Yellowstone Insider Your Complete Guide to America's First National Park
The application period for non-commercial snowmobile trip permits in Yellowstone National Park begins Tuesday, September 1.
Between then and September 30, permits will be sent out through a Recreation.gov lottery; recipients of permits will be notified mid-October. After the lottery concludes, left-over and/or cancelled permits will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis through the same lottery portal beginning in November and going through Yellowstone’s winter season.
Permits run $40 per day applied, including a $6 application fee. Using the permits, Yellowstone visitors during the wintertime may engage in snowmobile trips upwards of three days in length. Permit holders must be at least 18-years-old by the end of the first day and are considered under law as non-commercial guides. All snowmobile operators must be at least 16-years-old, have a state-issued driver’s license and must complete the free Yellowstone Snowmobile Education Certification course.
In addition, permit-holders must check-in at least 48 hours ahead of their scheduled trip at their Park entrance. Rangers will certify they meet permit and equipment standards and provide a brief orientation. Check-ins must be scheduled in advance. Visitors are permitted to snowmobile between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Visitors are allowed to book two snowmobile trips per season. If you decide to cancel your trip, you can use the Recreation portal or call 1-877-444-6777; if you cancel at least a week in advance, you will be refunded your permit fee—the application fee is nonrefundable.
This program was authorized under the final 2013 Winter Use Rule, which allows four non-commercial snowmobile groups to enter the Park per day, one from each winter entrance. Up to five snowmobiles are permitted in each group and each snowmobile must meet Yellowstone’s New Best Available Technology standard. New BAT snowmobiles are available to rent from local vendors.
This program for snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park was developed with significant input from the State of Wyoming (especially the Governor’s Office) and the State Trails Program.
