Xanterra Parks & Resorts, the main concessioner operating lodging, restaurants and activities in Yellowstone National Park, will begin offering a winter shuttle service from the Bozeman, Mont. airport to Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel.
The service will cost $51.50 and coincide with the park’s winter season marked by the opening of Old Faithful Snow Lodge Dec. 18, 2013 and Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, which opens Dec. 20, according to a statement released by the company.
The lodges provide the only winter accommodations within the park. Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel will close for the winter season March 3, 2014, and Old Faithful Snow Lodge will close March 2, 2014.
“This is another step toward making a visit as seamless and cost-effective as possible,” said Rick Hoeninghausen, director of sales and marketing for Xanterra in Yellowstone. “Since in-park travel is almost all done on board a commercial over-the-snow vehicle, it doesn’t make sense to rent a vehicle at the airport and park it at Mammoth Hotel for the several days a guest is typically in the park.”
Except for the road from Gardiner, Mont. to Cooke City, Mont. via Mammoth Hot Springs, transportation within the park is limited to snowmobiles and enclosed heated snow coaches during the winter. Snow coach transportation is available daily to a variety of park locations. Xanterra also offers a wide range of half- and full-day snow coach, ski and snowshoe tours and ski and snowshoe rentals as well as instruction and other services.
Other concessioners and contractors provide snowmobile and snow coach travel from gateway towns to locations inside the park.
The shuttle departs Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel daily at 9:15 a.m. and arrives at the airport at 11:15 a.m. For guests remaining in Bozeman, the shuttle will drop them off at a local hotel. Visitors who spent the previous night in Bozeman will board the shuttle at the Holiday Inn at 1 p.m. The shuttle will then return to the airport to pick up arrivals for a 1:45 p.m. departure back to the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel in Yellowstone. The mid-day schedule was chosen because the largest number of air travelers arrives and departs the airport in that time period.
Rates are $51.50, plus taxes and fees, each way for riders age three years and up. Guests who have booked a package through Xanterra for their Yellowstone visit can receive a special rate on the airport shuttle of $39 plus taxes and fees, each way.
Details are available by calling 866-GEYSERLAND (866-439-7375) or by visiting www.YellowstoneNationalParkLodges.com.