You are here

Wyoming Governor Calling For More Snowmobiles In Yellowstone National Park

Share

Wyoming officials want to see as many as 540 snowmobiles allowed into Yellowstone each day during the park's winter season, conditions allowing. Photo of the Upper Geyser Basin from Observation Point by Kurt Repanshek.

Wyoming's governor believes 540 snowmobiles a day could travel through Yellowstone National Park in winter without adversely impacting wildlife, air quality, or the park's soundscape.

Gov. Matt Mead made that point in the state's official comments to park officials, who are working on yet another environmental impact statement intended to come up with a feasible and legally defensible winter-use plan for Yellowstone.

"The daily limits listed in the proposed rule for snowmobile use is too low. The best available information for air quality, soundscape, and wildlife supports a level in the range of 540 snowmobiles per day," wrote the governor. "At that daily allocation level the impact to resources is recorded as minimal within the Draft Yellowstone Winter Use Plan and DEIS."

The park's currently preferred alternative, he said, would reduce by nearly 6,000 the number of snowmobiles entering the park over the course of the winter. Such a reduction would have a direct impact on the regional economy, Gov. Mead wrote.

"Yellowstone winter use is closely tied to businesses involved with recreation, hotels, restaurants, etc. Local communities are built around a seasonal economy, and the park is a large piece of that seasonal economy," he noted.

For more than a decade the debate over how winter in Yellowstone should be enjoyed has dragged on. The Park Service has gone back and forth with the political winds, calling back in 2000 for recreational snowmobile use to be phased out completely only to see the Bush administration drop that decision in favor of continued snowmobile use.

Legal battles waged by those who want continued snowmobile use and those who believe Yellowstone would be healthier without snowmobiles have prolonged the debate and led to a fistful of environmental studies -- environmental assessments as well as more complex and detailed environmental impact statements.

Under the park's currently preferred alternative, up to 330 snowmobiles and 80 snowcoaches would be allowed daily into the park for 45 days of the 90-day winter season. However, the Park Service's own science has pointed to 250 as the daily threshhold of snowmobiles over which the park's resources would be adversely impacted.

There are seven alternatives in the DEIS. In addition to the park's preferred option, which calls for a sliding scale of sorts that would determine daily snowmobile and snowcoach limits, one option calls for not allowing any motorized use, another  calls for phasing out snowmobiles in favor of snowcoaches, and one  proposes allowing up to 720 snowmobiles and 78 snowcoaches per day.

In his letter to the park, Gov. Mead believes the park's preferred alternative would prevent many visitors from enjoying Yellowstone in winter.

"Protection of resources does not have to come at the expense of access; we can have both -- healthy resources and open access," the governor stressed. "I reiterate what I wrote you in July -- we can balance protection of the park’s resources and snowmobile access, and I am committed to working with you and others to that end."

Gov. Mead also urged the park to allow non-commercial snowmobile trips in the park.

"The requirement that 100% of snowmobile entries into Yellowstone be commercially guided is extreme and unreasonable. Responsible non-commercial use of Yellowstone can be accomplished," he maintained. "It can be accomplished through a well-designed non-commercial guide system that includes an educational component with Yellowstone-specific elements to help visitors safely and responsibly visit the park. Non-commercial access to Yellowstone is important to the State of Wyoming, its communities, citizens, and visitors."

Comments

SUBLIME:

I decided i'm not coming to Yellowstone this winter because there is too much snowmobile exhaust so i will not be staying at any Yellowstone hotels or eating any food around there. Hope this doesn't hinder Yellowstone's economic recovery.

 

This focus on snowmobiles and other loud, smelly vehicles as the sole driver of the winter economy around Yellowstone is short-sighted. There is much to be gained from promoting the area as a place to slow down, not a place to go fast. Try that for a few winters, and see what happens.

  

This is a national park and not a state park - it does not seem that it should be a decision for the governor as it belongs to all, not just any one locale nor the businesses that have benefitted from their association surrounding the boundaries.

  

The National Parks were not created to provide jobs or to create buisness oportunities.It is nice that people can make a living who live near parks but it is not the reason they are there.

  Bravo, folks.  Well said, all around.

LUDICROUS:

We did not notice any adverse effects on the wildlife during our trip. The bison passing close enough to us to actually touch as they passed. The guides were very careful that we did not disturb the animals.

  No adverse effect of loud, smelly snowmobiles passing close enough to bison to touch them as you pass?  Are you serious?  What do you mean, that you are proud of not having actually collided with them?  What guides were those who made sure you did not disturb the animals?  "Folks, be careful not to run over any hooves out here, will you?  It's OK to slap 'em on the rumps as you go by, but stay away from those horns on the other end, now!"

I'm disgusted.  Especially after what I read and wrote on the aggressive mountain goat posting.  Fools in paradise, ruining it.
 


I am assuming when [he] said. The bison passing close enough to us to actually touch as THEY passed, the snowmoblies were stoped but that may be LUDICROUS.


Public support for continued or increased funding of our national parks will decrease as the economy continues to worsen if regular folks are not allowed to actually use and enjoy the lands set aside for recreation.  Telling citizens "we want your tax money to pay for the upkeep of this land, but you cannot touch it" will get old fast.


I don't understand why this issue is always inaccurately framed to make it look as if people are banned from Yellowstone in the winter.  You can go wherever you want, whenever you want, as long as you're willing to use your legs. 
I've been in Yellowstone in the winter on snow shoes and cross-country skies.  More people should try it.  Its good for you.  Also, its pretty cheap.  Even "regualr folks" can afford it.


What I find ludicrous is those still complaining about loud and smelly snowmobiles that haven't been allowed in the park since 2005 so it is obvious they haven't been in the park for a while. The current snowmobiles are all 4 stroke just like automobiles and don't burn oil. They are also quieter than the snowcoaches that you don't seem to have a problem with that still don't meet Best Available Technology requirements.
 
Another thing that I find ludicrous is those complaining about the close proximity that a snowmobile may get to bison on the groomed roads yet don't complain about the snowcoaches that must also go through those bison herds and the snowcoaches are a lot wider than a snowmobile taking up a lot more of the road pinching the bison into an even smaller area to get around them.
 
Finally to [Aaron], you might want to check and find out that you can't always go where you want when you want in the park when you use your own legs. It's great that people have the ability to use skis and snow shoes but I have not seen any families make the 60 mile round trip from West Yellowstone in one day on skis or snow shoes to see Old Faithful. If people have never used them I highly doubt they could do it no matter how great of shape they are in.
 
I say just go enjoy Yellowstone sometime in the winter and see how great it is. It is much quieter than the summer. Watch the clean and quiet snowmobiles tour the park at a controlled pace by an experienced guide. It has changed a lot since the 90's.


I just hope all can respectfully enjoy the park with reasonable options.


I'm curious as to whether there's much of an economic benefit for Wyoming since the majority of the snowmobiles enter through Montana. I suppose they receive sales and hotel taxes.


y_p_w,

Here's your answer from an article we ran back in July:

How might closing the East Entrance to over-snow traffic affect the tax coffers of Cody, Wyoming, and its surrounding Park County?

According to economic studies contained in the DEIS, "Recent lodging and tax data for Fremont (Idaho) Park (Wyoming) counties indicate that declines in snowmobile entries into Yellowstone in particular, and in winter visitation in the park in general, have not detectably impacted the overall winter tourist economy in the counties as measured by monthly lodging tax collections. This is despite the fact that the economies of these counties are relatively small."

Part of the reason Park County is not greatly impacted, the report notes, is that it draws 41
percent of its lodging tax revenues in winter from the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, which you can't snowmobile to.


Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.