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Winter use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway (JDR) has been the subject of controversy for many years.

Winter use in the parks was challenged in a lawsuit filed in Washington D.C. district court in 1997, and the NPS agreed to prepare a new winter use plan and environmental impact statement (EIS). In late 2000, the National Park Service finalized the EIS and issued a Record of Decision for Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the JDR that proposed to eliminate both snowmobile and snowplane use from the parks by the winter of 2003-2004, and provide access via a mass-transit snowcoach system. That decision was based on a finding that the snowmobile and snowplane use existing at that time, and the snowmobile use analyzed in the EIS alternatives, impaired park resources and values, thus violating the statutory mandate of the NPS. These changes were completed with a final rule published in the Federal Register on January 22, 2001 (66 FR 7260), which became effective on April 22, 2001.

That decision was contested in Wyoming District Court, and in 2001 the National Park Service began a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement focusing on the cleaner and quieter snowmobiles just becoming commercially available at that time. In February 2003, the NPS made a decision to continue allowing snowmobile use under three strict conditions: 1) winter visitation was to be limited to no more than 950 snowmobiles daily in Yellowstone; 2) all snowmobiles would have to use best available technology; and 3) snowmobilers would have to be led by trained guides. That decision was finalized in December 2003 with a new regulation governing winter use in the parks, but was shortly thereafter overturned by the Washington, D.C. District Court, ruling upon another lawsuit. That court ordered the NPS to implement the January 22, 2001 regulation phasing out recreational snowmobiling (the first EIS). Specifically, up to 493 snowmobiles were allowed daily into Yellowstone for the 2003-04 season, with another 50 in Grand Teton and JDR. All snowmobiles in Yellowstone were required to be led by commercial guides. Snowmobiles were to be phased out entirely from the parks in the 2004-05 season.

On October 14, 2004, the Wyoming Court vacated and remanded the 2000 EIS and ROD and the January 22, 2001 rule to the NPS. This ruling prevented the NPS from continuing to implement the snowmobile phase-out.

With no rules evidently usable for continued winter use, the National Park Service published a new Final Rule on November 10, 2004 in the Federal Register. These rules were implemented for an interim period, through the winter of 2006-07. The rules allowed 720 snowmobiles per day into Yellowstone and 140 per day into Grand Teton National Park. Within Yellowstone, all snowmobiles had to be commercially guided, and all had to be Best Available Technology (BAT) machines. Guides were not necessary in Grand Teton, but most machines there also had to be BAT machines.

During the three years of this plan, YNP scientists continued to monitor winter use. This information was used to develop a new EIS that resulted in new regulations for winter use for Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. Issued in March 2007, the draft EIS utilized the input provided by the park’s neighbors and partners—including concessioners, snowmobile and snowcoach guides and outfitters, chambers of commerce, businesses, the conservation community, and state tourism organizations. The plan was on public review through early June.

In September 2007, the NPS released the Final EIS, with the NPS Regional Director signing the Record of Decision in November and the Final Rule published in the Federal Register on Dec. 13, 2007. The Final Rule made few changes for the winter of 2007-08, continuing most of the provisions of the Temporary Environmental Assessment. Starting with the winter of 2008-09, though, the following changes will occur:

• The daily snowmobile limit for Yellowstone will drop from 720 to 540, to better protect park resources and respond to many commentors who suggested that a lower snowmobile limit be instituted if such use was to be retained - PUBLIC COMMENT REPORT, Winter Use Plans, Draft Environmental Impact Statement Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway (295 Kb pdf)
• The NPS will no longer use explosives on Sylvan Pass for avalanche control. Visitor use of the pass will be allowed when detailed avalanche forecasting indicates conditions are safe, and discussions will continue with representatives of Cody, Park County, Wyoming, and the State of Wyoming regarding the future management of this pass in winter http://www.nps.gov/yell/parkmgmt/sylvanstudy.htm).  
• Best Available Technology requirements for snowmobiles will continue; such requirements for snowcoaches will be implemented in the winter of 2011-2012.
• The NPS will implement a detailed bison-groomed road research program Evaluating Key Uncertainties Regarding Road Grooming and Bison Movements (251 MB pdf). 
• In Grand Teton, the daily snowmobile limit will drop to 65 per day and the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail (CDST) will no longer be groomed for snowmobile travel. Persons traveling the trail through the park will be allowed to haul their machines by trailer from Moran to Flagg Ranch.

Several lawsuits have been filed against the NPS and this decision, in both the Wyoming and District of Columbia federal District Courts. As of May 2008, they are pending.