What You Need to Know for Visiting Yellowstone in January

Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Yellowstone in January: services available, roads open, things to do, what to pack, and where to stay.

Use this Yellowstone National Park travel guide to decide if January is a time to want to visit this stunning park!

In January you’ll find the Yellowstone landscape covered with snow. The steam from the hot pools and geysers is more pronounced in the cold air. And the wildlife stands out against the white snow.

Check out these Yellowstone National Park winter pictures to inspire you to plan a trip during this time of year!

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Yellowstone Winter Packing List

READ all about packing for a winter vacation in Yellowstone!

• Insulted boots – Baffin winter boots are amazing!!
• Darn Tough heavy wool socks 
• Wicking and quick-drying base layers
• Columbia fleece jackets are our favorite!
• Insulated winter jacket – to layer atop the fleece jacket for the cold mornings and evenings, trust us!
• Winter hat 
• Winter gloves 
• Rechargeable hand warmers
• Fleece neck gaiter 

Visiting Yellowstone in January

The top reason we enjoy visiting in January is the unique experience you can’t get anywhere else! Yellowstone is a destination like no other, and in the winter it’s even more so with steaming geysers amid a snowy landscape.

And with limited ways to enter the park, you can enjoy the quiet and serenity during a Yellowstone winter vacation.

Yellowstone Roads in January

In January all roads except from the north entrance in Gardiner to the northeast entrance in Cooke City are closed. Be sure to read the fall and winter Yellowstone road closure dates for the most updated year-to-year information.

You can access the park from West Yellowstone and the south entrance near Grand Teton by snow coach tours, snowshoeing, cross country skiing or snowmobile tours.

Yellowstone Services in January

Mammoth Hot Springs to the Northeast Entrance is the only part of the park open to wheeled vehicles in the winter. The road is open up to Cooke City, Montana, after which the road is closed (no through-traffic to Red Lodge, Montana or Cody, Wyoming). Services are very limited between Mammoth Hot Springs and Cooke City, Montana.

Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower-Roosevelt areas:

• Albright Visitor Center
• General Store
• Mammoth Campground
• Mammoth Clinic
• Post Office
• Mammoth and Tower-Roosevelt Service Stations – credit card fueling only 24-hours

Old Faithful area:

• Old Faithful Snow Lodge
• Old Faithful Visitor Education Center
• Old Faithful and Grant Service Stations – credit card fueling only 24-hours

Canyon Area:

• Canyon Yurt Camp
• Canyon and Fishing Bridge Service Stations – credit card fueling only 24-hours

Warming Huts available in the winter:

• Canyon Visitor Education Center Lobby
• Fishing Bridge
• Indian Creek
• Madison
• Mammoth Hot Springs
• Old Faithful Yurts
• West Thumb

Always check the Yellowstone operating hours and seasons for the most updated information.

Yellowstone Weather in January

The Yellowstone National Park weather in January is cold and snowy. Average temperatures range from highs in the upper 20s and lows close to 0.

Layers are key when exploring the park in the winter. Reference our winter clothing guide so you can enjoy the outdoors, even when it’s cold!

We recommend at the minimum:

• fleece jacket
• insulated jacket
• winter hat
• winter gloves

Best Time to Visit Yellowstone

Check out our guide for finding the best time to visit Yellowstone National Park. Each season and month of the year will have different activities and services available.

Things to Do at Yellowstone National Park in January

There are quite a few things to do at Yellowstone National Park in January.

Winter in Yellowstone means fewer crowds, VERY COLD temperatures, and stunning winter landscape scenes with steaming geyser basins.

We highly recommend booking a Yellowstone National Park Winter Tour!

Drive the North Entrance Road in January

If you’re close to the north entrance, be sure to drive the one open road from Gardiner to Cooke City, it’s a fun day trip.

As you drive through Lamar Valley, look for bison and elk… and if you’re lucky, you’ll see wolves, fox or moose!

The Albright Visitor Center in Mammoth remains open year-round and is a great resource for information about the park. There’s also a museum in the lower level of the Visitor Center, and rangers are available to answer any questions about closures that you may have.

Yellowstone Hiking in January

Be aware there will be a lot of snow in January so you’ll need more than your hiking boots. Showshoeing and cross country skiing are the best ways to experience the trails at Yellowstone in the winter.

• Canyon Area day hikes
• Mammoth Hot Springs day hikes
• Old Faithful Area Day Hikes in Yellowstone
• Lamar Valley

You can check the Yellowstone Backcountry Situation Report for all pertinent information about the backcountry.

Yellowstone Waterfalls in January

We love to visit and take pictures of all the Yellowstone waterfalls. In January, there are 3 waterfalls you can access along on the northern road:

• Undine Falls
• Wraith Falls
• Lost Falls

There are a few waterfalls you can see on snowcoach tours:

• Firehole Falls
• Gibbon Falls
• Lower Falls

Yellowstone Geysers and Hot Pools in January

The geysers and hot pools are fantastic to see and photograph in January. It’s fun to see the steam rising from the hot pools and geysers and the snowy blanket of white surrounding these hot spots. Also be sure to look for the hoarfrost on the trees.

The Yellowstone snowcoach guides are so knowledgeable to explain all about what you see when you visit Yellowstone in the winter!

Yellowstone Wildlife in January

Since the park is covered with a blanket of white snow, it’s easier to see the bison, elk, foxes, coyotes, and wolves. The birds you’ll see in January are mountain and black-capped chickadee, red-breasted nuthatch, Townsend’s solitaire, gray jay, and Clark’s nutcracker.

If you’ll be driving along the northern road from Gardiner to Cooke City, remember the parameters to keep you and the animals safe!

• Never approach animals. The animals in Yellowstone are wild and unpredictable, no matter how calm they appear to be.

• The safest (and often best) view of wildlife is from inside a car. Always stay at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards (23 m) away from all other animals, including bison and elk.

• Never feed wildlife. Animals that become dependent on human food may become aggressive toward people and have to be killed. Keep all food, garbage, or other smelly items packed away when not in use.

• Never park in the road or block traffic. Use pullouts to watch wildlife and let other cars pass. Stay with your vehicle if you encounter a wildlife jam.

Check out our resource for the best time to visit Yellowstone for wildlife and what animals you’ll see during every month of the year!

Photography in January at Yellowstone

Our number one photo tip is: be prepared for anything so you can capture the moment when it happens.

In January the weather can change from day to day. There may be sun, snow, clouds, fog, and frost that will create mood. Also look for reflections when taking pictures of Yellowstone.

And we always have our camera ready to go because the wildlife you may see won’t wait for you to find the camera in your car.

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