Updated October 2026
Best Time to Visit Yellowstone National Park
National ParkIdaho, Montana, Wyoming
Best month to visit
September
61°F / 30°F avg high / low
Our recommendation
Visit Yellowstone in September
September offers the lightest crowds of the park's good-weather months. For comparison, July is the most crowded month (~2.6× the average month) and November is the quietest.
- Annual visits
- 4.8M
- 2025
- Busiest month
- Jul
- 2.6× avg
- Quietest month
- Nov
- 0.1× avg
- 10-yr trend
- rising
- +7.5%
How crowded is Yellowstone by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
Yellowstone National Park weather by month →
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 2 Poor | 23°F / 1°F | 9.0 h |
| February | Very quiet | 4 Poor | 26°F / 1°F | 10.2 h |
| March | Very quiet | 7 Poor | 35°F / 8°F | 11.6 h |
| April | Very quiet | 10 Poor | 41°F / 17°F | 13.3 h |
| May | Busy | 49 Fair | 51°F / 26°F | 14.6 h |
| June | Very busy | 39 Poor | 61°F / 33°F | 15.4 h |
| July | Very busy | 42 Poor | 72°F / 39°F | 15.1 h |
| August | Very busy | 45 Fair | 71°F / 37°F | 13.9 h |
| Septemberour pick | Very busy | 37 Poor | 61°F / 30°F | 12.3 h |
| October | Quiet | 49 Fair | 46°F / 22°F | 10.7 h |
| November | Very quiet | 2 Poor | 32°F / 11°F | 9.3 h |
| December | Very quiet | 1 Poor | 23°F / 3°F | 8.6 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USW00094173, ~7.2 mi away).
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About visiting Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park is a National Park in ID, MT, WY and one of the busier parks in the system, drawing about 4.8 million recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has climbed over the past decade, up roughly 7.5%, so crowds are trending heavier each year. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: July is the busiest month at about 2.6× the park's average month, while November is the calmest at roughly 0.1× — a 26-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 61% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 56°F in July down to about 12°F in January, with the wettest stretch in May. About 2 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is September: the lightest crowds of the park's good-weather months. Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the July rush. Daylight ranges from about 8.6 hours in midwinter to 15.4 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. A standard private-vehicle entrance pass runs about $35, valid for several days, so a shoulder-season trip stretches that fee across quieter, more comfortable days. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
Weather & conditions
Yellowstone's weather can vary quite a bit, even in a single day. In the summer, daytime highs can exceed 70°F (21°C), only to drop 20 or more degrees when a thunderstorm rolls through. It can snow during any month of the year, and winter lows frequently drop below 0°F (-18°C), especially at night. Bring a range of clothing options, including a warm jacket and rain gear, even in the summer.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Yellowstone
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Yellowstone National Park — live availability and prices to plan your trip. September is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather. Full lodging guide: when to book, gateway vs in-park, and the crowd calendar that drives room rates.
Top-rated places to stay near Yellowstone
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
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Getting there — nearest airports
Updated October 2026The closest airport to Yellowstone National Park is Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), about 99 mi (2 hr 45 min drive) away. For the most flight options, most visitors fly into Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN), about 3 hr 10 min away.
| Airport | Distance | Drive time | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Hole Airport (JAC)Closest | 99 mi | 2 hr 45 min | Delta, United Airlines |
| Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN)Best for flights | 133 mi | 3 hr 10 min | Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, Delta, Frontier Airlines, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
| Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA) | 156 mi | 3 hr 32 min | Allegiant Air, Delta, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
| Billings Logan International Airport (BIL) | 191 mi | 4 hr 23 min | Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, Delta, Frontier Airlines, Island Air, Silk Avia |
| Great Falls International Airport (GTF) | 305 mi | 6 hr 7 min | Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, Delta, United Airlines |
Which airport should you choose?
- Shortest drive: Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) — about 2 hr 45 min from the park.
- Most flights / best value: Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) — the largest hub near Yellowstone, about 3 hr 10 min away.
Entrance fees
A standard private-vehicle entrance pass is about $35, typically valid for several days.
What takes a reservation at Yellowstone
From National Park Service records read on October 11, 2026. Timed-entry and permit rules change from season to season; the official Yellowstone page has this year's.
Campgrounds with reservable sites
- Bridge Bay Campground: 432 reservable sites
- Grant Village Campground: 430 reservable sites
- Fishing Bridge RV Park: 310 reservable sites
- Madison Campground: 278 reservable sites
- Canyon Campground: 273 reservable sites
- Norris Campground: 112 reservable sites
- Lewis Lake Campground: 85 reservable sites
- Mammoth Campground: 85 reservable sites
- Indian Creek Campground: 70 reservable sites
- Tower Fall Campground: 31 reservable sites
- Pebble Creek Campground: 27 reservable sites
- Slough Creek Campground: 16 reservable sites
Activities the park marks as needing a reservation
Frequently Asked Questions
September offers the lightest crowds of the park's good-weather months at Yellowstone National Park. The park is busiest in July (about 2.6× the average month) and quietest in November.
July is the busiest month at Yellowstone National Park, running roughly 2.6 times the park's average monthly visitation.
November is the quietest month at Yellowstone National Park, at about 0.1× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Yellowstone National Park recorded about 4,762,988 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been rising over the past decade (+7.5%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Yellowstone National Park averages about 56°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) is the closest airport to Yellowstone National Park, about 99 mi (2 hr 45 min drive) away.
Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) is the nearest major airport, about 133 mi (3 hr 10 min drive) away, with the most flight options of any airport near Yellowstone.
There is no airport inside Yellowstone National Park. Fly into Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) and drive the rest of the way — about 3 hr 10 min.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Yellowstone
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Beach Lake water qualityGrade — · 4 mi · WY
- Ice Lake water qualityGrade — · 9 mi · WY
- Wolf Lake water qualityGrade — · 10 mi · WY
- Chickadee Lake water qualityGrade — · 10 mi · WY
- West Thumb Lake water qualityGrade — · 11 mi · WY
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.