While most who visit these national treasures do so in the summer, when nights can be downright chilly even after the warmest of days, some heartier souls prefer to visit after the snow falls. The hordes of summer visitors who clog the parks’ roads are gone. Summer Yellowstone and Winter Yellowstone are almost like two different worlds.
Outside of the parks and the wide range of outdoor pursuits they offer, there isn’t a whole lot of economic stimulus in the region. So, it’s understandable to some extent that the State of Wyoming, Park County commissioners and the leading lobbyist group for snowmobile manufacturers are up in arms over a 2009 National Park Service decision to further restrict the number of commercially guided snowmobile trips allowed per day in Yellowstone.
The beauty of Yellowstone and Grand Teton is unique and astonishing by any standard; however, there are millions of acres of public lands in Wyoming and throughout the west that are open to snowmobiling, and many areas that approach, if not match, the scenery and quality of riding found within the parks.
Part of the purpose of national parks is to preserve America’s most beautiful landscapes and the wildlife that inhabit them in as natural a state as possible. Many who have sat through a Yellowstone traffic jam may scoff at that notion, but winter is a different animal, so to speak.
Deep snow and sub-zero temperatures that can persist for weeks on end mean stressful times for Yellowstone wildlife. With food hard to come by, deer and other mammals trying to conserve just enough energy to survive can ill afford the stress of repeatedly running from the sounds of loud machinery. With all the attention the park receives in the warmer months, winter should largely be a time for rest and solitude.
People in the area who depend on snowmobile tourists for winter revenue have a point, but here’s the rub: There are still up to 318 guided tours allowed every day in Yellowstone. Is it a national park or a snowcross track?
While I’m not one of the folks whose livelihood may or may not depend on this issue, it seems that compromise is the most prudent course of action for everyone involved. Yellowstone is a big area, and there is some room for snowmobiles, but let’s not turn it into an amusement park — at least not until summer comes around, of course.
