As a big “Yellowstone” fans I always wanted to travel to Montana for a reason: that Embrace my inner Beth Dutton. I imagined stylish cowboys in hats and jeans, bison who wandered around freely and open landscapes that looked as beautiful as they do on TV. But here is the reality to visit Yellowstone in the winter: it is very, very cold.
As much as I wanted to embrace Beth’s Western-Chic Aesthetics, the snow, the wind and the temperature had other plans. Of course this is one of the disadvantages of traveling to Yellowstone in the winter, but when you go around the national park in a SkiThe only snowmobile brand allowed in the park because of its low emission speed, you will not worry about how you look as long as you are warm.
So here is my packing list for Yellowstone in the middle of winter. And I promise to travel to the national park during its debt season is worth it. There are much less crowds, much better views, and you can find yourself an arm’s length away from Bison in the middle of the street. Yes, you can still rock a cowboy core aesthetic even when you stay warm – here is how.
Best packing tips for Yellowstone
The best advice I can give you for a winter trip to Yellowstone: Layer Up. When you are in the park, the temperature can be as low as zero degrees. As I am sure you have heard a million times from your dad you can always take off layers if you get too hot, but you can’t add layers if you get too cold. Find a solid base layer to keep you warm and protected.
Personally, I doubled on the basic stocks because I hate being cold. I also made sure to pack a warm hat, gloves, bulky socks and a good pair of snowshoes. Yes, there is snow around Yellowstone, and yes, you will slip if your shoes do not have great traction.
To cross your layers underneath you need a ski jacket and ski pants. Again, I went to Yellowstone with the intention to look like Beth Dutton, but I stopped looking like a marshmallow when all my equipment was on. That said, did I ever get cold? Nope.
When you are not riding on your ski doo around the park, it is when you can have a little more fun with your cowgirl aesthetic dream. When I went to dinner or lunch in town, I made sure to pull out my cowboy boots, a warm black leather jacket from Zara and the most flattering reformation jeans I own. (More about these passes below.) Even though I was cold in 90 percent of my clothes when I went to restaurants or shops, everything is nearby, so I knew it would only be a few minutes before I would be inside. Completely worth it in my opinion.