Among the National Parks, Yellowstone already stands out with its unique collection of hydrothermal features, wildlife, and vast scenery. However, when the busy season ends, and only the hardiest of locals remain, winter comes in hard and transforms Yellowstone into a snow-covered wonderland.凭借着罕见的地热风貌、丰富的野生动物资源以及令人目不暇接的美景，黄石国家公园在众多国家公园中独树一帜。然而，旅游旺季过后，当地面仅存一些耐寒植被时，严冬的来临也将黄石公园变成了一座冰雪乐园。

Because Yellowstone National Park sits mostly on a high plateau, the cold air is abundant. Add the Snake River Plain of Idaho funneling storms north, and you have a perfect setup for multiple feet of snow in each of the winter months. Starting in November and lasting through March or April, temperatures rarely get above freezing, and can dip down to forty degrees below zero.黄石国家公园大部分都位于高原之上，冷空气十足。再加上北风刮过爱达荷州的蛇河高原，在冬季的每个月份，你都可以在这里看见几英尺的积雪。每年的十一月至来年的三四月份，这里的气温极少在零度以上，有时甚至会低至零下四十度。

Unless you're afraid of the bitter cold, there are not many reasons why you shouldn't visit, but here are a few why you should! Keep in mind, Yellowstone is only open to private tours in the winter, via snowcoach or snowmobile.除非你畏惧严寒，否则你没有太多理由不来黄石公园游玩。相反，这里却有几个值得你前去的理由。不过你需要注意，冬季的黄石公园只对私人旅行团开放，你需要乘坐他们提供的冰原雪车或雪上摩托车才能进入公园。

The Wildlife Is Easier To Spot.更易见到野生动物。

Because the snow often contrasts with the dark furs of wildlife, it makes them easier to spot while on your tour. Although bears hibernate during these months, the wolves become much more active than during the summer. Foxes, otters, bobcats, and more all are fighting for survival, making them easily seen out in the open.
白色的雪地与深色的动物皮毛经常形成强烈的色彩对比，这便使你在旅途中更容易看见一些野生动物。尽管在冬季的这几个月，熊会冬眠，但狼群却比夏季时更活跃，狐狸、水獭、山猫，还有其它动物也都会出来觅食谋生，所以在户外更容易见到它们。

The Crowds Are Gone.游客减少

With the beautiful weather of summer in Wyoming, crowds are abundant. In the winter, you pretty much have the park to yourself, besides your own small tour group. You get to walk on the boardwalks in complete silence, and take in the sights without the crowds.
怀俄明州夏季天气很好，所以黄石公园游客众多。但是在冬季，除了与你一同前来的旅行团，你几乎是在独享公园美景。少了拥挤的人群，你可以安安静静地漫步在公园的木板桥上，将美景尽收眼底。

The Snow Is Plentiful.积雪很多。

Although some people hate it after a day or two, everyone loves snow. Yellowstone averages 150 to 300 inches of the white stuff in the winter, and it is very slow to melt. By the end of the season, snow drifts can be higher than five feet in the lower elevations, and more than twice that in the mountains.
尽管刚下完雪后的那一两天，有些人会很讨厌它，但每个人都是喜欢雪的。冬季，黄石公园的积雪厚度平均在150英尺至300英寸之间，而且融雪速度较慢。即使到了季末，低海拔地区的积雪仍厚达5英尺多，积雪量是高山地带的两倍还多。

Cross Country Skiing Is Like Hiking, But Better.越野滑雪与徒步旅行相似，但能带给你更多享受。

When I started cross country skiing, I found it very easy to get the hang of. It's a great way to extend your hiking season to year round, and you can get more miles in a day. Personally, I find cross country skiing more enjoyable than downhill skiing, just for the solitude and relaxation. Trails for cross country skiing and snowshoeing in the Yellowstone areas are plentiful.
在最初尝试越野滑雪时，我发现很容易就能掌握其中的要领。越野滑雪是你实现全年徒步旅行的好办法，而且它会让你在一天内到达更远的地方。在我个人看来，如果你仅仅想要拥有一段安静的时光来放松身心，那么比起高山滑雪，你将从越野滑雪中得到更多的乐趣。在黄石公园中，有许多适合越野滑雪旅行和雪鞋健行之旅的地方。

The Geysers And Hot Springs Are Much More Impressive.间歇泉和温泉更让人难以忘怀。

During the winter, the scalding water of Yellowstone's thermal features clash dramatically with the bitterly cold air, creating thick steam that fills the air. This steam can also reach the trees, where it quickly builds up a layer of frost, turning the trees white.
在冬季，黄石公园温泉内滚烫的泉水和冷空气相遇，会产生大量水蒸气并弥漫在空气中。这些水蒸气一旦与树木相接触，便会迅速形成一层霜，将树木染成白色。

tips

If you're interested in seeing Yellowstone in the winter, I would recommend a snowcoach tour with Yellowstone Vacations. If you're feeling adventurous, you can also book a snowmobile tour with Yellowstone Adventures. Both are based in the town of West Yellowstone, and the Faithful Street Inn offers cozy cabin lodging all year long.
如果你有兴致在冬季参观黄石公园，那么我向你推荐黄石假日酒店（Yellowstone Vacations）的冰原雪车之旅。如果你喜欢冒险，那么你也可以去黄石探险小屋（Yellowstone Adventures）预约雪地摩托车之旅。这两间酒店都位于西黄石镇，老忠实喷泉小木屋（Faithful Street Inn）也坐落在那里，小木屋环境舒适，并全年向游客提供住宿服务。


注：以上并非原创，但本人希望能够分享给更多朋友（尤其是土豪们）。特此搬运！🙏