Montana in winter means about eight and a half hours of daylight, roads that close for the season, and towns that run at half capacity, but also empty valleys, wolves in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley, and hot springs at −10°F. This guide covers winter trips beyond the ski slopes, which have their own guide: what is open in Glacier and Yellowstone, where to cross-country ski, the cabins you can only reach on skis, and the dates to plan around in 2026–27.
The single most useful fact: most of Montana's famous summer roads are closed. Going-to-the-Sun Road over Logan Pass, the Beartooth Highway and most of Yellowstone are shut to cars from late autumn to spring. Plan around the roads that stay open.
Glacier National Park in winter
Only the west end of Going-to-the-Sun Road is plowed: from West Glacier along Lake McDonald to Lake McDonald Lodge, which is closed for the season. Past the winter gate the road is yours on foot, skis or snowshoes. The Park Service suggests McDonald Falls (about 4 miles round trip), Sacred Dancing Cascade (about 5.3 miles) or, for strong skiers, Avalanche Picnic Area (about 11.6 miles, with steep, narrow sections that are hard when icy).
- Ranger-led snowshoe walks ran on Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. from January 10 to March 15, 2026, for two hours, with snowshoes for $2 at the Apgar Visitor Center. They are cancelled when West Glacier is forecast below 10°F. The 2027 schedule hadn't been published by late October.
- The Apgar Visitor Center is open at weekends only; its restrooms are open all winter.
- Entrance fee: $25 per car from November 1 to April 30 (summer $35). Non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an extra $100 each since 2026, unless they hold a pass.
- Staying overnight: primitive first-come camping in Apgar Campground Loop B. The Park Service says no in-park lodging is open in winter, while Pursuit sells its Apgar Lookout Suites as year-round; confirm directly. Most visitors stay in Whitefish or Columbia Falls.
Yellowstone from the Montana side
From November 1 only one road in Yellowstone is open to cars: from the North Entrance at Gardiner through Mammoth Hot Springs and the Lamar Valley to the Northeast Entrance and Cooke City. It is plowed all winter, and it is where you watch wolves at dawn and dusk. At the end of 2025 the park counted 84 wolves, 53 of them on the northern range.
Cooke City is a dead end in winter, because the Beartooth Highway is closed, so you return through Gardiner. Old Faithful and the canyon are reached only by snowcoach or guided snowmobile, from December 15, 2026 to mid-March 2027. Snowcoach day trips from West Yellowstone cost $190 per adult. Our Yellowstone from Gardiner itinerary covers the northern route in detail.
Cross-country skiing without a resort
- Crosscut Mountain Sports Center, 17 miles north of Bozeman next to Bridger Bowl: 28 miles of trails and a biathlon range at the former Bohart Ranch. Day passes for 2026–27 are $30 for adults and $20 for ages 7–17.
- Rendezvous Ski Trails, West Yellowstone: more than 35 km on the edge of town, with passes required from November 1 to March 31. Passes were $15 a day in 2025–26. The Yellowstone Ski Festival runs November 21–28, 2026, though low snow has cancelled it in past years.
- Seeley Creek Nordic Trails, Seeley Lake: groomed by a volunteer club from December to March, and free, with donations welcome. No dogs or snowshoes on the groomed track.
- Lone Mountain Ranch, Big Sky: 75–85 km of groomed trails at a historic guest ranch.
- Red Lodge Nordic Center: more than 15 km of trails about 2 miles west of Red Lodge.
- Mammoth's Upper Terrace Loop in Yellowstone: a groomed loop of about 1.5 miles, with rentals at the Mammoth Hotel.
The Izaak Walton Inn at Essex, long the classic train-and-ski base on Glacier's southern edge, closed in March 2026 and is for sale. Don't plan on its trails being groomed this winter.
Ghost-town and backcountry cabins
The Bureau of Land Management rents two cabins at Garnet Ghost Town from December 1 to April 30 for $50 a night: the Dahl Cabin (sleeps 6) and the McDonald Cabin (sleeps 4). In winter you get there only by snowmobile, skis or snowshoes. The cabins have wood stoves and propane lights, but no electricity or indoor plumbing. Booking is by mail-in lottery, and the 2026–27 deadline is Friday, November 6. Leftover dates go by phone after November 21 (BLM Missoula, 406-329-3914).
Forest Service fire lookouts and cabins are the other option, at $30 to $75 a night on Recreation.gov. Popular winter lookouts sell out on weekends, as our lodges and cabins guide explains.
Big Sky without skiing
Big Sky Resort opens for winter on November 25. Since December 20, 2025, non-skiers can ride the new Explorer Gondola and the Lone Peak Tram to Kircliff, a two-story glass observatory with a glass floor on the summit of Lone Peak at 11,166 ft. The resort also runs sleigh and snowcat dinners, guided snowshoe tours from Wednesday to Saturday, and an evening light trail. Prices aren't published on its activities page.
Hot springs, dog sleds and ice fishing
- Hot springs: most stay open all winter. Chico in Paradise Valley and Bozeman Hot Springs pair well with Bridger or Big Sky, and Norris is open Thursday to Monday. Our hot springs guide has 2026 prices.
- Dog sledding: operators run tours from about December to March around Olney north of Whitefish, in the Big Sky and Gallatin area, and from Paradise Valley. Book directly and early; several teams also race, which limits dates.
- Ice fishing: Montana allows two lines with two hooks each through the ice, and you must stay in sight of your lines. Canyon Ferry Reservoir near Helena is the best-known lake, with derbies in February. Shelters must be removed before the end-of-season thaw traps them, and every day at Georgetown Lake and a few other waters. A Montana fishing licence is required.
Winter events, 2026–27
- Bozeman Ice Festival: December 9–13, 2026, with ice-climbing clinics in Hyalite Canyon.
- Whitefish Christmas Stroll: December 11, 2026, when buttons for the Winter Carnival go on sale.
- Whitefish Winter Carnival: February 5–7, 2027, its 68th year, themed "Enchantment Under the Sea".
- Yellowstone oversnow season: December 15, 2026 to mid-March 2027.
- National Finals Ski-Joring, Red Lodge: held in mid-March (March 14–15 in 2026; 2027 dates not yet out).
By train
Amtrak's Empire Builder runs daily along Glacier's southern edge, stopping at Whitefish and West Glacier all year. In winter it stops at Browning instead of East Glacier Park, whose station is open only from spring to autumn. Storms and severe cold have cancelled trains in past winters, so leave a spare day. See our airports and Amtrak guide for times.
Before you go
- Daylight: at the solstice, about 8 hours 20 minutes in the Flathead and 8 hours 40 minutes around Bozeman and Billings. The sun sets before 5 p.m. everywhere.
- Roads: check 511mt.net or call 511 before every drive. Keep the tank full, carry a winter kit, and don't pass snowplows. Our winter driving guide has the rules.
- Cold: Yellowstone's January average at Mammoth is 9°F, sub-zero nights are common, and lows can reach −30°F.
- Phones: cell coverage in the parks is poor; download maps before you leave town.
Details checked October 2026.