Yellowstone Insider Your Complete Guide to America's First National Park
We have three pieces of news worth noting in terms of Yellowstone travel options for both winter and summer journeys.
First, Xanterra has launched a daily shuttle between Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport for visitors wanting to see Yellowstone National Park in all its winter glory. The shuttle operates daily through March 3, leaving Mammoth at 9:15 a.m., arriving at the airport at 11:15 a.m., and departing for the park at 1:45 p.m. It costs $51.50 plus fees, per person each way. Guests who book Xanterra packages pay $39 plus fees.
There’s a lot of appeal in avoiding a rental car in Yellowstone during a winter visit, especially if you’re planning a visit to Old Faithful Snow Lodge, as cars are not allowed within the Park past the road between Gardiner and Cooke City, Mont. This means leaving a car for several days in the cold either in West Yellowstone or Mammoth Hot Springs, depending on what snowcoach route you take.
The shuttle, offered by Yellowstone National Park Lodges/Xanterra Parks & Resorts, operates daily through March 3, leaving Mammoth at 9:15 a.m., arriving at the airport at 11:15 a.m., and departing for the park at 1:45 p.m. It costs $51.50 plus fees, per person each way. Guests who book Xanterra packages pay $39 plus fees. Besides Xanterra, the Yellowstone Association runs day tours and other excursions out of Mammoth Hot Springs.
Meanwhile, summer travel just got a little easier, as United Airlines added nonstop service to gateway cities Bozeman and Cody from Houston and Chicago, respectively. United Airlines will operate nonstops twice weekly on Saturdays and Sundays from between George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport. These flights will depart Houston at 10:10 a.m. and arrive in Bozeman at 12:38 p.m., depart Bozeman at 1:15 p.m. and arrive in Houston at 5:36 p.m.
The service between O’Hare and Cody’s Yellowstone Regional Airport will runs weekends as well, departing O’Hare on Saturday evenings at 6 p.m. and arriving in Cody at 7:57 p.m. The return flight will depart Cody on Sunday mornings at 8 a.m. and arrive Chicago O’Hare at 11:42 a.m.
In both instances the new flights will run between June 28, 2014 through August 17, 2014 and be available for sale on united.com February 1, 2014.
