Yellowstone National Park Tours & Vacations

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Learn more about Intrepid’s COVID-19 policy

Most of Yellowstone is located in northwestern Wyoming, but some areas of the park also spread across southern Montana and eastern Idaho. 

You can get to Yellowstone by flying into one of the nearby airports, driving or taking a bus. The closest airports are Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (north entrance), Yellowstone Regional Airport (east entrance), and Jackson Hole Airport (south entrance). It’s also possible to fly into other nearby airports like Chicago, Salt Lake City, Utah or Denver where you can then rent a car.

If you're driving, you can access Yellowstone via one of five entry points. It takes 4.5 hours to drive from Salt Lake City, 1.5 hours from Idaho Falls, 1.5 hours from Jackson and 1.5 hours from Bozeman. It’s possible to catch a bus from Bozeman in Montana to West Yellowstone all year, and you can also go directly from Idaho to West Yellowstone via bus during the summer months. There is no direct train into Yellowstone, but you could catch a train to southeast Idaho, Salt Lake City, Utah and Northern Montana and go from there.

There is no public transport within Yellowstone, so you will need a car to get around. Most roads are closed to vehicles during the winter months due to heavy snowfall, excluding the road to Mammoth Hot Springs, which is maintained for winter travel. There are five entrance points that loop around the park’s main landmarks and it can take hours to drive between them. Always check road and park conditions before you set off. 

The best time of year to visit Yellowstone is spring through to early fall as the weather is mild and perfect for hiking. There are also fewer road closures. There is limited access to the park during winter due to weather conditions, but the cooler months can be a great time to see wildlife in the Lamar Valley.

Read more about the weather in Yellowstone

The weather in Yellowstone can change quickly (in all four seasons) so depending on the time of year you visit, you'll definitely want to pack waterproof layers, a sun hat or warm hat, and good, comfortable footwear. 

Read more about what to pack for Yellowstone

Yellowstone is a wildlife lover’s paradise with an abundance of small animals and large predators. Some of the animals you might get to see include:

• Bison  

• Elk  

• Moose  

• Deer (mule deer, pronghorn deer, white-tailed deer)  

• Bighorn sheep  

• Mountain goats   

• Black bears  

• Grizzly bears   

• Canada lynx  

• Coyote  

• Wolves   

• River otters 

Intrepid is committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. That’s why we do our best to help as many people see the world as possible, regardless of any physical or mental limitations they might have. The National Park Service is assessing Yellowstone and removing barriers to accessibility. They have a free app that has up-to-date information for park facilities and trails and accessibility features for your device. However, we’re always happy to talk to travelers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them towards the most suitable itinerary for their needs and where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries. 

Learn more about Accessible Travel with Intrepid