Yellowstone National Park: Ultimate Travel Guide

Bison rule the road, grizzly bears run rampant and acidic hot springs litter the land. Yellowstone National Park is pure wilderness. Yellowstone is situated over one of the largest known calderas in the world—created by some of the most catastrophic volcanic eruptions in history. Consequently, the park is filled with thermal features, like geysers, hot springs, mud pots and steam vents. There are roughly 1000 geysers in the world and over half of them lie in the park plus some 10,000 hydrothermal features. The geological aspect of Yellowstone makes it one of the most unique areas in the world. Here is your guide to everything you need to know to visit Yellowstone National Park!   

The great thing about Yellowstone is that you can shape your visit to fit a variety of trips. You can make the park the main focus of your trip or you can add it in as a day trip and check out some of the highlights. Spanning 3,472 square miles, it’s impossible to see everything Yellowstone has to offer in a single day. The park is best split into two loops—the Upper Loop and the Lower Loop. Both loops are laid out below and can apply to any kind of visit and be modified as needed. Want to throw in a long hike? Add an extra day. Not interested in one of the stops? Skip it. Want to visit the park as a single-day trip? Pick the loop and attractions that most appeal to you. If you’re looking for a one-day, two-day, or three-day itinerary, read the Yellowstone National Park Itinerary.

PSA: The majority of the park has no cell service so it’s important to have a plan prior to going in!

The Yellowstone National Park Travel Guide covers the following topics. Click each link to jump to that section.

Yellowstone National Park Overview

When to Visit

Entering the Park

Where to Stay

Fuel and Food in the Park

What to Do in Yellowstone

Lower & Upper Loop Google Maps

Yellowstone National Park Overview

Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is the world’s oldest national park and the heart of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The park, which lies in the northwest corner of Wyoming and spills into Idaho and Montana, is surrounded by national forests and is connected to Grand Teton National Park to the south. These federal lands make up 22 million acres of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem–one of the largest intact ecosystems in the world. Yellowstone National Park is home to the largest concentration of wildlife in the continental United States. While driving around the park you’ll regularly see bison, bears, wolves, coyotes, moose, and so much more. Furthermore, the park is situated over one of the world’s largest active volcanos. Yellowstone is designated as a supervolcano for the size of its previous eruptions. If you look closely at the map, you can see the approximate caldera boundary! As a result of the region’s volcanic activity, Yellowstone is home to the most concentrated and unique collection of hydrothermal features in the world!

When to Visit

In order to beat the crowds and still enjoy the summer weather, the ideal time to visit is late May to early June and September. Much of the spring is considered mud season and continues to be cold and snowy. Plus, many of the roads remain closed due to snow well into the spring. July and August are the most popular and busiest months to visit as the weather is most pleasant and families take advantage of summer vacation. During September and October, the crowds die down again as the leaves turn hues of yellow, orange and red. By early November seasonal road closures resume as unpredictable weather returns. 

Entering the Park

There are five major entrances in the park—each are outlined below. There are no major cities near Yellowstone National Park so plan on entering and exploring the park by car. You’ll likely be entering the park from the West Entrance or South Entrance. Much of the area surrounding the park is either a National Forest, National Park, or Wilderness area, all of which adds to the wild feel of the area. 

• West Entrance – This entrance emerges from Montana in the town of West Yellowstone. Here you’ll find a handful of hotels and restaurants and a visitor center for the park. Big Sky, MT is an hour’s drive from West Yellowstone while Bozeman, MT is a two-hour drive.
• South Entrance – Yellowstone is just north of Grand Teton National Park. This Wyoming entrance connects the two parks. Jackson, WY, a lovely resort town with plenty of restaurants and hotels, is a little over an hour’s drive from here. 
• East Entrance – This Wyoming entrance is an hour’s drive to Cody, WY, known as “the wildest way into Yellowstone” and the “Rodeo Capital of the World.” In Cody you’ll also find a wild Mustang herd, the Buffalo Bill Dam and reservoir, and several museums.  
• Northeast Entrance –This entrance accesses Yellowstone via National Scenic Byway Beartooth Highway. The scenic highway is a 68-mile stretch of road that connects Yellowstone to Red Lodge, MT and peaks in Beartooth Pass at nearly 11,000 feet in elevation.    
• North Entrance – The North Entrance is situated within the town of Gardiner, MT, just north of Mammoth Hot Springs. From here it is an hour’s drive to Livingston, MT and an hour and a half drive to Bozeman, MT. While Gardiner is known as the main entrance to Yellowstone, it is no bigger than other towns near the park. 

Entrance fees for the park are very reasonable. You can purchase annual park passes or by the week. If you’re planning on visiting multiple national parks in a year, I recommend the American the Beautiful pass! Prices as broken down as follows.

• Private, non-commercial vehicle: $35.00 (good for seven days)
• Individual by foot or bike: $20.00 (good for seven days)
• Yellowstone National Park Annual Pass: $70.00 (good for one year)
• America the Beautiful Pass: $80.00 (good for one year and covers entrance fees to national parks and national wildlife refuges across the United States)
• Entrance with a commercial company vary based on the seating capacity of the vehicle.

Where to Stay

Whether Yellowstone is the main point of your trip will dictate where you stay. If Yellowstone is the sole focus of your trip, look to stay in the park itself or on its edge.

• Staying in Yellowstone National Park: There are many different lodging options within the park. I recommend staying at Canyon Lodge or Old Faithful as they are centrally located. There are also campsites throughout the park. Permits are required to camp in the park.
• West Yellowstone: Located on the edge of the park, the quaint town of West Yellowstone is ideally located for exploring both the upper and lower loop.
• Gardiner, MT: Gardiner is situated at the park’s North Entrance. About 30-minutes north of Gardiner is luxury resort Sage Lodge. Stay here if you’re looking for an upscale getaway while also being close to Yellowstone.
• Bozeman, MT: An hour’s drive from Yellowstone, Bozeman is a good base if you’re looking to stay in a small city and visit other parts of Montana.
• Jackson, WY: Drive an hour south through Grand Teton National Park and you’ll reach Jackson, WY. The cute mountain town is home to plenty of hotels and resorts. Stay here if you’re also looking to explore Grand Teton NP.

If you don’t need to be right in the park and want more variety, I recommend staying in Jackson, WY or Big Sky, MT. Both towns are an hour from Yellowstone National Park entrances and have upscale lodging and dining options along with plenty of other fun things to do!

Fuel & Food in the Park

Since cell service is basically nonexistent in the park and fuel stops are limited, make sure you have a plan prior to entering the park (you might have trouble Googling the nearest gas station). The locations listed below offer gas stations and a place to grab a snack. Of these service stations, Old Faithful and Mammoth Hot Springs have the largest selection of food options. While there is some food available within the park, I recommend packing lunch and snacks as well!

• Old Faithful – A wide array of snacks offered here plus two fueling stations!
• Mammoth Hot Springs
• Grant Village (along Yellowstone Lake)
• Canyon (near the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone)
• Fishing Bridge (along Yellowstone Lake)
• Tower/Roosevelt Junction

Things to Do in Yellowstone

The majority of Yellowstone National Park’s highlights lie along the Grand Loop Road. The Grand Loop Road can be split into two smaller loops—the Upper and Lower Loops. Each loop can be seen during a full day of driving and started from any entrance. If you’re visiting Yellowstone as a single day trip, just pick one of the loops—I recommend the Lower Loop!

If you want to do a day hike, consider dedicating a day to that or cutting out some of the stops on the loop. Start your day by 7 am to catch the spectacular morning light and get a head start on the crowds. Another plus to avoiding a late morning start is that the animals are most active early in the morning! Don’t worry about being in the car all day. You’ll get in plenty of walking at each stop you take!

How to Use these Maps: Yellow markers indicate entrances into the park. Red markers indicate highlights along the loop. Click the markers for more information on each place. To zoom in or out, click the plus and minus buttons in the bottom left corner of the map (on your computer) or pinch the screen (on your phone). Click the arrow in the top left corner to view the map index. To save this map to your Google Maps, click the star next to the map title.

Grand Prismatic Spring

The highlight of Midway Geyser Basin and the most vibrant of all the hot springs in the park. To get the best view of the third largest hot spring in the world, head to its viewing platform. Access the viewing platform (0.6 mile walk one-way) by following the signs on the road for Fairy Falls along the Midway Geyser Basin trail. Once on the trail you’ll see signs for the observation point.

Fairy Falls Hike

Impressive falls about a mile and a half from the main road—take the Midway Geyser Basin trail. Fairy Falls are the perfect little day hike while also leaving time to see plenty of other attractions!

Upper Geyser Basin (Old Faithful) 

The most densely populated geyser region in the world and home to Old Faithful! The boardwalk/road here continues 1.5 miles, from the visitor center to Morning Glory Pool, from here you can continue onto Biscuit Basin. Stop in the visitor center for the daily schedule of predicted geyser eruptions. Take your time in Upper Geyser Basin, there is so much to see. Here are a few of the highlights, including several predictable geysers:

• Old Faithful – Yellowstone’s most famous geyser. Even though Old Faithful’s eruptions are short (lasting only a few minutes), its frequency (every 60-110 minutes) make it a popular viewing choice! For a more unique panoramic view, hike up to the Observation Point. 

• Grand Geyser – Its powerful bursts reach 200ft making it the tallest predictable geyser in the world! Eruptions occur every 7-15 hours and last roughly 10 minutes. I recommend Grand Geyser in addition to Old Faithful! 

• Castle Geyser – The oldest of all geysers in Upper Basin. This large cone geyser erupts every 10-12 hours for about 20 minutes reaching heights up to 90ft. 

• Riverside Geyser – Picturesquely located on the bank of Firehole River. Eruptions last about 20 minutes and occur on average every 6 hours. 

• Morning Glory Pool – A popular destination, Morning Glory Pool is named for its likeness to its namesake flower. 

• Biscuit Basin – Situated three miles north of Old Faithful, Biscuit Basin is a small group of thermal features. The highlight, Sapphire Pool, is known for its stunning blue hues. 

West Thumb Basin and Yellowstone Lake 

West Thumb Basin is unique for its thermal features both on land and underwater. It is thought that one of Yellowstone’s eruptions occurred here as this portion of Yellowstone Lake is deeper than the rest. West Thumb Basin is one of the lesser visited places within the park, but it’s packed with beauty–Abyss Pool is one of my favorite pools!

• Abyss Pool – Deep turquoise pool just off the lake. Known for its clear water and shadowy depths. 

• Fishing Cone – A hot spring located in Yellowstone Lake. 

Hayden Valley 

Yellowstone River runs through this large sub-alpine valley. Bison are plentiful here. Have your binoculars handy to spot grizzly bears, wolves and other animals along the river. Park at one of the pull-outs and wait for animals to wander by—Hayden Valley is a great place to see wildlife! 

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

One of the park’s most impressive features. Carved out over millennia by the Yellowstone River, the canyon is about 20 miles long. The main sights are Upper falls (109 feet high) and Lower Falls (398 feet high). Listed below are the best viewing spots!

• Artist Point – Offers a great view of Lower Falls and the vastness of the Canyon.
• Uncle Tom’s Trail – Steep series of steps that take you to close to the base of Upper Falls.
• Lookout Point and Red Rock Trail – View Lower Falls from Lookout Point, then follow Red Rock Trail down the hill for a closer vantage spot.
• Lower Falls Trail – Takes you to the top of Lower Falls and gives you a unique view of the canyon. 

Norris Geyser Basin

The hottest and oldest of Yellowstone’s thermal basins and home to the world’s tallest active geyser—Steamboat Geyser. Norris Geyser consists of two areas: Porcelain Basin and Back Basin.

• Porcelain Basin – The milky pastels that cover the ground are a result of the mineral “siliceous sinter” rising to the surface and flowing in endless currents of hot water. Stroll the boardwalk to take in the barren land filled with steaming hot springs and acidic waters!
• Back Basin – Filled with trees, turquoise pools and the famed Steamboat Geyser. While known for being the world’s tallest active geyser, Steamboat Geyser is entirely unpredictable. Intervals between major eruptions vary from days to years. The trail through Back Basin is about 1.5 miles long and other highlights along the way include Emerald Spring and Cistern Spring. 

Artist Paintpots 

Vibrant colors of this thermal area contribute to its name. Explore the one-mile loop and witness the deep reds, oranges, turquoise blues and mossy greens. On the upper section you’ll find boiling mud pots!

Mammoth Hot Springs 

A collection of hot springs on a hill of travertine (limestone terraces deposited by mineral springs), colors here range from pure white, to pink, to rust red. The entire boardwalk runs from the lower terrace to the upper terrace and is just under two miles. You may also want to park at each terrace separately. 

Lamar Valley

Wildlife hotspot along the Lamar River. This area is nicknamed America’s Serengeti for its impressive populations of animals. The valley is a little isolated in the northeastern corner of the park, but well worth the drive if spotting animals is high on your list. This is your best shot at seeing wolves! Grab your binoculars and watch the wildlife meander by.

Tower Fall 

This majestic waterfall tumbles down an astounding 132 feet from Tower Creek. The overlook is a short walk back from the road and path continues for three-quarters of a mile to see Tower Creek merge into Yellowstone River.

Remember, the Yellowstone National Park is a true wilderness filled with many dangers. Do not approach the wildlife and do not stray from the designated paths! 

Also planning a visit to Grand Teton National Park? Read the Ultimate Grand Teton National Park Travel Guide.