The reservation booking window accepts reservations for stays up to 13 months in advance*. Specifically, on the 5th of each month, we'll begin accepting reservations for the same entire month of the following year.
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Historic Busiest Time of Day: Between 9-11am, waits can be over an hour long in the summer. Seasonality: Schedule to open to passenger vehicles April 21st, 2023. Closes November 1st, 2023. Distance to Closest Major Park Attraction: Old Faithful is 31.4 miles from West Yellowstone.
When booking, weekdays, especially midweek, are usually less busy than weekends. The busiest months in Yellowstone are July and August. July 2021 was Yellowstone's single busiest month ever with over one million visitors.
Yellowstone National Park can get very crowded during peak season (June, July, and August). The best months to visit Yellowstone are April, September, and October. These “off season” months provide more chances to catch a glimpse of the local wildlife and enjoy thinner crowds.
It can take 7 hours to drive around the Grand Loop RoadTwo days for a quick trip to Yellowstone is feasible; one day for the upper loop and one day for the lower loop. But if you want to take your time and enjoy the beauty around you, planning for the detours you may experience, we suggest allotting four days.
Flights to the nearest major airport — that of Jackson Hole, Wyoming — are typically cheapest between November and March, which is the park's low season. Prices for lodging begin to drop after Labor Day, once the summer crowds have diminished and children are back in school.
West Yellowstone EntranceThe West Entrance is the park's busiest and most popular entrance, and it's also the second-closest to Bozeman International Airport, taking roughly two hours to drive to the West Entrance.
The mornings (dawn until 11 a.m.) and evenings (6 p.m. until dusk) are perfect window times for beating the tour groups and family wagons and securing a spot with an uninterrupted view. If you prefer the morning, all you need is a trusty alarm clock, maybe a strong cup of coffee and an early start to the day.
Can I sleep in my car in Yellowstone? No, but paid campsites will allow you to sleep in your car if you insist. Yellowstone does not allow overnight parking in attraction parking lots, trailheads, or on the roadside. Only visitors who have reserved rooms one of the many lodging options can park their cars overnight.