Visiting Yellowstone National Park in March
Planning a trip to Yellowstone National Park in March is something you’ll never forget, but there are limited services, open roads, and things to do.
Use our Yellowstone National Park travel guide to help you decide if March is the right time for you to enjoy outdoor winter adventures at this park.
In March you’ll find the Yellowstone landscape still 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.
BUT there are definite drawbacks for a trip in March. Here’s a list of the things to do, what to pack, where to stay, weather to expect and services available in March at Yellowstone.
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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 March
A trip to Yellowstone in March is unlike anything you’ve ever done before!
Yellowstone is a bucket list destination for a reason, and in the early spring (still basically winter) it’s even more so with steaming geysers amid a snowy landscape.
Due to the limited ways to enter the park in March, you can enjoy the quiet and serenity at Yellowstone during the winter.
Yellowstone Roads in March
The biggest drawback to visiting Yellowstone in March is that all roads are closed to vehicles except the road going from the north entrance in Gardiner to the northeast entrance in Cooke City.
Be sure to watch the Yellowstone road closure status and check current park conditions.
The roads will close to oversnow travel by snowmobile and snowcoach around these times in March:
- Early March: Mammoth Hot Springs to Norris
- Early March: Norris to Madison and Norris to Canyon Village
- Mid-March: Canyon Village to Fishing Bridge
- Mid-March: All remaining groomed roads close
Yellowstone Weather in March
The Yellowstone National Park weather in March is cold and snowy. March may be the start of spring, but it’s still winter at Yellowstone! Average March temperatures: high 39 and low 10 degrees F
Layers are key when exploring the park in the early spring. Reference our winter clothing guide so you can enjoy the outdoors, even when it’s cold!
You’ll want base layers like thermals, mid layers like fleece, and insulated outer layers:
Yellowstone Services in March
Mammoth Hot Springs to the Northeast Entrance is the only part of the park open to wheeled vehicles year-round. 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.
Best Time to Visit Yellowstone
If winter seems too snowy and cold for you, 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 March
Winter in Yellowstone means fewer crowds, VERY COLD temperatures, and stunning winter landscape scenes with steaming geyser basins.
Here’s a list of fun Yellowstone winter activities to enjoy in March!
We highly recommend booking a Yellowstone National Park winter tour before all the roads close mid-March!
Drive the North Entrance Road in March
The only road open to cars is from the north entrance by Gardiner to just past the northeast entrance at Cooke City. This route is a nice 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.
Yellowstone Hiking in March
There will still be a lot of snow in March so you’ll need more than your hiking boots. Showshoeing and cross country skiing are the best ways to experience the trails at Yellowstone at this time.
There are fun easy hikes in Yellowstone National Park, but access will be limited to most areas of the park. We recommend you explore the Mammoth Hot Springs area day hikes in Yellowstone since that part of the park is open in March.
You can check the Yellowstone Backcountry Situation Report for all pertinent information about the backcountry.
Waterfalls to See in March at Yellowstone
We love to visit and take pictures of all the Yellowstone waterfalls. In March, there are 3 waterfalls you can access along on the northern road:
- Undine Falls
- Wraith Falls – short hike
- Lost Falls – short hike
There are a few waterfalls you can see on snowcoach tours the first part of March:
- Firehole Falls
- Gibbon Falls
- Lower Falls
Yellowstone Geysers in March
The geysers and hot pools are fantastic to see and photograph in March. 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 snowcoach guides are so knowledgeable to tell you all about the park, it’s thermal features and wildlife.
Yellowstone Wildlife in March
In March male bears begin to emerge from their dens in March searching for carcasses. Bison once again return to the Blacktail Ponds area. Sandhill cranes, ducks, robins, swans, geese, red-tailed hawks, bluebirds, and meadowlarks also begin to return to Yellowstone this time of year.
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.
Here are some helpful resources for watching and photographing wildlife in Yellowstone:
- Best time to visit yellowstone for wildlife
- Best cameras for wildlife photography
- Best tripods for wildlife photography
- Best lenses for wildlife photography
Yellowstone Photography in March
Our number one photo tip is: be prepared for anything so you can capture the moment when it happens.
In March 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.
Yellowstone Maps and Guides at Amazon:
Places to Stay at Yellowstone
Places to stay in West Yellowstone
- Holiday Inn, West Yellowstone
- ClubHouse Inn, West Yellowstone
- Kelly Inn, West Yellowstone
- West Yellowstone hotels!
Places to stay in Gardiner
- Yellowstone Gateway Inn, Gardiner – full kitchen and comfy bed, one of our favorite places to stay!
- Park Hotel Yellowstone, Gardiner – charming place to stay and loved by guests!
- Absaroka Lodge, Gardiner – beautiful location with river views!
- Gardiner hotels!
Places to stay in Cooke City or Silver Gate
- Sunny Log Home on the Creek, Silver Gate (VRBO) – the most AMAZING location with an awesome fireplace and comfy bed!
- High Country Motel and Cabins – local owners who love what they do, and make you feel so welcome!
