The rules to allow regulated snowmobiles have been good ones that don't hurt the park or the animals. If the snowmobiles meet the emissions and noise standards set by the park and with the guides needed to lead them through the park it is good for the park and educational to the park's visitors.

My only question is why is the photo of the snowmobiles so old? It is at least 2002 which is before any of the current regulations were put into place so that type of scene doesn't really exist anymore with two stroke snowmobiles nor the size of the group so why even put in a photo that old? Surely someone has taken a more current photo than seven years old.

We took a trip to Yellowstone 2 winters ago. It was FANTASTIC. We rode on snowmobiles for a day, and snowcoached for a day. The guides on both the snowmobiles and snowcoach were friendly, knowledgable, and took care of us. Great (but very different) experiences. BOTH should be allowed.

As for the picture, it reminded me of when we went to Yellowstone in the winter about 8 years ago. There were no guides, you could go wherever you wanted. My sister-in-law got lost and ended up almost in Jackson (we were out of West Yellowstone)...it could have been dangerous. And there were HOARDES of people. Our trip 2 years ago was MUCH BETTER!!

Even one snowmobile or one snowcoach is too many. We need to eliminate all traces of mankind from the park and let it return to a natural state where only the animals and flowers florish. We are destroying the earth with our wasteful non productive tourism.

Sorry you feel that way Bradley. The NPS does try to keep the park in a natural state where the visitors tread lightly on the land to see the plants and animals and thermal features and learn from them. It may be non productive to you but it is very productive and informative to most that do go visit Yellowstone.

We have so very, very few pristine tracts of land to see, visit and enjoy these days -- giving up access by snowmobiles is an insignificant price to pay to preserve this land and the animals who take up residence there.

As a former snowmobiler -- I know first hand how destructive these machines can be to trails and surrounding land. No matter how closely regulated there will be those that violate the rules and any punishment they receive does not restore the damages done.

Leave the area pristine -- I am full favor of an all out ban on all snowmobiles, four-wheeler ATVs, off-road motor vehicles of any kind.

If you want to see it -- walk it -- or cross-country ski across the trails. Forget a motorized vehicle.

As for the NPS -- they do "try", but are hopelessly outnumbered and unable to enforce the protection the rest of America wants for its National Parks and related treasures.

Not only should motorized vehicles be banned but also the walkers and cross country skiers. The animals do not stand there and stare at a hiker or x country skier, they run in horror wasting their precious energy crossing the deep snow. In the summer we must ban autos, rvs and any motorized vehicle. They cause more damage to the park and enviroment than a couple hundred of snowmobiles and everyone knows it, they just don't want to admit it. Close the park to mankind and open it to the animals and flowers.

So former snowmobiler how destructive are the cars, trucks, busses and RV's to the roads in Yellowstone. They are much heavier than the snowmobiles are on the same roads.

Why do you have such a problem with a few hundred highly regulated snowmobiles running on the roads in Yellowstone but don't appear to have a problem with tens of thousands of unregulated automobiles daily traveling on those same roads?

Former Snowmobiler - hikers cause far more damage to the land than a machine which runs on a layer of snow. If anything, I would rather see snowmobiles in the park than hikers and tourists during the other three seasons because of the damage they do to everything they step on. Wake up folks - look and see who is causing the real damage here. And lets not even get into the argument over how much air pollution is caused by the motorized auto traffic in the summer. Ban everyone and everything for the precious animals, birds and the flowers.