If you want to visit Yellowstone National Park and do not want to rent a car, it is possible to see the Yellowstone National Park without a car. One of the best ways to do this is to fly into an airport close to Yellowstone Park.
The closest airport to Yellowstone National Park is the West Yellowstone Airport. There are ground transportation services available at the airport. Yellowstone National Park has many tour companies that operate a host of tours; the National Park Service keeps a complete list for you to contact.
Table of Contents
- Fly Into West Yellowstone Airport
- Join A Guided Tour To Visit Yellowstone Park
- Self-Guided Tours At Yellowstone National Park
- Conquer Virtual Challenges – Yellowstone
- Related Questions
Fly Into West Yellowstone Airport
If you plan to visit Yellowstone without renting a car, the best airport to fly to is the West Yellowstone Airport. The West Yellowstone Airport is only a few miles from the entrance of Yellowstone Park.
Here is some information about the West Yellowstone Airport:
- Airport Code – The airport code for West Yellowstone Airport is WYS.
- Flights From Salt Lake City And Denver – West Yellowstone Airport has flights from Salt Lake City and Denver as follows:
- Delta Airlines – Delta Airlines flies from Salt Lake City direct to West Yellowstone Airport.
- United Airlines – United Airlines flies from Denver direct to West Yellowstone Airport.
- Delta Airlines – Delta Airlines flies from Salt Lake City direct to West Yellowstone Airport.
Each airline operates about 2 to 3 flights a day, depending on the season.
Ground transportation is also available at the airport, which can take you to the park or your hotel. Two of the significant companies include Yellowstone Roadrunner and Yellowstone Taxi.
The West Yellowstone Airport is only open part of the year (generally about June to mid-October). Check with the airlines to see their schedule when flying in and out of the airport. The airport is not open in the winter months.
If you cannot fly into West Yellowstone, there are options from other airports that have shuttle services to and from the Yellowstone area. We recommend looking at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport or Jackson Hole Airport.
Depending on your time frame and budget, some of these other airports may be cheaper.
You can find out more about the airports near Yellowstone by reading
Join A Guided Tour To Visit Yellowstone Park
Many tour companies are operating tours in Yellowstone Park. These companies will help ensure you have the best trip to Yellowstone National Park; you do not need a car to join these tours.
You will also want to be sure that you are joining a tour company approved by the National Park Service. The National Park Service will vet those companies and give them a license to ensure your safety.
To find a complete list of the companies that operate guided tours at Yellowstone Park, you can click on the link below:
Reasons To Join A Guided Tour At Yellowstone
The type of tours you can take at Yellowstone are as varied as the tour companies operating tours there. But if you are new to Yellowstone, here are some reasons why you may want to consider joining either a group or private tour of Yellowstone:
- Local Knowledge – The tour companies can offer you local knowledge you may not get. They will know where to find the wildlife, the best hiking trails, or the most important sites or areas you should see.
- Save Time – If your time is limited and you want to see as much as possible, the local tour guides can also help you do this. It will save you time and money to go with a tour company in the long run.
- Understand Safety And Other Issue – A Yellowstone guide will understand safety and other issues. Yellowstone does have bears and is a natural bear habitat. The guides will understand all the safety issues of the bears—no matter where you go in Yellowstone, there is a chance you will encounter a bear.
If being out in nature is new to you or you are afraid of what you may encounter, taking a private or group tour may be the way to see Yellowstone. You will not need a car for this, and you can tailor the trip to exactly what you want to see.
Types Of Tours At Yellowstone
The kinds of tours you can take at Yellowstone Park are as varied as the park itself. The National Park Service approves several types of tours operating in the Yellowstone Park area.
The tours that are allowed to operate in Yellowstone park include:
- Backpacking Tours
- Bicycling Tours
- Boating Tours
- Day Hiking Tours
- Fishing Tours
- Painting and Photographer Tours
- Skiing and Snowshoeing Tours
- Snowmobile and Snowcoach Tours
- Guide Horse, Mule, and Llama Outfitters and Tours
- Road Based Tours
As you can see from this list, there are so many tour options that you do not need to rent a car to visit Yellowstone. You can just as easily join one of these many tours. To find out more, click on the link below:
Many different tour companies have been authorized to give tours at Yellowstone park. Some will run these tours frequently, but others may be full a year in advance. You should check all the different companies and plan your trip and tour well.
Listen To Our Podcast About Yellowstone National Park – A Great Place To Visit below or by clicking here.
Self-Guided Tours At Yellowstone National Park
You can also do a self-guided tour of Yellowstone. A car does make a self-guided tour a bit easier, but there are additional transportation options you can consider using.
Here are some options you can consider using to help you get around:
- Taxi Service – There are some taxi and car services in Yellowstone you can use to help you get in and out of the areas of Yellowstone you want to travel to. Yellowstone Roadrunner and Yellowstone Taxi will take you out of Yellowstone.
- Shuttle Services – There are Yellowstone shuttle services. You can find more of the list on the National Park Service website by clicking here.
- Bicycling – Many local hotels and tour companies may rent bicycles. Contact your hotel to get information about companies near you that may have bikes you can rent.
- Walking And Hiking – If you want to walk and hike, you can always walk and hike around Yellowstone, but know it is a vast area, and you will not see as much if you drive or take a shuttle to parts.
Many people do self-tours of Yellowstone without renting a car. If you choose to go this route, there are a few things you should remember:
- Plan Your Trip Ahead Of Time – Take the time to do your homework and plan your trip.
- Download The National Park App – The U.S. National Park Services has an excellent App and website that will keep you informed of all that is happening in Yellowstone. In particular, if there are any dangers or areas that are closed. You can download the National Park App here.
- Be Safety-Minded – You need to make sure to keep your safety in mind. If you are from overseas, make sure you have access to make and receive calls in the United States. Have a phone, battery pack, and other things with you, including safety equipment.
- Be Bear Prepared – Yellowstone has wildlife, especially bears. Do some study on bears of what to do and not do and consider getting some bear spray in case you need it. You can find out more by clicking here.
Conquer Virtual Challenges – Yellowstone
A great way to prepare for your visit to Yellowstone or to continue enjoying the Yellowstone area is by signing up for a Conquer Virtual Challenge of the Yellowstone area. Every mile you walk, run, bike, swim, hike, or cycle can lead you virtually through the Yellowstone area.
One of the reasons we love Conquer Virtual Challenges is that you can do the challenges with a friend or alone. You can decide how or what miles will count towards the Virtual Challenge.
We find this an excellent way for you to prepare for your Yellowstone visit or enjoy it after you have left. Each time you pass a significant landmark, the Conquer Virtual Challenge will send you a postcard to tell you about the area.
You can also go to Google Map feature on their app to virtually see where you are traveling in Yellowstone National Park.
You can learn more about the Conquer Virtual Challenge and get 10% off your challenge by clicking on the link below.
Visiting Yellowstone National Park is an excellent place to stay. It is possible to see the park without renting a car. There are many options available to you for tours, taxis, shuttles, and even airport shuttles that you can use so that you do not need to rent a car for your Yellowstone visit.
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Related Questions
Which Airport Is Close To Yellowstone? And Other Yellowstone Airport Travel Facts
West Yellowstone Airport is the closest airport to Yellowstone National Park. The airport is only a few miles from the park entrance but has a limited flight schedule and is not open all year round. Other airports include Jackson Hole Airport and Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport; both offer more flights, car rental, and ground transportation options.
By clicking here, you can discover Which Airport Is Close To Yellowstone? And Other Yellowstone Airport Travel Facts.
Is Yogi Bears Jellystone Park Based On Yellowstone Park?
Yogi bear’s Jellystone is known to be based on Yellowstone National Park, even though it is supposed to represent all U.S. National Parks. Yogi Bear is a fictional cartoon character that has been around since 1958 but has recently seen some reemergence with a new Yogi Bear Movie (2010) and Jellystone Cartoon series (2021).
By clicking here, you can discover Is Yogi Bears Jellystone Park, Based On Yellowstone Park?.
What Happened To The Black Wolf At Yellowstone?
The Black wolves at Yellowstone are still part of the Yellowstone National Park. In Yellowstone, 505 of the wolves are black; the black color is not native to most wolf populations.
By clicking here, you can discover What Happened To The Black Wolf At Yellowstone?
