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The Best Guide to Yellowstone National Park

Adventure, AirBnB, Group Trips, Guides, Travel

Yellowstone National Park is rich in both history and natural wonders galore. On March 1, 1872, Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act into law, and voila! The first national park was born.

Spanning over 2.2 million acres or 3,472 square miles, the Park is larger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined. Most of its land is located within Wyoming, with a small portion extending into Montana (3%) and Idaho (1%).

Yellowstone sits atop a supervolcano, the Yellowstone Caldera, and is made up of 5% water, 15% grassland, and 80% forest. It houses over 10,000 hydrothermal features, 500 active geysers, 290 waterfalls, and 1,000 miles of hiking trails. Needless to say, this ‘hot spot’ location is a dream for all types of travelers!

The Park draws over 4 million visitors annually, making it the second most visited park in the country. Now it’s your turn to come and see what Yellowstone has to offer!

DOWNLOAD YOUR YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK MAP

Disclaimer: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we urge you to research any attractions, activities, restaurants, etc. that you wish to visit as regulations can change rapidly. 

Jump to Section…

Tips

When to Visit

How to Get There

Where to Stay

Things to See and Do

Top Experiences

*Wildlife watching in Lamar and Hayden Valley
*Hiking into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
*Visiting all of the geothermal springs and geysers – should out to the iconic Grand Prismatic and Old Faithful

Tips

  • Download the NPS Yellowstone App: The app provides information such as road closures, detours, geyser predictions, tips/tricks, and includes self-guided audio tours. It is a great thing to have downloaded prior to getting to the park since service can be spotty! 
  • Download Google Maps Offline: The service within the park is not always reliable so be sure to download your maps offline. Pro tip: download your music offline as well!  
  • Purchase a park entrance pass ahead of time: Skip the lines and purchase your park pass ahead of time! You can do this online here for $35.00/7-days. Our recommendation is to purchase the interagency pass, otherwise known as the “America the Beautiful” pass for $80.00/year. It is worth it, especially if you plan to visit a few other parks outside of Yellowstone!
  • Check out our “What You Need to Park for Your Hiking Trip” article
  • Arriving at the park: Arrive at the park early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid long lines at the entrances and less overcrowding at major sights
  • Wildlife Viewing: Yellowstone is home to the largest concentration of mammals in the lower 48 states, with 67 different species and 285 species of birds. Animals can be seen at all times of the day, but they are typically more active during dawn and dusk. Bring along binoculars, use the pullouts on the road, and keep a safe distance from the animals (30 ft. from bison, 100 ft. from wolves/bears). When you see cars pulled over on the side of the road, the chances are that there is probably an animal nearby – keep your eyes open!
  • Purchase Bear Spray: Yellowstone is a bear habitat so be sure to purchase your bear spray so that you are prepared for a potential encounter. You don’t want to come face to face with a grizzly without any protection! It can be purchased at Yellowstone Forever locations throughout the park.

When to Visit

The temperature of Yellowstone varies greatly depending on the time and the season that you visit. It is quite popular during the summer months of June, July, and August as the weather is warmer and all the roads are open! The shoulder season in May, September, and October is a great time to visit with fewer crowds, mild weather, and high wildlife activity. We visited in early-mid October and we had some cooler temperatures – it even snowed a few times! You can visit Yellowstone in the winter, but many roads will be closed for the season. It is possible to rent snowmobiles or go on tours of the park since personal vehicles will have limited access. 

Be sure to check out the park’s website or the app for road closures and other must-know info!  

How to Get There

By Plane:
Yellowstone Airport (MT) – 3 mi
Cody Airport (WY) – 55 mi
Jackson Hole Airport (WY) – 70 mi
*Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (MT) – 80 mi
Idaho Falls Regional Airport (ID) – 100 mi

*Bozeman is the most popular and our pick if arriving by plane.

By Car: We recommend renting a car from either the airport or driving from your starting point and making your way towards one of the five different park entrances. Most roads are well paved and maintained, however, depending on the season that you are visiting you may want to consider an SUV with all-wheel drive.

By Tour: If you do not want to drive into the park yourself, there are some options for guided tours that you can find online. 

Where to Stay

Hotels

There are a handful of hotels within Yellowstone that are perfect for those wanting to be in the middle of the action. The most iconic of them all is the Old Faithful Inn. This national historic landmark was built in 1903-1904 using local logs and stone, making it the largest log structure in the world. It sits right across from the famous Old Faithful Geyser, giving visitors an epic view of its frequent eruptions. Due to its popularity, this accommodation tends to book up quickly. Other lodging options within the park include Roosevelt Lodge, Canyon Lodge and Cabins, Lake Hotel and Cabins, and Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins.

If you don’t mind staying outside of the park, there are a variety of hotels surrounding the various park entrances. We loved our stay at the cozy Moose Creek Inn in West Yellowstone, MT!

Campgrounds

If being one with nature is your preference, you should check out one of the Park’s twelve different campgrounds. Yellowstone National Park Lodges manages the reservations for Bridge Bay Campground, Canyon Campground, Fishing Bridge RV Park, and Grant Village Campground Madison Campground, while the remaining seven can be booked through the National Park Service at https://www.recreation.gov. Yellowstone also offers 293 designated backcountry campsites for those who prefer the road less traveled. These require special permits, which you can learn more about here.

Airbnbs

There are many Airbnb options located in the surrounding towns outside of the Park. We stayed at the Yellowstone Mountain Cabins in Gardiner, MT, which is just a short drive away from the North Entrance of the Park. We loved our experience and saw amazing views of the night sky.

Things to See and Do

Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin

Discovered in 1870, Old Faithful Geyser is named for its frequent and somewhat predictable eruptions (usually about 90% confidence) that occur about 20 times a day. The eruptions vary in height from 100 to 180 feet and last about 1.5 to 5 minutes long. You can feel the excitement build up as people sit on the edge of their seats waiting for the geyser to erupt! Be sure to check out the NPS App or the visitor center for upcoming predictions.

If you have time, check out the historic Old Faithful Inn (described above)! 

You can also spend some time exploring the 150+ geysers that make up the Upper Geyser Basin.

Grand Prismatic Spring

The Grand Prismatic Spring may be one of the most popular and recognizable sites in Yellowstone due to its rainbow of colors. The spring is deeper than a 10-story building and the multicolored layers get their hues from different species of heat-loving bacteria that live in the cooler water surrounding the spring.

Take a walk around the short boardwalk loop trail to see it from up close or hike a short 1-mile round trip trail to the overlook for a view from above. To get to the overlook, you will want to park in the Fairy Falls Trail parking lot. This is a steep hike, so keep this in mind as you decide whether or not you want to embark on this trail.

  • Photo by Denys Nevozhai on Unsplash

When the temperatures drop, the spring becomes very smoky and makes it tough to see the beautiful rainbow colors. We ran into this issue while on our trip, so beware!

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser is the oldest, hottest, and the most dynamic of all the Yellowstone thermal areas. It is broken down into two areas: Porcelain Basin and Back Basin. Both areas feature boardwalk trails that allow visitors to view the different geysers. The Porcelain Basin is barren of trees and has a 3/4-mile trail, while the Back Basin is heavily wooded with a 1.5-mile trail.

If you have time, be sure to check out both areas! 

Mammoth Hot Springs

The impressive features and interesting textures that construct Mammoth Hot Springs make it a must-see spot in the Park. Mammoth Hot Springs is made up of about 50 different hot springs, so park your car and spend the afternoon touring all the spectacular sights. Keep your eyes open as there tends to be lots of elk in this area. 

Mammoth is made up of an upper and lower travertine terrace. The upper terraces include:

  • Prospect Terrace
  • Orange Spring Mound
  • Bath Lake
  • Angel Terrace

The lower terrace includes:

  • Palette Spring
  • Liberty Cap
  • Minerva Spring

Mammoth is also a great spot to fuel up on gas, lunch, or rest!

Lamar Valley

Lamar Valley was our favorite stop within Yellowstone! With sweeping mountains, open prairies, and unique terrain, you will want to spend a few hours exploring ‘America’s Serengeti’. Situated along the Lamar River, this is one of the best places in the Park to spot wildlife. A few of the animals that you might spot are bison, bald eagles, coyotes, moose, grizzly bears, wolves, pronghorn, and elk. Keep your eyes open and your binoculars handy!

You may even be lucky enough to get stuck in a bison jam! Just be sure to give the beasts plenty of space to graze and cross the road.

Your best chance for spotting wildlife is early in the morning during dawn or in the evening during dusk when the animals are out hunting for food. However, be careful driving at night, as animals become a bit harder to spot on the roads.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Oh my! The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is a true sight to see when visiting the Park. Scientists believe that the Canyon, comprised of two waterfalls, formed about 160,000 – 140,000 years ago! With dramatic views and breathtaking colors, you will want to spend a few hours visiting all the different viewpoints and maybe even going on a little hike.

The North Rim stops include:

  • Brink of the Lower Falls
  • Grand Viewpoint
  • Inspiration Point

The South Rim stops include:

  • Artist Point
  • Brink of the Upper Falls
  • Uncle Tom’s Trail (this 328-step trail requires a bit of a hike down into the canyon, but gives you an amazing up-close view of the lower fall)

West Thumb Geyser Basin

This cluster of hot springs is especially beautiful because it borders the “West Thumb” portion Yellowstone Lake, providing an amazing backdrop. There are boardwalk paths surrounding the various pools that you can explore at an easy pace. You may even spot some furry friends!

Hayden Valley

Located along the Yellowstone River, Hayden Valley is another great spot for wildlife viewing. You can spend time driving along through the valley looking for bison, grizzly bears, coyotes, and wolves! We got stuck in a few bison jams while exploring the valley – a great thrill!

Yellowstone Lake

Yellowstone Lake is a 20-mile long, 14-mile wide lake sitting in the center of the park that features a large population of cutthroat trout. The lake tends to freeze in the winter and begins to thaw in May, making it a better attraction during the summer months. However, it stays cold year-round, so swimming isn’t recommended. But you could always take a fun boat tour or kayak! 

For any avid fisherman, you can get your fishing license and test your luck catching some cutthroat trout! 

Roosevelt Arch

The Roosevelt Arch, located by the West Entrance, was built in 1903 by none other than President Theodore Roosevelt himself. The arch features a plaque that reads “For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People”, and became a well-known sight within the park.

Boiling River

Spend an afternoon swimming, paddling, or kayaking in Yellowstone’s Boiling River. This river is formed where hot springs enter the Gardner river creating a natural hot tub! Parking can be limited, so go early and be sure to follow all of the safety regulations. 

Dragon’s Mouth Spring and Mud Volcano

Dragon’s Mouth Spring boils out of a deep cave creating steam and pressure bubbles. As this occurs, you can hear a gurgling sound echoing throughout the cave, making it sound like a growling animal! It looks like smoke coming out of the mouth of a dragon.

Mud Volcano was once a 30 foot high cone that erupted mud. Over time, the volcano’s top blew off and became a crater filled with boiling mud!

Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center

If you haven’t gotten your full dose of wildlife, then head over to the discovery center for up-close and educational observation of bears and wolves. These animals are unable to survive in the wild, so they are brought to the discovery center with the goal of saving these wild animals.

Hiking Trails

There are great hiking options within the park for those who are looking to explore and get moving! Here are a few that we recommend:

That’s all for now! We hope you have an amazing and safe visit to Yellowstone. If you’ve been there before, leave us a comment with some of your top picks!

xx,

Carla & Kristen

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