Backcountry / Cross-Country Skiing
Yellowstone is a premier place for cross country skiing. Situated on the Yellowstone Plateau, the hills are as gentle or as steep as any skier might desire. You can glide for hours through meadows and forests, enjoying views of high mountains, following tracks left by bison and elk, wolves and coyotes or even marten and ermine.
Yellowstone Expeditions - since 1983
Official park permitees offering backcountry snowshoe and cross-country ski trips into Yellowstone, with overnight stays at our Canyon Skier's Yurt Camp available.
(406) 646-9333
Gateway Community Cross-Country Skiing Listings
The listings found below are offered in the Gateway Communities that surround Yellowstone National Park.
Big Sky Montana :: view all listings
Mountain recreation in Southwest Montana - Western Gateway.
Grizzly Outfitters - Big Sky's Gear & Rental Headquarters
Trails.com
Red Lodge Montana :: view all listings
Getaways Cooke City and Red Lodge, MT - Northeast Gateway.
Pine Edge Cabins - Headquarters for Backcountry & X-C Skiing
Tracks Through a Winter Field
© National Park Service
Miles of cross country ski trails await your boards: some trails are machine-groomed but many are groomed only by the previous skier, so if you have a powder day, you may be breaking trail.
Before heading out on the trail, visit Winter Safety to make your trip a safe one.
Unless you are on a guided tour, the ability to read a map is a must. You can pick up area ski trail maps in the Park, but for some trails you'll want a Yellowstone topographical map. You should also carry a compass and know how to use it. A visit to one of the ski shops in the Park will provide you with trail condition reports.
So where are the best trails? It all depends on your skill and energy levels. Here are two of my favorites which are easily accessible through the North Entrance. This road is the only Park road open to wheeled traffic in the winter. From Gardiner, MT you can drive to Mammoth Hot Springs to catch a ski drop to Indian Creek or continue east to Tower Junction for the trailhead to Tower Falls.
Tower Falls:
Distance and Difficulty:
5 miles total (2.5 miles one way to the falls) easiest, 190 feet elevation gain/loss
Additional Options:
You can add distance to your route with two options:
1 mile, through the Tower Falls Campground, easy, 50 feet elevation gain/loss
Chittenden Loop Trail: 5.3 mile loop, easiest to more difficult, 900 feet elevation gain/loss
Trail descriptions:
Tower Falls: Start at the road's end. The trail to Tower Falls is groomed for skating or classic skiing. The trail gradually climbs along the road (closed in winter to motorized vehicles), passing Rainy Lake and Calcite Springs. If the wind is right you may smell the sulfur of Calcite Springs long before you see it. Continue past the basalt cliffs down to Tower Store (closed in winter). You'll find picnic tables for lunch and a short trail will lead you to the overlook of Tower Falls.
1 mile Option: Continue skiing up the road and turn right into the Tower Falls Campground exit road. Ski the loop through the campground and re-emerge at the Tower Store. Turn left and ski back to your vehicle.
Chittenden Loop Trail: Ski through the campground and up a summer maintenance road through lodgepole forest. After about 2.5 miles, you will come out on the Tower/Mt Washburn Road (unplowed). Turn left and ski down back to Tower Falls and on to your car. More advanced skiers might prefer to ski the route in the opposite direction for a gentler climb and a faster downhill.
Best reasons to ski Tower Falls Trails:
Wildlife: Wolf and coyote tracks/sign are often seen along the trail. Bighorn Sheep can be spotted in the cliffs across the Yellowstone River.
Geology: The overlook of Calcite Springs and Yellowstone River offers beautiful vistas. Look for layers of columnar basalt across the river and ski past a cliff of columnar basalt along the road. Basalt oozed out onto the surface as lava over a million years ago.
History: In 1870 the Washburn Expedition camped near Tower Falls and named it for the spires. In 1871 members of the Hayden Expedition noticed a rock perched on the edge of the falls and took bets on what time the boulder would fall. They all lost the bet, for the rock stuck its ground until June 1986.
Indian Creek:
Distance and Difficulty: Indian Creek Loop 2.2 miles, easiest, 50 feet elevation gain/loss
Extra distance options: Bighorn Loop: 5.5 miles, easiest to more difficult, 320 feet elevation gain/loss
Sheepeater Trail: 5 miles, easiest, 60 feet elevation gain/loss
****Bunsen Peak Trail: 6 miles, easiest to most difficult, 1120 elevation gain/loss
Trail descriptions:
Indian Creek Loop: Begin at the warming hut. Follow the campground road north then west through the campground along Indian Creek. The trail will turn left (south) in about .5 miles and travel through gently rolling lodgepole forest.
Bighorn Loop: Begin at the warming hut. Follow the Indian Creek Loop trail for the first mile, then continue west, making a loop through rolling terrain. After the loop, turn right and ski through gently rolling lodgepole forest to the ski hut.
Sheepeater Trail: Start at the warming hut. Ski this trail alone for 5 miles, or add it to one of the other trails (Indian Creek=7.2 miles, Bighorn Loop 10.5 miles, Bunsen Peak Trail: 9.4 miles)
****Bunsen Peak Trail: The trail starts at the base of Bunsen Peak, next to the road. Ski the old road around the base of the mountain. On the northeast side of Bunsen Peak, the road becomes very steep and winding, dropping 960 feet in 2.5 miles to Glen Creek. CAUTION! Some hairpin curves, can be dangerous when icy. The trail comes out in an employee housing area. Skiers must walk to the road for a ride or walk 1.3 miles back to Mammoth Hot Springs.
Best reasons to ski Indian Creek Trails:
Snowcoach ride: If you've never ridden on a snowcoach, try it! This is a great way to get into Yellowstone's Interior for a day. The round-trip ticket includes pick up and return ride to Mammoth Hot Springs.
Warming Hut: A great place to have lunch, meet friends who are skiing different loops, shelter while waiting for your ride back to Mammoth Hot Springs.
Wildlife: Porcupines, marten, ermine frequent this area.
Geology: Views of: Bunsen Peak, part of which is the neck of an ancient volcano. Wild views of the Gallatin Range (Electric, Antler, Quadrant, Holmes Peaks).
History: Johnson Gardner trapped the area in the 1830's, giving his name to nearby Gardner's Hole and Gardner River. In January of 1887 the Schwatka-Haynes Expedition skied to Indian Creek and camped in minus 37 degree weather their first night.
Page content provided by:
Yellowstone Association - Official Park Partner
Visit their website for more infomation on:
"Yellowstone Backcountry / Cross Country Skiing"
Currently OutsideOther pages you might find helpful:
Big Sky Montana Ski Resort
The ski resort at Big Sky Montana is a great base for a combination ski trip and Yellowstone winter vacation.
High Plains Cross Country Ski District
Offering information on events, races, and cross country trails around Yellowstone National Park.
