What to Pack for a Trip to Yellowstone, According to a "Yellowstone" Fan
Get the Full StoryAs a big "Yellowstone" fan, I always wanted to travel to Montana for one reason: to embrace my inner Beth Dutton. I imagined handsome cowboys in hats and jeans, bison roaming around freely, and open landscapes that looked just as beautiful as they do on TV. But here's the reality of visiting Yellowstone in the winter: it is very, very cold.As much as I wanted to embrace Beth's western-chic aesthetic, the snow, wind, and temperature had other plans. Of course, this is one of the downsides of traveling to Yellowstone in the winter, but when you ride around the national park in a Ski-Doo, the only snowmobile brand allowed inside the park because of its low emission rate, you won't care what you look like as long as you're warm.
So here's my packing list for Yellowstone in the middle of winter. And I promise, traveling to the national park during its shoulder season is worth it. There are way less crowds, much better views, and you may find yourself an arm's length away from bison in the middle of the street. Yes, you can still rock a cowboy core aesthetic even while staying warm - here's how.
Best Packing Tips for Yellowstone
The best advice I can give you for a winter trip to Yellowstone: layer up. When you're in the park, the temperature can get as low as zero degrees. Like I'm sure you've heard a million times from your dad, you can always take off layers if you get too warm, but you can't add on layers if you get too cold. Find a solid base layer to keep you warm and protected.
Personally, I doubled up on the base layers because I hate being cold. I also made sure to pack a warm beanie, gloves, bulky socks, and a good pair of snow shoes. Yes, there is snow all around Yellowstone, and yes, you will slip if your shoes don't have great traction.
To go over your layers underneath, you'll need a ski jacket and ski pants. Again, I went to Yellowstone with the intent of looking like Beth Dutton, but I ended up looking like a marshmallow once all my gear was on. That said, did I ever get cold? Nope.
When you're not riding your Ski-Doo around the park, this is when you can have a little bit more fun with your cowgirl aesthetic dream. When I went to dinner or lunch in town, I made sure to pull out my cowboy boots, a warm black leather jacket from Zara, and the most flattering Reformation jeans I own. More on these fits below. Though I was cold in 90 percent of my outfits when I walked to restaurants or stores, everything is close by, so I knew it would only be a few minutes before I'd be inside. Totally worth it in my opinion.
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