YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Winter sunsets in the mountains just hit differently.

On Friday, Feb. 20, Yellowstone National Park (YNP) shared some photos to its Flickr account of sunset vistas along the Madison River.

Three Brothers Mountains at sunset. Photo: Jacob W. Frank // NPS

According to the National Park Service, the Madison River begins in YNP at the confluence of the Firehole and Gibbon rivers in Madison Junction. The Madison River travels 19 miles through the park before exiting across the western boundary north of West Yellowstone, Montana. It meets up with the Jefferson and Gallatin rivers near Three Forks, Montana, to form the headwaters of the Missouri River.

Sunset over the Madison River. Photo: Jacob W. Frank // NPS

“We may be a little biased, but the sunrises and sunsets in the park are difficult to beat!” YNP wrote in a social media post with the photos.

Evening winter light on Mount Jackson ridge. Photo: Jacob W. Frank // NPS

Winter is a special time in YNP, due to fewer visitors and frozen landscapes. Without the crowds and vehicles, the park’s wild animals have their run of the land. Learn more about why winter sunsets are so spectacular here.

Monica is a Staff Reporter who studied journalism at Syracuse University and has been in the valley since 2015. She loves writing about the local food and bev scene, especially craft beer. When she’s not on the clock, you can find her paddle boarding, sewing, or whipping up a new recipe at home.