It's last call to visit Yellowstone National Park in 2023.
This week, the National Park Service announced that the West, South and East entrances and nearly all roads in Yellowstone National Park will be closed to regular vehicle traffic starting on Wednesday, November 1.
This is nothing new. The park closes roads annually around this time of year to prepare them for the winter season. Snowmobile and snowcoach travel will begin on December 15.
There are, however, a few ways to still drive into Yellowstone. Year-round roads at the North Entrance in Gardiner, Montana, and the Northeast Entrance in Cooke City/Silver Gate, Montana (via Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower Junction and Lamar Valley) will stay open, if weather permits. Yellowstone's famous geysers erupt throughout the year, and the NPS posts predicted times almost daily. If you visit in the colder season, you may get a closer view of this incredible natural phenomenon, and perhaps the bonus of a beautiful snow-covered backdrop.
However, as of October 25, travel to Yellowstone is not currently advised due to hazardous conditions created by a winter storm in Northwestern Wyoming.
And while the off-season can be a beneficial time to visit due to fewer crowds, if you want to play it safe with the weather, you may want to wait and book until the official spring/summer season. A full list of operating dates for the 2024 season has yet to be announced but plan ahead to book early for lodging, which typically opens in May.