Traversing Yellowstone in the winter is an arduous task. The majority of the park roads are only accessible by skis, snowshoes, snowmobiles and snow coaches. If you want to see the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin, Lower Geyser Basin, the frozen ice of vast Yellowstone Lake - you need to layer up, get on a pair of skis, book a snow mobile tour or take a snow coach. I'll detail particulars of these options later in the article.
If you prefer to explore the frozen tundra in your car, you can drive from the North Entrance of Mammoth Hot Springs/Gardiner MT through the wildlife filled Lamar Valley to the isolated, yet vibrant winter gateway town of Cooke City. Surround by federal land, the only way in or out of Cooke City in the winter is through YNP - the ample parkland surrounding Cooke City/Silver Gate make this a perfect spot for exploring the backcountry. Cooke City/Silver Gate (combined they have a population of 100 year round residents!)
Yellowstone offers two lodging options inside the park: The Mammoth Hotel (accessible via your car) and the Old Faithful Snow Lodge (accessible over snow via snow coach, snow mobile, skis...) Both have a unique flare and character.
The Mammoth Hotel is a great option if you want focus on wildlife viewing. Its accessibility to the Lamar Valley - offers ample viewing of Bison grazing, Wolves, Pronghorn, the occasional moose, Bighorn Sheep and more. You can also walk from the hotel to the glorious splendor of steam and color of the Mammoth Hot Springs. Mammoth is one of the 'warmer' places in the park, hence why the world's largest winter grazing of mammals migrates from the southern areas of the park to Mammoth-Gardiner-Lamar Valley....
If you stay at Mammoth - you can do some back country snow shoeing, view frozen Undine Waterfall...soak in the thermally heated 'Boiling River' - one of the only spots in Yellowstone that is safe for soaking (the hot springs in the park are volcanically charged and sizzle above boiling)
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I spent a summer living and working at Old Faithful in the Snow Lodge Dining Room. The Snow Lodge is specifically designed for Winter use. It has a rustic elegance that is inviting and relaxing. The Snow Lodge Christmas decorations reflect the natural beauty of the land - with traditional Christmas trees and evergreen accents. The Snow Lodge offers delicious food all winter, from Grass Fed beef and bison to house specialties.
The cool thing about staying at Old Faithful is that you can walk the snow dusted boardwalks of the Upper Geyser Basin, seeing Old Faithful erupt in frigid temps, witness the world's tallest active geyser Grand Geyser, erupt in silent thundering beauty. It is a wonderland.
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For those who plan to snowmobile into the park you can rent snowmobiles at numerous businesses in West Yellowstone MT (the best place to start if you are focusing on Old Faithful, Canyon, Lake...), Cooke City (if you are focusing on the northern area).
Depending on how much you want to spend - you can invest in a guided snowmobile tour or if you are on a budget go more at your own pace...
I recommend the Snow coach if you want to go to Old Faithful or Canyon. These coaches are heated, guided and run about $115 for a day trip to and from the destination and West Yellowstone. It costs approximately $50 each way to and from the Snow Lodge.
Here are some starting points for planning snow coach/hotels/snow mobile tours:
NPS- Official YNP website
http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/visiting-yellowstone-in-winter.htm
Xanterra - Park Concessionaire - for Hotel Reservations and tour packages:
http://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/
Yellowstone Alpen Tours:
http://www.yellowstoneguides.com
Yellowstone Vacations: I've done a tour with them in the summer and it was top notch
http://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/
West Yellowstone MT
http://www.destinationyellowstone.com
Gardiner MT:
http://www.gardinerchamber.com
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