For your safety and the protection of the park, below is a list of Yellowstone’s Rules and Regulations.

1. Wildlife
The wildlife is wild and dangerous, and it is illegal to be within 25 yards of any big game wildlife.  Every year, visitors have been injured, some severely, by wildlife.  Even small chipmunks can bite and carry diseases.  Bears and Moose (especially the moose in the Big Sky area) are more unpredictable than the other wildlife, and require a 100 yard distance.   Never feed any wildlife, including chipmunks and birds.  In Yellowstone we strive to keep the wildlife on their natural diet, this keeps them healthier and prevents them from associating humans with food, which can prevent a future attack.  Also, fed animals often loose their ability to find food on their own and when the park closes, many chipmunks will starve and bears may be destroyed.  Help us keep Yellowstone Wild!

When stopping to view wildlife, keep in mind you are on a highway.  Pull completely off of the road, and never exit your vehicle unless the animal is more than the legal distance away.  The Driver needs to WATCH THE ROAD!  There are often children and other pedestrians along with other wildlife at wildlife jams.  Never park in the road, especially on blind corners.  The speed limit is 45 miles per hour on most of the park roads, and every year over 100 vehicles are totaled and over 100 animals are killed on Yellowstone’s roadways.  Drive with extreme caution when the animals are more active at dawn, dusk and overnight.

2. Thermal Areas

Just like any volcanic area, thermal areas are very dangerous, with boiling water just below the surface, and sudden eruptions of geysers.  Every year people are severely burned and sometimes killed by Yellowstone’s springs.  The average temperature is 182 degrees.  This is 80 to 90 degrees warmer than your hot tub.  95% of Yellowstone’s thermal activity is above 140 degrees and is capable of giving you a 3rd degree burn.  It is required that you stay on all of the trails and boardwalks in all thermal areas.  It is possible off trail to break through athin layer of rock, which looks solid, into water that is well over boiling. Please do not throw anything, including snow, into any of Yellowstone’s springs.  Sticks, rocks and coins can plug the vents and ruin the springs for all times.  It is a $5000 fine for throwing any object into a spring.

3. Pets
Pets must be on a lease at all times, and are not allowed on any of Yellowstone’s trails or boardwalks, in the frontcountry or the backcountry.  Pets often do not know the difference between hot or cold water, and many have died in Yellowstone’s springs.  Also it is illegal to let you pet harass any wildlife.

4.  Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints.
It is illegal to collect any rocks, pinecones, wildflowers or any other samples.  Please leave them here for everyone to enjoy.  There were two petrified trees over 20 feet high and about 3 feet in diameter that have been completely chipped away, piece by piece and are now completely gone.  You are not able to see these trees because of thoughtless visitors from the past.  All please pick up all of your trash, including cigarette butts.  Help keep Yellowstone clean!

5.  Smoking
smoking is not permitted on any trails or boardwalks or in any buildings.  You may smoke along roads or any parking area please see the forest fire page for any fire restrictions that may prohibit any smoking.  Please throw your cigarette butt away properly, do not throw it on the ground.