June in Yellowstone National Park is when summer truly begins to take hold.
Snow has mostly melted from the valleys, nearly all park roads are open, wildflowers begin blooming across the meadows, and wildlife activity remains high after the spring calving season.
It’s one of the most exciting months to visit because you get full park access with long daylight hours and comfortable temperatures — though crowds start increasing quickly as summer travel ramps up.
Below, I’ll walk through what the weather is like, what crowds typically look like, and how to plan a trip that takes full advantage of Yellowstone National Park in June.
Let’s take a closer look at what visiting Yellowstone in June is really like.
‼️ If you just want a quick snapshot about my thoughts on the best time to visit Yellowstone National Park, check out my Best Time to Go To Yellowstone National Park guide. ‼️
If you’re planning to visit Yellowstone National Park in spring, summer or fall, make your planning easy and stress free with a detailed itinerary. I have 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-day itineraries for Yellowstone National Park that include all the park highlights, give you choices based on your preferred activity level, and take all the stress out of planning your trip.
Table of Contents
Visiting Yellowstone National Park in June
What’s the Weather in Yellowstone in June?
June weather in Yellowstone is generally pleasant but still variable, especially at the park’s high elevation.
Rain & storms: Afternoon showers or thunderstorms are common in June, but snow is rare except at the highest elevations.
Daytime highs: Typically in the 60s and low 70s°F.
Nighttime lows: Often fall into the 30s or low 40s°F, especially early in the month.
‼️ Tip: Even in summer, mornings and evenings can feel chilly, so layers are still important.
What Accommodations are Open in Yellowstone in June?
By June, most park lodging and campgrounds are open. June reservations fill quickly, so booking ahead is important.
Lodging
All Yellowstone National Park lodges are open by or in June.
✔ Mammoth Hot Springs is open in June (usually opens late April).
✔ Old Faithful Snow Lodge is open in June (usually opens late April).
✔ Old Faithful Inn is open in June (usually opens at the beginning of May).
✔ Lake Yellowstone Hotel & Cabins is open in June (opens mid May).
✔ Canyon Lodge & Cabins is open in June (opens mid May).
✔ Grant Village Lodges is open in June (opens end of May).
✔ Roosevelt Lodge & Cabins open early June.
✔ Lake Lodge Cabins open mid-June.
You can also find accommodations in nearby gateway towns. Check my guides:
➡️ The Best Motels in West Yellowstone (West Entrance)
➡️ The Best Cabins in West Yellowstone (West Entrance)
➡️ The Best West Yellowstone Hotels (West Entrance)
➡️ The Best Hotels In Gardiner (North Entrance)
➡️ The Best Vacation Rentals Near Yellowstone National Park
Campgrounds
Most campgrounds across the park are open in June.
✔ Mammoth Campground is open year round.
✔ Bridge Bay Campground is open (opens mid-May).
✔ Canyon Campground opens is open (opens at the end of May).
✔ Fishing Bridge RV Park is open (opens early May).
✔ Madison Campgrounds is open (opens at the beginning of May)
✔ Tower Fall Campground is open (opens late May)
✔ ❌ Grant Village Campground opens at the end of June.
✔ Slough Creek Campground opens mid-June.
✔ Indian Creek Campground opens mid-June.
❌ Pebble Creek Campground is currently closed year round
➡️ See my Guide to the Yellowstone Campgrounds for more info about the Yellowstone campgrounds.
What Services are open in Yellowstone in June?
June marks the beginning of full summer operations.
Visitor Centers
Visitor Centers are fully open, and ranger programs become more frequent.
ℹ️ The Albright Visitor Center in Mammoth Hot Springs is open year-round and is staffed and available for information, exhibits, maps, and trip planning. It has regular hours (8:00 AM–6:00 PM) in June.
ℹ️ Canyon Visitor Education Center has regular summer hours in June (8:00 AM–6:00 PM).
ℹ️ Old Faithful Visitor Center has regular summer hours in June (8:00 AM–8:00 PM).
ℹ️ Fishing Bridge Visitor Center and Trailside Museum is open in June (8:00 AM–6:00 PM).
ℹ️ Grant Visitor Center is open in June (8:00 AM–6:00 PM).
ℹ️ Madison Information Station and Trailside Museum usually opens at the start of June.
ℹ️ Museum of the National Park Ranger usually opens at the end of June.
ℹ️ Norris Geyser Basin Museum and Information Station is usually open in June (9:00 AM–5:00).
ℹ️ West Thumb Information Station is open in June (9:00 AM–5:00 PM).
ℹ️ West Yellowstone/Lobby NPS Desk (in West Yellowstone town) has regular summer hours (8:00 AM–8:00 PM).
Stores
Most stores in Yellowstone are open in June.
🛍️ Mammoth General Store is open daily year-round.
🛍️ Old Faithful General Store is open in June (daily late April to mid-October).
🛍️ Old Faithful Basin Store is open in June (daily late May to mid-September).
🛍️ Canyon General Store is open in June (daily early May to mid-October).
🛍️ Canyon Adventure Store opens mid-June to late September.
🛍️ Tower General Store is open in June (daily late May to early October).
🛍️ Fishing Bridge General Store is open daily mid-May to mid-October.
🛍️ Bridge Bay General Store is open in June (daily late-May to mid-September).
🛍️ Grant Village General Store is open in June (daily from the end of May to late-September).
🛍️ Lake General Store opens early June to mid-September.
Wildlife & Nature in Yellowstone in June
June remains a great wildlife viewing month, though spring calving season begins to taper off.
Animals commonly seen include:
⭐ Bison calves still roaming with herds
⭐ Elk calves born in late spring
⭐ Black bears and grizzlies actively foraging
⭐ Wolves and coyotes in open valleys
⭐ Bald eagles and other birds
Early morning and sunset are the best times for wildlife spotting.
I recommend investing in a good spotting scope if seeing wildlife is a priority. ➡️ See my guide to the best spotting scopes for wildlife viewing.
Remember wildlife rules (stay at least 25 yards away from large mammals and 100 yards from bears and wolves).
Things to Do in Yellowstone in June
In addition to wildlife viewing, June brings the start of wildflower season in Yellowstone. Lower-elevation meadows begin filling with blooms, and the park’s landscapes look greener and more vibrant than earlier spring months.
June is when hiking season really begins in Yellowstone. The lower elevation trails are fully snow-free and ideal for day hikes. Some high-elevation trails may still have patchy snow early in June, but most open as the month progresses. Early June hikers may still encounter mud or snow patches.
Back-country hiking season is open in June (it starts mid-May). Online reservations must be made at least three days before the trip start date.
Yellowstone’s thermal features are accessible in June.
Yellowstone’s waterfalls are still full in June. Read my Guide to The Best Waterfalls in Yellowstone.
Most ranger programs are available in June – they typically start Memorial Day, right at the end of May (or beginning of June).
Roads & Park Access in Yellowstone in June
By June, all major roads in Yellowstone are usually open.
The entire Grand Loop Road — the main road that connects the park’s famous sights — is typically fully accessible, including:
🚗 Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin
🚗 Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
🚗 Tower-Roosevelt area
🚗 Yellowstone Lake
🚗 Lamar Valley
High-elevation routes like Dunraven Pass (between Tower and Canyon) normally open by late May, so they’re fully accessible in June.
This means you can easily explore the entire park by car.
Is June a Good Time to Visit Yellowstone National Park?
Is June a good time to visit Yellowstone? Yes. If you decide to visit this time of year, the best time to visit Yellowstone in summer is June.
If you start your days early and plan strategically, Yellowstone National Park in June offers an unforgettable mix of wildlife, powerful waterfalls, and full summer access.
Pros
- Incredible wildlife activity
- Peak waterfall flow
- Long daylight hours
- Full park access
- Wildflowers beginning to bloom
Cons
- Lodging and campsites book quickly
- Crowds increase as summer begins
- Afternoon thunderstorms are possible
- Mornings can be cold
The Bottom Line
June is one of the best months to visit Yellowstone National Park. Nearly everything is open, wildlife is active, and the landscape is lush and vibrant after spring snowmelt. While crowds begin increasing toward late June, visiting earlier in the month can give you a wonderful mix of great weather, active wildlife, and full park access before peak summer tourism arrives.
Deciding when to go to Yellowstone National Park is a very important step in planning your trip, and I hope this guide is helping.
However, as I’m sure you’re very aware, this is just one thing of many to decide. Once you’ve decided the timing of your trip, you still need to make an actual plan.
In fact, the thing that most people ask me about is how to put it all together into an itinerary that makes sense. They decide when they’ll go and maybe even book their flights, but still worry about how to minimize the crowds, what to do – and when – and how to coordinate it all.
To help take away the overwhelm of planning a trip to Yellowstone National Park, I’ve created several super detailed itineraries.
Without them, people often feel stressed about planning their trip. With them, they have the confidence of getting all the info they need in one spot. Plus, there’s flexibility built in, so they can easily adapt them to their own interests and activity levels.
There are 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4- day options for Yellowstone National Park: all with detailed hour-by-hour schedules, including alternatives for different activity and fitness levels, plus trail maps and descriptions, driving instructions, important information, essential tips, and everything else you need to make the most of your time in Yellowstone National Park.
Have a great trip to Yellowstone no matter when you go!
More Planning Resources for Yellowstone National Park
⭐ Yellowstone National Park Guide
⭐ Yellowstone Itineraries
⭐ 7 Mistakes to Avoid
⭐ How Many Days in Yellowstone National Park?
⭐ Guide To Camping In Yellowstone National Park
⭐ How to Visit Yellowstone in Winter
⭐ Best Things To Do In Yellowstone National Park
⭐ The Best Yellowstone Scenic Drives
⭐ Lamar Valley Scenic Drive
⭐ Best Waterfalls in Yellowstone National Park
⭐ Best Hikes in Yellowstone National Park
⭐ Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail Guide
⭐ Best Time to Visit Yellowstone National Park
⭐ Tips For Visiting Yellowstone National Park
⭐ How To Get To Yellowstone National Park
⭐ All The Airports Near Yellowstone National Park
⭐ The Closest Airport to Yellowstone National Park
⭐ 10 Fun Facts about Yellowstone National Park
⭐ Best Books about Yellowstone National Park
⭐ Vacation Rentals Near Yellowstone National Park
⭐ Yellowstone Packing List
➡️ If you’re also planning to visit the Grand Tetons, read my Guide to Grand Teton National Park and get a detailed Grand Teton itinerary.
Do you have any thoughts on the best time to travel to Yellowstone? I’d love to hear them. Join my private Facebook group National Parks Collectors and comment and let me know.
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💻 Are you starting to plan a trip to Yellowstone National Park? Read my Guide to Yellowstone National Park
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💲 Are you ready to book your trip? Use these Planning and Booking Resources
📖 Do you want to read a book about Yellowstone National Park? Check out my Recommended Reading List for Yellowstone National Park
About the Author
James Ian has traveled to 82 countries and all 7 continents. He has visited all of the main national parks in the United States, as well as many national monuments and state parks.
He has rafted through the Grand Canyon; rappelled down slot canyons near Zion and Arches; hiked among the hoodoos in Bryce and the enormous trees in Sequoia; admired the waterfalls in Yosemite and the colored hot springs in Yellowstone; seen moose in Grand Tetons and seals in the Channel Islands, and much more.
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