Yellowstone gets busiest in June, July, and August. Crowd levels ease off outside that window, so you can time a trip around the peak.

When is the best time to visit Yellowstone?

For thinner crowds, visit Yellowstone in January, February, March, November, and December, when travel demand is at its lowest.

nature · United States · 44.43°N 110.59°W

Best time to visit Yellowstone (and when it is crowded)

Yellowstone is a nature destination in United States. Its peak season is June, July, and August, and it is least crowded in January, February, March, November, and December. Here is how busy it gets across the year, so you can pick the right time to go.

Crowd levels by month

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

QuietModerateBusyVery BusyPacked

Busiest months

June, July, and August

Quietest months

January, February, March, November, and December

Yellowstone month by month

How crowded Yellowstone gets in each month, so you can pick a quieter time to visit.

Yellowstone in January: Quiet
Yellowstone in February: Quiet
Yellowstone in March: Quiet
Yellowstone in April: Quiet
Yellowstone in May: Very Busy
Yellowstone in June: Packed
Yellowstone in July: Packed
Yellowstone in August: Packed
Yellowstone in September: Very Busy
Yellowstone in October: Quiet
Yellowstone in November: Quiet
Yellowstone in December: Quiet

A typical year, week by week

Quieter alternatives

Similar places that stay calmer in peak season.

🇺🇸 Utah National Parks

United States4 bands calmer

🇺🇸 Moab

United States4 bands calmer

🇺🇸 Zion National Park

United States4 bands calmer

🇺🇸 Sedona

United States4 bands calmer

Keep exploring

Common questions

Is Yellowstone busy?: Yellowstone gets busiest in June, July, and August. Crowd levels ease off outside that window, so you can time a trip around the peak.
When is the best time to visit Yellowstone?: For thinner crowds, visit Yellowstone in January, February, March, November, and December, when travel demand is at its lowest.
When is Yellowstone least crowded?: Yellowstone is least crowded in January, February, March, November, and December.

Estimates based on seasonal travel-demand modelling, not live visitor counts.

See live crowd levels for Yellowstone on the map →

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<iframe src="https://packedplaces.com/embed/yellowstone?lang=en" width="360" height="200" loading="lazy" style="border:0;max-width:100%" title="Yellowstone"></iframe>
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