Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Suzanne Lewis reminds park visitors that beginning this winter season, visitors planning to visit the park by snowmobile will be required to have a snowmobile reservation for each day they snowmobile in the park. If you are traveling with a commercial operator, your reservations will be made through that company. If you are traveling independently and operating a personal or rented snowmobile, you will be required to make your own reservation. Beginning July 23, 2003, advance reservations can be made by calling Xanterra Parks and Resorts at: 307-344-7311 between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm Mountain Time seven days a week.

Upon arrival, proof of your snowmobile reservation(s) can be picked up at the following locations: North Entrance at Xanterra winter snowmobile hut, south of Mammoth Hot Springs; West Entrance - Public Lands Desk in the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce building; South Entrance - Moran Entrance of Grand Teton National Park for entrance fee payment (if open), and South Entrance for proof of snowmobile reservation (and entrance fee if Moran Entrance is closed); East Entrance - at the East Entrance. Visitors wishing to obtain a snowmobile permit after they arrive at the park can call Xanterra for availability. Snowmobile reservations are limited, and visitors are encouraged to reserve in advance.

Snowmobilers traveling without a commercial operator will be required to pay a non-refundable reservation fee of $ 10.00 per snowmobile for the first day, with an additional $ 3.00 required for each day thereafter. Reservations are non-transferable. Reservation changes, including changing names of visitors, will require a new reservation and additional fee.

The snowmobile reservation fee does not include the park entrance fee. Visitors entering the park on snowmobile will be required to pay $ 15.00 per snowmobile for a one-day entrance fee or $ 20.00 for a multi-day entrance fee valid for seven days. The Annual Park Pass, National Parks Pass, and other passes (Golden Age, Golden Eagle, and Golden Access) apply to the entrance fee, not the reservation fee. These passes admit the permittee, spouse, and immediate family members.

All snowmobile visitors must travel in groups of at least two and no more than eleven snowmobiles. The individual whose name is on the reservation must accompany the group in the park.

Persons operating snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park must possess a valid motor vehicle operator's license.

A list of existing commercial snowmobile guides is available on the Yellowstone web site or by calling: 307-344-2271.