With few crowds, wonderful fall foliage, and active wildlife, visiting Yellowstone National Park in the fall is a true treat. Discover our reasons for visiting Yellowstone this fall and start planning your trip today!
Fall foliage
Yellowstone National Park is beautiful no matter what time of year, but in the fall, the park’s landscape dazzles with the colors of fall. Find golden aspens, yellowing grasses, and red-colored shrubs that fill the landscape for a truly picture-perfect scene. Although the peak viewing season depends on the weather, typically it is best to visit during the last week of September through the first week of October.
Some of the best fall foliage can be seen near Lamar Valley, Mammoth Hot Springs, Lewis River Canyon, Lewis River, Hayden Valley, and Blacktail Plateau Drive. And if you time it just right you can experience “the clash of the seasons” when the first snow falls on the coloring leaves.
Fewer crowds
Roads, trails, and programs are less crowded in the fall. Past Labor Day, the crowds at Yellowstone National Park start to thin out, where you almost feel like you have the park to yourself.
Wildlife viewing
With cooler temperatures the local wildlife starts to head down to lower elevations for warmer weather and more vegetation, making them more visible this time of year. Elk in particular are most active in the fall season as this is when they begin their annual rut. The elk rut is the mating ritual where bull elk bugle to fight for female attention.
Bears are also known to frequent roadsides and other areas in the park as they spend a lot of their time foraging for food in preparation for hibernation.
As a generally good rule of thumb, dawn or dusk is always the best time to spot wildlife. Always remember when viewing wildlife to keep a safe distance.
Take a bike ride
Cyclists can enjoy the brief fall bike season in Yellowstone NP when the park opens its roads to bikes and e-bikes. While the roads are closed to visitor vehicles, bikers can still expect to see plows, employees of the park, and administrative vehicles. The season begins in early November when the park closes the roads to visitor automobile traffic. The short season ends when plowing operations stop to allow the roads to support oversnow travel.
Discover more on traveling from Jackson Hole to Yellowstone.
Stay at the Pony Express Motel
When visiting Yellowstone National Park in the fall, be sure to book your stay at the Pony Express Motel. Our budget-friendly motel is located just under 60 miles from the park, making it the perfect day trip from Jackson Hole. Guests enjoy comfortable and clean rooms, budget-friendly rates, and friendly staff when staying at the Pony Express Motel. From our basic family room accommodations to the larger deluxe two-bedroom suite, we have something for all travelers!
Book your stay with us today!