The Best Kept Secret – Yellowstone in the Fall

Yellowstone National Park is our country’s oldest national park and one of the most popular. It has so much to offer, but do you know the best time to visit? Out of all the seasons, fall is the best time to make a trip to Yellowstone!

Yellowstone is visited by an average of 4.1 million people every year with over half of those visiting between June and August. Once school starts and the summer vacation window is over, the number of visitors drastically decreases which means a much different experience for a visit in the fall. There are fewer cars on the roads, hotels have more availability and cheaper rates, and less people on the trails and walking paths; all of this means you will get those special moments in, and photos of, the area without strangers in your space.

Elk and bison are in rut (mating season) in the fall and they put on a great show. The first time we went to Yellowstone in September we ended up in the middle of one of the bison herds as they were walking down the road. We got to watch the mating rituals and battles between some of the bulls. It was truly incredible. We lucked out and didn’t get any damage to our car like the people did in the recent viral video that has been circulating, but they were that close!

Elk bugling

Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park

We also got to see some huge bull elk near Mammoth Hot Springs bugling with all their might. On a crisp fall morning, it is thrilling to hear those calls echoing across the valley. Plus, daybreak is later as the days are growing shorter so you don’t have to get up as early to catch the morning wildlife!

Grand Teton National Park

While visiting Yellowstone in the fall, don’t miss out on Grand Teton National Park just to the south. I just happened to be driving back from a conference in Jackson Hole one fall and we decided to take the long way through Grand Teton, and I am so glad we did! The fall colors were out in all their glory. I am sure you have seen the pictures as they are the quintessential Rocky Mountain photos of fall, but even the best photographers can’t do the scenery justice. If you are visiting in the fall, you absolutely must drive south to see this incredible beauty for yourself. The height of the fall colors is usually at the end of September and the very beginning of October.

Although any time in the fall is great to visit Yellowstone, the best time is after the roads close to vehicles in November but stay open for bicycles. Check-out this guide to spring and fall bicycling in Yellowstone.  Get a unique perspective of the park on a bike ride from West Yellowstone to Old Faithful. The lodges are not open, but you can get a backcountry permit to camp while you are biking or complete the ride in one day. Vehicles in the park are limited to employees or contractors so you will mainly be sharing the road with the animals. One can truly enjoy the peace and quiet as the park falls back into its natural rhythms after the busy summer season.Services and lodging are limited in the fall so make sure to plan your trip well using the park’s extensive website. I hope you thoroughly enjoy your special visit to Yellowstone in the fall, but keep the secret for those of us in the know!  Happy fall!

* Price estimated based on website search of availability at time of blog (May 2021)