Your Yellowstone Accessibility Guide: What to Know Before You Go

Key Takeaways

• People with permanent disabilities can get free lifetime entry to all national parks through the America the Beautiful Access Pass.

• Yellowstone National Park has dozens of accessible boardwalks, overlooks, and trails that people with mobility challenges can enjoy — including at Old Faithful, Midway Geyser Basin, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

• The park offers manual wheelchairs for loan at most visitor centers.

• Accessible lodging, campgrounds, and restrooms are available throughout the park, though features vary by area.

• There is no public shuttle system within Yellowstone, so most visitors get around by personal vehicle — accessible van rental companies serve several airports near the park, but availability is limited, so book early.

• Yellowstone is just one of many places where Montanans with disabilities can get outside and explore — Ability Montana's Outdoor Recreation program connects people with adaptive outdoor activities year-round.

What to Know Before You Go to Yellowstone

Before you head into the park, a little planning goes a long way. Here are a few things to know up front:

• The America the Beautiful Access Pass provides free lifetime entry to all national parks for U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. You can pick one up at any park entrance or visitor center. It also comes with discounts on camping and other fees.

• The National Park Service app is a helpful planning tool — it includes current accessibility details for facilities and trails, audio descriptions for exhibits and visitor center entrances, and alt text for images. Download it before your trip!

• Motorized wheelchairs and scooters designed for people with mobility impairments are allowed throughout the park. If you need a wheelchair while you're there, manual wheelchairs are available for loan at most visitor centers, and rentals are typically available at medical clinics for $15/day with a $300 refundable deposit.

• Trained service animals are welcome in Yellowstone and must be leashed at all times. The park defines a service animal as a dog trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability — such as providing balance support, carrying gear, or alerting to medical conditions. For more on service dog access rights and protections in Montana, check out Ability Montana's blog on service dog access in Montana.

• If you need a sign language interpreter for a ranger program, request it at least three weeks in advance by calling 307-344-2251.

Accessible Trails and Highlights

One of the best things about Yellowstone is how many iconic spots are reachable via accessible boardwalks and paved paths. Here's a rundown of some of the most accessible areas in the park.

• Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin are must-sees, and the good news is that accessible walkways lead from all parking areas to Old Faithful Geyser. Old Faithful erupts roughly every 90 minutes, shooting water up to 130 feet into the air. It's a spectacular sight, and you won't need to navigate rough terrain to see it. The Old Faithful Visitor Education Center is fully wheelchair accessible and features captioned films and interactive exhibits.
  

• Midway Geyser Basin, home to the famous Grand Prismatic Spring, has a half-mile fully accessible boardwalk. The vibrant colors of the hot spring are hard to believe — it's one of the most photographed spots in the entire park.
  

• Fountain Paint Pots is another solid stop. The first part of the boardwalk trail is level and wheelchair accessible, giving you views of hot springs, bubbling geysers, and mud pots.
  

• The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone has several viewpoints that are accessible by paved paths, including Artist Point, Brink of Upper Falls, and Inspiration Point on the North and South Rims. Artist Point in particular offers one of the most stunning panoramic views in the park.
  

• Mammoth Hot Springs has sections of accessible boardwalk through its unique terraced formations. Some sections are a bit uneven, so manual wheelchair users may want a companion along. The Albright Visitor Center here is fully accessible and offers tactile exhibits, audio descriptions, and large print materials.
  

• Lamar Valley doesn't have formal accessible trails, but it's a prime destination for wildlife viewing from your vehicle. Bison, bears, wolves — it's all out there. Pull off at any of the large roadside pullouts and take it all in safely from your car.

Accessible Restrooms, Lodging, and Campgrounds

Accessible restrooms are available at all major areas in the park. Accessible vault toilets can also be found at many scenic overlooks, picnic areas, and campgrounds.

Every campground in Yellowstone has at least one wheelchair-accessible site, and several can be reserved in advance. Accessible showers are available at Fishing Bridge RV Park, Grant Village Campground, and the Old Faithful Inn.

For lodging, accessible rooms and cabins are available throughout the park, including at Old Faithful, Canyon, Lake, Mammoth, and Grant Village. Outside the park, West Yellowstone, MT, makes a convenient home base — it's a short drive from the West Entrance and has wheelchair accessible cabin options like Explorer Cabins at Yellowstone.

Getting Around the Park

There is no public shuttle system within Yellowstone, so most visitors get around by personal vehicle. If you're traveling from out of state and need a wheelchair accessible van, plan ahead — options near Yellowstone are limited, but they do exist, depending on which entrance you're coming from.

• Wheelchair Getaways of Utah is one of the most Yellowstone-focused options available. Based in Salt Lake City, they serve airports in Provo, Ogden, Boise, Idaho Falls, Jackson, West Yellowstone, and Bozeman — and they specifically list Yellowstone as one of their service destinations. If you're flying into any of the surrounding airports, this is a great place to start.
  

• MobilityWorks is one of the largest accessible van rental networks in the country, with 90+ locations nationwide. They offer delivery in select areas, serve several major airports, and have a location serving the Billings, MT area. Daily rates typically run around $180/day, with discounts for multi-day rentals.
  

• Wheelers Van Rentals has a local presence in Jackson, Wyoming, which is the closest major gateway to Yellowstone's South Entrance and Grand Teton National Park. They offer drop-off and pick-up service and roadside assistance.

If you're entering through the North Entrance near Gardiner, Montana, or staying in the Bozeman area, it's worth calling Wheelchair Getaways of Utah directly, as they explicitly serve those airports. No matter which provider you choose, book as early as possible — accessible vans book out quickly in summer.

If you're a Montana resident with disability-related transportation challenges, Ability Montana has information about transportation options that may help you get to and around the park.

Yellowstone Accessible Tour Companies

If you'd rather explore with an expert than navigate on your own, guided tours are a great option — and several companies in the area can accommodate visitors with disabilities, especially through private or customizable tours.

• Yellowstone Forever is the park's official nonprofit partner and offers some of the most flexible guided experiences available. They also offer "step-on guiding," where a Yellowstone Forever educator joins your group in your own vehicle — a great option if you're already traveling in a wheelchair accessible van. This is probably the most disability-friendly tour structure available in the park.
  

• Yellowstone Vacations out of West Yellowstone offers a similar step-on guide service, where a knowledgeable local guide rides along in your personal vehicle. This format gives people with disabilities maximum control over pacing, stops, and accessibility — you're not dependent on a tour vehicle that may or may not accommodate your needs.
  

• GetYourGuide aggregates over a dozen wheelchair accessible tours in and around Yellowstone, ranging from private day tours to wildlife excursions. It's a good place to browse and compare options, read reviews from other travelers with disabilities, and filter specifically for accessibility.

Pro tip: When contacting any tour company, ask directly about their vehicle type and whether it can accommodate your mobility device, since most private tour vehicles are SUVs or vans that may not have ramp access.

More Ways to Get Outside and Enjoy Montana

Yellowstone is just one piece of what Montana has to offer for people with disabilities who love the outdoors.

If you're looking for more accessible outdoor adventures closer to home, check out Ability Montana's guide to wheelchair accessible trails and parks near Butte, Bozeman, and Helena. And if you'd like to connect with others and explore adaptive recreation opportunities, Ability Montana's Outdoor Recreation program is a great place to start!

Yellowstone belongs to everyone — this Yellowstone accessibility guide can help make your visit as smooth and memorable as possible.

Have questions about accessible recreation, assistive technology, or independent living in Montana? Contact Ability Montana to learn about the programs and resources available to you.