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Yellowstone National Park

National Parks Traveler Checklist: Yellowstone In Winter

Visiting Yellowstone National Park in winter is a wondrous experience with far fewer crowds and plenty to see and do. Snow and cold temperatures really change the character of this national park to reveal a different side of Yellowstone’s multifaceted personality. If you are considering a winter trip to this national park, then this checklist should help you with those plans.

Looking West Along The Madison River, Yellowstone National Park

"The Firehole River starts south of Old Faithful, runs through the Upper Geyser Basin northward to join the Gibbon River and form the Madison River. The Madison joins the Jefferson and the Gallatin rivers at Three Forks, Montana, to form the Missouri River." There's a bridge over the river, just prior to the turnoff to the Madison Information parking area, where you can watch the flow of the Madison River as it lazily makes it's way West. Look toward your right and you might even see a herd of buffalo grazing and lounging in the tall grass. 

Rebecca Latson
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A Telephoto View Of Yellowstone Lake Landscape On A Frosty Autumn Day, Yellowstone National Park

"Situated at 7,733 feet (2,357 m) above sea level, Yellowstone Lake is the largest high elevation lake (above 7,000 feet / 2,134 m) in North America. It is roughly 20 miles (32.2 km) long and 14 miles (22.5 km) wide, with 141 miles (227 km) of shoreline and a surface area of 132 square miles (342 km2). Yellowstone Lake freezes over completely every winter in late December or early January, with ice thicknesses varying from a few inches to more than two feet. The lake usually thaws in late May or early June.

Rebecca Latson
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Grand Prismatic Spring On A Cold Autumn Morning, Midway Basin, Yellowstone National Park

According to the National Park Service, "Grand Prismatic Spring, located in Midway Geyser Basin, has the distinction of being the park’s largest hot spring. It measures approximately 370 feet (112.8 m) in diameter and is over 121 feet (37 m) deep. A description of this spring by fur trapper Osborne Russell in 1839 also makes it the earliest described thermal feature in Yellowstone that is definitely identifiable."

Rebecca Latson
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Happy 150th Birthday, Yellowstone!

You don't look a day over 100 (just kidding). "On March 1, 1872, Yellowstone became the first national park for all to enjoy the unique hydrothermal and geologic features. Within Yellowstone's 2.2 million acres, visitors have unparalleled opportunities to observe wildlife in an intact ecosystem, explore geothermal areas that contain about half the world’s active geysers, and view geologic wonders like the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River."

Rebecca Latson
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The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.