YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Starting on Aug. 1, the 2026-2027 winter lottery will open for noncommercial snowmobile permits in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), the park announced on Tuesday.
The lottery will remain open for the entire month of August on recreation.gov. Applicants who get selected in the lottery will be notified in early September. Any unclaimed or canceled permits will become available on a first-come, first-served basis starting on Oct. 1. There is no waiting list, and cancellations can happen throughout the winter season, so interested parties are encouraged to check the website often for openings.
Trips can be up to three days in length and include a group of no more than five snowmobilers. Permits cost $40 per day plus a one-time $6 application fee. YNP considers permit holders to be noncommercial guides, and they must be 18 years or older on the first day of the trip. All snowmobile operators are required to possess a state-issued driver’s license and successfully complete the free online Yellowstone Snowmobile Education Certification program. All machines must meet the park’s New Best Available Technology standard.
Most YNP roads close to regular traffic in November for the winter season. The road between Mammoth Hot Springs and the Northeast Entrance is open year-round to vehicles. Typically, select park roads open to oversnow travel in December. Commercial or noncommercial snowmobiles and guided snowcoaches are the only way to reach Old Faithful, Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and other popular destinations during the winter.
In mid-March, plowing crews will begin clearing away the winter snow, and roads tend to reopen to vehicles in mid-April.
