United States, North America

Yellowstone in June

Everything is open, wildlife is everywhere, and the meadows are green. Crowds build through the month but stay a notch below the July peak.

BestMild days, highs near 70F (21C), cold nights

Aerial view of Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone — YellowstonePhoto: Carsten Steger, CC BY-SA 4.0

The straight answer

June is one of the best months of the year to visit Yellowstone. Everything is open, wildlife is everywhere, and the meadows are green. Crowds build through the month but stay a notch below the July peak.

Weather: Mild days, highs near 70F (21C), cold nights
Crowds: 4 of 5
Prices: 4 of 5

What June is like in Yellowstone

June is when everything is open. Days are mild, with highs near 70F (21C), and nights are still cold at this elevation. The meadows are green, wildlife is everywhere, and baby animals are still around. Crowds build through the month but stay a notch below July's peak, and prices rise with them.

This month suits almost everyone, especially families who want full access and good wildlife watching. Book in-park lodging well ahead. If you want a little more elbow room, early June is better than late June, and September is the other great window.

Make the most of June

What is especially good about Yellowstone this month.

Full park access

All roads and most services are open, so you can plan one region per day across the whole park.

Wildlife in green meadows

Hayden Valley's bison herds and Lamar Valley's wolves and bears are active, best seen at dawn and dusk.

Junior Ranger season

Kids can earn a badge by completing activities, a great way to tie the geysers, canyons, and wildlife together.

What to pack for June

A warm fleece and jacket for cold mornings
A rain shell for passing showers
Sunscreen and a hat for high elevation sun
Hiking shoes
Binoculars

Our timing tip

Plan the big geyser basins for breakfast or dinner time in June, and use the middle of the day for drives or a short hike away from the crowds.

Book Yellowstone for June.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Yellowstone
Opens a hotel search for Yellowstone in June, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for June
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Yellowstone
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Yellowstone
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Yellowstone for June. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in June

Baby wildlife season

Late April through June

Bison calves, called red dogs for their color, appear from late April; bear cubs and elk calves follow. Spring is the park's maternity ward.

Things to do in Yellowstone

Full guide

Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin

See the famous eruption, then walk the basin's boardwalks, where Grand, Riverside, and Castle geysers reward those who check predicted times at the visitor center.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Grand Prismatic Spring

The boardwalk gets you close; the overlook trail from the Fairy Falls parking area gets you the postcard view. Midday color is best, midday parking is worst.

Tickets and tours →

Lamar Valley at dawn

The park's wildlife theater: wolves, bison, bears, and pronghorn. Bring binoculars, arrive before sunrise, and pull fully off the road to watch.

Tickets and tours →

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Artist Point at sunrise is the classic. The Uncle Tom's area and North Rim viewpoints each frame the Lower Falls differently; give the canyon a half day.

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Hayden Valley

The central bison superhighway, best at dawn and dusk. Traffic jams here are caused by the residents; budget slack time in every drive.

Tickets and tours →

Mammoth Hot Springs

Travertine terraces near the year-round North Entrance. In September and October, rutting elk take over the lawns; give them serious distance.

Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Work dawn to 10am and 5pm to dusk, and hide out midday: wildlife and parking both vanish in the middle of the day in summer, and both return in the evening.
Sleep inside the park or in Gardiner or Cooke City on the quieter north side; day-trippers from West Yellowstone and Jackson all surge in on the same schedule.
Drive the Grand Loop counterclockwise to the day-tripper flow and hit the marquee basins at breakfast or dinner time rather than at noon.
Walk ten minutes past any trailhead: even in August, the crowds evaporate a half mile from the road at spots like the Fairy Falls approach or the canyon rim trails.

Know before you go

Most park roads close to regular vehicles from about early November to late April, with openings staged through spring: west-side roads typically first in late April, higher passes like Dunraven last, into late May. Snow can delay any of it.
The one year-round road runs across the park's north side, from the North Entrance at Gardiner through Mammoth to the Northeast Entrance and Cooke City. In winter that is the only park road for regular cars, and the highway beyond Cooke City closes seasonally.
Winter interior access runs roughly mid December to mid March, by commercially guided snowcoach and snowmobile only, to destinations like Old Faithful. It is unforgettable, capacity-limited, and priced accordingly; book well ahead.
In-park lodges, campgrounds, and services operate seasonally, mostly from May or June to early October, with only limited winter operations. October and April visitors should expect most services closed even when some roads are open.