do I need SUV in early May?

Hi. I am planning to visit YNP in early May. We will be driving from salt lake city.

My question is do I need SUV/4X4 for the visit to yellowstone? Normally I rent a compact sedan for travel and I%26#39;ve noticed that renting SUV costs so much more! (compact sedan under $200 SUV ovr $500!)

do I need SUV in early May?

The quick, easy answer is, ';NO'; you should not need an SUV(4x4). However, let me qualify that.

Depending on how early in May you are going, you could experience some late winter weather at the higher elevations in YNP, including snowy and icy roads, and possibly wet and muddy conditions. If you are comfortable driving in conditions like that in a standard car, then by all means save the difference in price. If you are from a rural area in New York, that type of late winter/early spring driving should be nothing new for you.

One other point regarding a larger vehicle. Once in the park you will be spending a lot of time in the vehicle. Some find an SUV more comfortable, easier climbing in and out, and more room for passengers, gear and luggage. Are those features worth the extra charges? That is strictly up to you. For the most part, you will be driving on well maintained, paved roads, so off-road capability is not a requirement.

do I need SUV in early May?

Are you planning on staying on paved roads and just following the roads in Yellowstone?

We are having some spring snowstorms which has built up snow levels in the higher elevations and off the roads. The roads themselves in early Map are generally free of snow.

The other advantage to an SUV is these vehicles generally sit up higher and you can see out and over for better viewing. Especially if there are snowbanks.

Not sure if Salt Lake has a Dollar rental car but I just rented a Jeep Liberty this weekend at a very low price $200 for the week. I think they have some promos

Check them out to see if you can get a good rate out of Salt Lake

I used Coupon code LNKSH to save an extra 5% use in the promo code spot

If you have a Costco membership check out their rental car rates - they tend to be cheaper. Also, they have a liberal cancellation policy, so if you find something better, you can always change.

You wouldn%26#39;t necessarily need 4-wheel drive, but for reasons already stated an SUV is an advantage if you can find a good price!

I don%26#39;t think it is a bad idea to have one. We were in Yellowstone and the Tetgons last spring from June 6-12. I was glad we were in a 4 wheel drive. We had snow on 5 of the 7 days we were there. On 3 of those days, there was significant snow and the roads were icy.

The day we left YNP for GTNP (June 10), they closed the South Entrance about 30 minutes after we exited the park. The roads were very slick that morning. On the day we left GTNP for Denver (June 12), we had to go south through Pinedale because Togwotee Pass was closed with over a foot of snow. While last June%26#39;s weather was on the extreme side (a West Yellowstone business man told me that they had opted not to participate in global warming), you better be prepared with layers of clothes. We saw MANY tourists buying coats because they didn%26#39;t have layers for comfort.

On a positive note, we saw some beautiful and unexpected winter time scenery in June and we were able to get around to where we wanted to go. Wildlife was abundant in all areas. You will have a great trip, just be prepared. Since you are from NY, driving in snow probably won%26#39;t be a big issue for you.