Old Faithful erupt, and see other geysers and hot springs there. Old Faithful is the world’s most reliable major geyser and the contrast between the shooting waters and the blue sky on a sunny day, set off against the white snow, always makes for a great picture!

Amongst the animals you can expect to see are bison and elk, with the possibility of viewing coyote, fox, bald eagles and others. As your guide will explain, winters are a very tough time for animals, and this is one of the main reasons that access to Yellowstone is restricted in the winters.

After exploring the Upper Geyser Basin you will retrace your steps through the various geyser basins, out of Yellowstone and back to West Yellowstone.

Take a virtual Yellowstone tour!