I grew up visiting Yellowstone National Park at least once per year, so when I say I’ve been to the park dozens of times, I’m not exaggerating. In another life, I probably would have been a good park ranger or tour guide; I can identify many of the hot springs and geysers by name, recite much of the history and geology, and navigate the park without a map.
But I have no immediate plans to quit my job and pursue an alternate career path, so instead I decided I’d simply pass along all this knowledge in written form. This isn’t the first time I’ve written about Yellowstone, but after a bucket list experience in the park last winter and a fairly thorough trip this past summer, I realized my Yellowstone posts were in dire need of an update.
Yellowstone is huge. And filled with incredible variety. Where else can you see geysers, hot springs, lakes, waterfalls, canyons, elk, bison, and maybe even bears and wolves all in the same day?
We’ll touch on each of these here, and I’ll expand upon them in separate posts over the coming weeks. But before we get to any of that, let’s talk basics: how to get to Yellowstone, navigating the park, what to see, where to stay, and basic park safety.
Table of contents
- History of Yellowstone
- Visiting Yellowstone
- Accommodations
- Amenities
- Travel within Yellowstone
- Upper Loop
- Lower Loop
- Bechler
- Hiking and backpacking
- Wildlife
- Safety
But first, a brief history
Back in the early 1800s, when the first fur trappers laid eyes on what is now Yellowstone and came home and told others what they’d seen, no one believed them. It wasn’t until many years later, when artists and photographers such as Thomas Moran and Henry Jackson captured the landscape, that people began to take the existence of Yellowstone seriously. Some of these people also began fighting to protect it.
It took many years and the tireless efforts of so many people but finally, on March 1, 1872, Yellowstone was established as a National Park.
For more than 10,000 years prior, indigenous populations (the ancestors of at least 27 present-day tribes) lived in and around Yellowstone. In fact, the name Yellowstone is thought to be derived from a translation of the Hidatsa “Mi tsi a-da-zi,” which means “yellow stone river.”
Taking a few steps further back in time, Yellowstone was a volcano. More accurately, it is a volcano. It hasn’t erupted in 640,000 years, but it’s due to erupt at anytime (and will likely wipe out much of the surrounding area when it does – though scientists expect there to be plenty of seismic warnings).
The volcano itself is dozens of miles across. The most popular areas of the park are inside the caldera, so chances are your visit to Yellowstone will take you into the crater of a supervolcano!
It’s also this volcano – and the corresponding hotspot beneath the surface – that is responsible for the thermal features that define Yellowstone today.
Visiting Yellowstone
Yellowstone is located in the northwest corner of Wyoming, with the northern edge of the park stretching up into Montana and the western edge peeking across the border into into Idaho.
The park is relatively square in shape, with much of the land unreachable by car. The Grand Loop Road is the only driving route through the park, forming a 142 mile (229 km) figure-eight. This road is typically open to vehicular travel from April or May through October. All but the northernmost stretch is closed in winter, though there are other ways to access the park in the offseason.
No timed entry reservations are required to enter Yellowstone. However, a $35/car fee (good for 7 days) or America the Beautiful pass is required for entry. During the middle of the day, it’s not uncommon to have long lines at some of the entrance stations.
West Entrance
Located roughly 60 miles (97 km) east of Ashton, Idaho and 90 miles (145 km) south of Bozeman, Montana is the gateway town of West Yellowstone and the West Entrance to Yellowstone. This is the busiest entrance station due to its proximity to most of Yellowstone’s thermal features. From here, it’s about 15 miles (24 km) to Madison Junction, where you can head north or south onto Grand Loop Road toward geysers and hot springs.
North Entrance
Approximately 60 miles (100 km) south of Livingston, Montana is the small town of Gardiner and Yellowstone’s North Entrance. This entrance is also home to the famous Roosevelt Arch, built to commemorate Yellowstone’s status as the world’s first national park. Due to chronic traffic jams, the entrance route now bypasses the arch. However, you can still detour over to it for your photo op and then drive through it and catch up with the entrance line.
The inscription reads “For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People”
Once you’re in the park, it’s just a short (but narrow and curvy and hilly) drive to Mammoth Hot Springs, where you’ll join Grand Loop Road.
Northeast Entrance
Located in Cooke City, Montana is the Northeast Entrance to Yellowstone, and the one that probably sees the least amount of traffic due to its more remote location. However, if you’re heading into or out of the park via the Beartooth Highway (which, by the way, is absolutely worth adding to your itinerary), you’ll pass through this entrance.
Once inside the park, you’ll travel through the lovely Lamar Valley to Tower-Roosevelt Junction and Grand Loop Road.
East Entrance
I’ve only passed through the East Entrance once – at least, that I was old enough to remember – but that was enough to cement it in my mind as perhaps Yellowstone’s most underrated entrance. From Cody, Wyoming, Highway 14 journeys 53 miles (83 km) past the Buffalo Bill Reservoir and Dam before ascending into the mountains and entering the park. From here, the road climbs Sylvan Pass and drops down to the eastern shore of Yellowstone Lake and Grand Loop Road.
South Entrance
Yellowstone’s South Entrance connects the park to Grand Teton National Park, just 8 miles (13 km) away. Many visitors combine visits to both parks into the same trip; therefore, this entrance station sees quite a bit of traffic as people pass back and forth.
From the South Entrance, the road travels north 22 miles (35 km), passing Moose Falls, Lewis Falls, and Lewis Lake before connecting into Grand Loop Road at Grant Village.
Right: Lewis Falls
Accommodations
Driving the entire Grand Loop Road – without encountering any traffic or road construction (which isn’t going to happen) – takes at least 4-6 hours. Once you add in stops at even just a few of the main attractions, it’s easily an all-day endeavor. To truly see the variety that Yellowstone has to offer, you’ll want to spend multiple days in the park.
Fortunately, there are a variety of options for overnight stays throughout. For best results, I recommend switching accommodations part way through your visit so you don’t have to backtrack at the end of each day. Spending 2-3 days on the west side and 1-2 days on the east side is probably the best way to split it up.
Camping
There are eleven campgrounds in Yellowstone and some outside each of the park entrances. Within the park, in a designated campsite is the only place camping is allowed. Creating your own campsite or parking and sleeping in your vehicle is not allowed.
All park campgrounds have bathrooms and potable water. Some have showers and RV hookups. All campgrounds also provide bear boxes to facilitate proper food storage.
Ten of the campgrounds are open to all campers. Due to regular bear activity, Fishing Bridge Campground is restricted to hard-sided camping units only. More information on park campgrounds can be found here.
Hotels and cabins
In addition to camping, there are nine lodges in the park offering a combination of hotel-style rooms and cabins. Though substantially more expensive than the campgrounds, we’ve recently stayed at three of these lodges and really enjoyed the change of pace from our usual camping trips.
Hotels, cabins, and vacation rentals can also be found outside all five park entrances.
Regardless of where you stay, be sure to reserve well in advance. Lodges and campgrounds fill to capacity most nights in the summer.
Amenities
Food, water, gas, and bathrooms
Yellowstone is a large park. That being said, you’ll never be more than about 40 miles (65 km) from gas, water, and food. Speed limits in the park are slow, though, and 40 miles will generally take at least an hour.
Mammoth, Old Faithful, Grant, Lake, and Canyon all have gas, water refill stations, restaurant(s), groceries, and souvenirs. Mammoth, Old Faithful, and Lake also have medical facilities.
In addition, a couple dozen bathrooms and picnic areas are scattered throughout the park. I don’t recall ever having difficulty finding a table, except perhaps at the most popular sites (such as Old Faithful) right around noon.
Note that all this information applies to summer. Lodging and amenities are very limited in the offseason.
Phone service and wifi
In recent years, availability of cellphone service within the park has increased. However, it is still only consistently available in the main developed areas (Mammoth, Old Faithful, Grant, Lake, and Canyon) and the speeds are generally slow. Free wifi is available at some visitor centers and lodges only.
Basically, plan to navigate the park without your phone. Maps are available at all entrance stations and visitor centers, and all junctions have clear signage. Trails have fewer signs, so if you plan to hike please be sure you’re able to navigate the correct route.
The Yellowstone page of the NPS app can be downloaded for offline use, and this includes a park map and GPS navigation.
Travel within Yellowstone
Yellowstone sees millions of visitors each year, particularly from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Essentially, if you visit during the summer months, prepare for crowds. That being said, if you’re willing to do a bit of hiking and branch out from the main attractions, it’s possible to find solitude.
There is no public transportation in Yellowstone, so you’ll need your own vehicle or a guided tour. Park roads are paved, so high clearance or 4WD is not necessary. However, Yellowstone is a high elevation park with mountainous terrain. Snow in every month of the year is not unheard of. Especially if you plan to visit in April, May, September, or October, be prepared to navigate potentially slippery roads.
Between the lack of public transit and the increase in visitors, Yellowstone has begun to experience a chronic parking shortage. Parking lots regularly overflow by mid-morning, often resulting in long lines that back up onto the road and block traffic.
Animals, particularly bison, also frequently cross the road – or just hang out right in the middle of it – stopping traffic. A few summers back, we sat in traffic for 45 minutes because an entire herd of bison was taking their sweet time crossing the road. Visiting Yellowstone in the height of summer is very much a lesson in patience.
There will also be road construction. Between the millions of vehicles every summer and the harsh winter weather, Yellowstone’s roads take quite a beating and there’s a pretty short season to make repairs. The park will update the website with seasonal construction projects to help visitors plan ahead for road closures and delays.
Upper Loop
The upper (north) half of the Grand Loop Road figure eight is 70 miles (113 km) long and connects Mammoth, Norris, Canyon, and Tower. If you enter the park from the North or Northeast Entrances, this is where you will join Grand Loop Road.
I don’t know that I have a preference between traveling clockwise or counterclockwise on this half of the loop. Whichever direction you travel, plan to spend at least one full day on the Upper Loop.
To truly see everything, including stops at the visitor centers, roadside viewpoints, and the main attractions, plan for the following:
- Mammoth Hot Springs: 1-2 hours.
- Roadside stops on the way to Norris: 1 hour, including driving time.
- Norris and Porcelain Geyser Basins: 2 hours.
- Norris to Canyon: 20-30 minutes driving time.
- Canyon Visitor Center and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone: 3-4 hours for both the north and south rims of the canyon. In my opinion, one isn’t better than the other. It’s worth visiting both.
- Canyon to Tower: 1 hour, including driving time and a stop at Tower Falls and other viewpoints.
- Tower to Mammoth: 1 hour, including driving time and a few quick stops.
More detailed information on these locations can be found in the posts linked below:
Lower Loop
The lower (south) half of Grand Loop figure eight is 96 miles (155 km) long and connects Norris, Madison, Old Faithful, West Thumb, Lake, and Canyon. If you enter the park from the West, East, or South Entrances, this is where you will join Grand Loop Road.
On this half of the loop, counterclockwise is my preferred direction of travel because most of the turns into and out of parking lots are rights.
I think a bare minimum of 2 days is needed for the Lower Loop, maybe even 3. You could do it in 1 (very long) day if you skip some things or rush through each stop. But having an extra day or two here will really boost the experience.
To truly see everything, including stops at the visitor centers, roadside viewpoints, and the main attractions, plan for the following:
- Madison Junction to Old Faithful: 4-5 hours, including stops at Firehole Falls, Fountain Flat, Fountain Paint Pot, Firehole Lake Drive, Midway Geyser Basin, Biscuit Basin (currently closed), and Black Sand Basin.
- Old Faithful/Upper Geyser Basin: 2-5 hours. Old Faithful erupts every 65-95 minutes, so your wait time will vary. Upper Geyser Basin is so much more than Old Faithful, though. To see the other geysers and hot springs, plan at least half a day.
- Upper Geyser Basin to West Thumb: 30 minutes driving time.
- West Thumb: 30 minutes-1 hour.
- Driving along Yellowstone Lake from West Thumb to Fishing Bridge: at least 1 hour; more time if you plan to take the boat tour.
- Fishing Bridge to Canyon: minimum 1 hour, but plan to stop in the Hayden Valley to view wildlife.
- Canyon Visitor Center and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone: 3-4 hours for both the north and south rims of the canyon. In my opinion, one isn’t better than the other. It’s worth visiting both rims.
More detailed information on these locations can be found in the posts linked below:
One thing to consider when planning a visit to thermal features is that the steam will be thicker when the air temperature is lower, sometimes to the point that it obscures the beautiful colors. Mornings in Yellowstone are cool, even in the summer, so waiting for it to warm up may allow for better viewing.
Of course, waiting until it’s warmer and less steamy means being right in the middle of the midday crowds, so it’s a tradeoff.
Bechler
Outside of Grand Loop Road, there is only one other part of Yellowstone that is accessible by car. Located about 25 miles (40 km) east of Ashton, Idaho, is the small and primitive Bechler area. I’ve been here once but I was only two, so the following paragraphs and photos are courtesy of my mom.
In the extreme southwest corner of Yellowstone is the Bechler River area, which contains numerous waterfalls that can be accessed by a multi-day backpack if you wish to see them all or a couple of short hikes to two of them. We opted for the Cave Falls Loop trail although we did an out-and-back instead of taking the entire loop, hiking about 5 miles (8 km).
There’s a small ford at the half-mile mark and eventually, the trail runs parallel to Cave Falls Road as you approach the beautiful – and powerful – Cave Falls. Since our goal was Bechler Falls, we continued up the trail until we reached the falls, where we stopped to have lunch before retracing our steps to the Ranger Station.
Because this area is so wet, mosquitos are plentiful, so be sure to have lots of insect repellent with you.
Hiking and backpacking
Despite my many visits, I’ve actually done very little hiking in Yellowstone. Partially, it’s because there are so many things to see without hiking. Partially, it’s because many of my trips to the park have been short, so we’ve not bothered to stray too far from the main attractions.
And partially, it’s because… well, I’m honestly not sure. But it’s something I should remedy.
What I can say is that there are over 1000 miles (1600 km) of trails in Yellowstone, ranging from short and easy to lengthy and strenuous multi-day trips through the wilderness. There are nearly 300 backcountry sites in Yellowstone, a few of which can only reached by water.
For a day hike, be sure to pack water, food, rain gear, warm clothes, and the rest of the ten essentials. Everyone in your group should always carry bear spray and know how to use it. It should be in an easily accessible location (i.e. not inside your backpack). Here is a website with more information about how to properly carry and use bear spray.
For backpacking, a permit is required year-round. Permits are obtained either through the advance lottery or in-person at the park. All food and scented items must either be properly hung from a food pole or stored in a bear canister (ursacks are not allowed). Campfires are not allowed.
Wildlife
Yellowstone is home to a large and diverse concentration of wildlife, including black and grizzly bears, wolves, coyotes, foxes, wolverines, mountain lions, deer, elk, moose, bison, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, many mustelids, and dozens of species of birds and rodents.
Right: osprey
Seeing elk and bison is pretty much a guarantee during any Yellowstone visit. Seeing the other animals is less certain. Often, it’s a matter of luck. Once, my sister’s friend came to visit and we took her to Yellowstone for the day. She must have been the bear whisperer, because we saw seven bears that afternoon!
A few years later, I took my husband to Yellowstone for the first time. We were there for three full days and saw a grand total of zero bears. It was kind of a bummer.
The point being, wildlife sightings are often a right-place-right-time situation.
If you do happen to be in the right place at the right time, please don’t stop in the middle of the road. Pull over to the side so you’re not obstructing traffic, and view and photograph the wildlife from a safe distance.
Despite signs all over the park asking visitors to not stop in the middle of the road, it still happens on a daily basis. Animal-induced traffic jams in Yellowstone are an inevitability.
While some wildlife sightings – particularly elk and bison – happen right next to the road, many of the animals will be at quite a distance and better seen with binoculars.
My #1 rule for Yellowstone is to never go anywhere without a camera, binoculars, and bear spray.
If you’re specifically hoping to spot certain animals, your chances may be slightly higher in the following areas:
- Wolves: Lamar Valley (bring binoculars or a spotting scope; they are rarely seen close to the road).
- Bears: generally speaking, both grizzly and black bears prefer to avoid humans, so you’re probably more likely to see a bear in the less populated areas of the park. That being said, I’ve seen them right next to the highway.
- Bison: Hayden Valley and Lamar Valley.
- Elk: Mammoth and Madison, though elk are found pretty much everywhere in the park.
- Bighorn sheep: near the North Entrance and around Tower-Roosevelt Junction.
- Pronghorn: near the North Entrance.
Safety
There are three main sets of safety concerns in Yellowstone: those related to animals, to thermal areas, and to weather.
Animals
Despite the animal-spotting list I made above, the truth is that all the animals roam all of Yellowstone at all times of day and night, so you should always be prepared for an encounter. That means never going anywhere without your bear spray. That includes the bathroom, a picnic area, your campsite, and your tent.
(I do not, however, recommend accidentally spraying yourself with the bear spray and then dropping your shoe into the toilet while changing out of your bear-sprayed pants. This was not my best day.)
The other important rules in bear country are to hike in groups and make noise to alert animals of your approach. This is especially true as you’re coming over hills or around curves. Talking is generally sufficient, unless it’s windy or you’re near running water which may drown out the sound of your voice.
While scary bear encounters are rare, they do happen, so it’s better to always be prepared. A few years back, my mom and sister (and a handful of other hikers) had to quickly retreat from the summit of Bunsen Peak when a grizzly bear crested the ridge.
(photo courtesy of my sister)
Unfortunately, altercations between humans and other animals happen on an annual basis in Yellowstone. Most of these are triggered by people encroaching upon the animals’ space.
There are specific rules in Yellowstone for the distances that must be maintained from the various animals. However, as someone who is not great at estimating distances, I prefer to abide by the rule of thumb. Basically, extend your arm out straight, raise your thumb, and close one eye. If you can block the entire animal from view with your thumb, you’re far enough away.
Thermal areas
Yellowstone’s most famous features are also some of its most dangerous. The ground in thermal areas is fragile, hot, and often very thin. To protect the features and the visitors, boardwalks have been constructed through the thermal areas and dozens of signs warn against stepping off them.
And yet, almost every year, at least one park visitor is injured when they disobey the signs, step off the boardwalk, and break through the fragile crust into the scalding hot – and often extremely acidic – water.
In addition to the risk of injury (or worse), stepping off the boardwalk also irreparably damages fragile mineral features that may have taken hundreds of years to develop.
Along these same lines, throwing any object – no matter how small – into the hot springs is forbidden. The brilliant colors of Yellowstone’s hot springs are due to the presence of thermophilic (heat-loving) bacteria. Different bacterial species thrive in different water temperatures, hence the rainbow of colors in many springs.
When objects are thrown into a hot spring, they settle to the bottom and block the underground plumbing that supplies water to the spring. This results in cooler water temperatures, leading to different bacteria, which forever changes the pools. This can be most clearly seen in Morning Glory Pool, which used to be a deep blue but is now much more yellow due to the thousands of rogue objects that have accumulated in its depths.
And lastly, not a safety concern but just an FYI: wind is common in Yellowstone so when you’re in the thermal areas, hold onto your hat!
Weather
Speaking of wind, most types of weather are common in Yellowstone. Winters are brutally cold and snowy. Spring is still pretty wintry. Fall can be lovely, but it can also be cold and snowy. It can even snow in the summer, though it’s far less likely.
Even on a nice summer day, mornings are likely to be cool. If you’re camping, plan for overnight lows in the 40s (4-9°C).
By midday it may reach 80°F (27°C). Coupled with the elevation – the entirety of Yellowstone sits above 6000 ft (1800 m) – the sun will be intense. Sunburns happen quickly; don’t forget sunscreen and sunglasses.
These sunny mornings often give way to afternoon thunderstorms, which can move in quickly, bringing with them rain, hail, wind, and lightning, and dropping the temperature by 20°F (7°C) in minutes. Basically, be prepared for any conditions at any time.
Early evening – after the storms have cleared out – is an overlooked time for exploration in Yellowstone. We’ve often headed out after dinner for a short walk through a geyser basin or a quick visit to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. You’re also more likely to see animals in the early morning or evening.
Wrap up
If you made it this far, kudos to you! Putting together this post took a long time, and I imagine so did reading it. But hopefully it’s been helpful.
My goal was to create a one-stop location for everything you need to know to ensure a fun, thorough, and safe visit to the world’s first national park.
Yellowstone is amazing. It’s a place everyone should see in their lifetime. If you’ve visited before, I hope this post brought back wonderful memories. If you’ve never visited, I hope this posts inspires you to do so.
And if you have any Yellowstone-related questions, feel free to leave them in the comments!
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