Visiting Yellowstone National Park: 8 practical tips

Many travelers are familiar with the United States and its famous national parks: the Grand Canyon in Arizona, Yosemite National Park in California, Zion in Utah or Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. During my road trip to the USA, I had the opportunity to discover the magnificent Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Many people know it as the oldest national park in the United States. It has become one of the country’s most iconic natural destinations.

Who has not seen images of its remarkable red, green, and blue colors, its boiling hot springs, or the impressive fumaroles found throughout the park? There is a good chance you have already seen photos of the landscape without realizing they were taken in Yellowstone. And then there is the park’s extraordinary wildlife: black bears, wolves, bison, grizzly bears, etc.

If you’re looking for something even more beautiful and less crowded, we recently visited Alaska and would like to introduce you to the town of Seward and its magnificent fjords and glaciers. We also took a trip to Kenai Fjord National Park which was an unforgettable experience!

The park itself is well worth visiting at least once. Although it is not the most visited park in the United States, I must say that it can still become very crowded. The limited main visiting season naturally concentrates visitors into a relatively short period. I am not going to describe every single site in the park. There are simply too many, and listing them all would take away some of the pleasure of discovering them for yourself. You will find a few of the main highlights listed at the bottom of the article. Here is the essential information you need to plan your visit to Yellowstone Park.

Take a look at our in-depth guide to Bryce Canyon National Park if you’re looking for another beautiful park to visit in the American West.

There are two main situations to consider. You may be flying directly from home to visit the park and the surrounding area. Alternatively, you may be taking a longer road trip through the northern or western United States by car, motorhome, or campervan. If you are preparing for your trip to the United States, I recommend comparing current rental offers on Discover Cars, a car rental comparison site I have already used several times. Are you looking for a van or motorhome instead? You can compare the available options on Motorhome Republic.

Salt Lake City is often one of the most practical major airports for reaching Yellowstone. Now, round-trip flights from Paris generally cost between €800 and €1,200, although good deals can occasionally be found for around €700 to €800 if your dates are flexible. Compare current fares using this flight comparison tool, which I have been using for more than 10 years. Airports such as Bozeman and Idaho Falls are closer to the park, but they usually offer fewer connections and can be more expensive. From Salt Lake City, allow approximately five hours of nonstop driving to reach Yellowstone’s West Entrance, depending on traffic, weather, and road conditions.

If you are already in the United States on a road trip passing through the area, there are several possibilities. Yellowstone Park has five entrances: North Entrance, Northeast Entrance, South Entrance, West Entrance and East Entrance.

If you are on a road trip in the western United States, especially traveling through the states south of the park (Nevada, Utah and Colorado), the easiest way to get to Yellowstone is probably through the South Entrance (through Grand Teton National Park). If you would like to visit Grand Teton another time, and you are traveling around North/South Dakota you will enter the park via the West or East gate.

If you are on a road trip in Northwestern USA or Canada, the north or northeast gates will be the easiest to access.

There are two main factors to consider when planning your trip: the weather and the crowds.

The weather and climate in Yellowstone are the first things I think of. Why? Mainly because nights in a tent can become extremely cold. Seriously, the park is technically open year-round, however, the only road open year-round, even during winter, is the road to the far north of the park between Gardiner and Cooke. So basically, don’t come to Yellowstone during the winter season unless you like walking and camping at -20° and traveling by snowmobile!

Choose your season carefully when visiting Yellowstone

The main roads begin to open in mid-April, but most roads do not reopen until mid-May. Most of the park’s roads close in late October with the arrival of snow. As a result, the best time to come is June, July and August, which is also the hottest period. The problem is that these are also the busiest months.

Crowds are the second major factor to consider. Frankly, I enjoyed my four days in Yellowstone Park, but there were a lot of people in some places, especially around midday. To avoid the largest crowds, it would be best to go in late May or early June, September or early October.

A word of advice: If you are not afraid of the cold and you plan to sleep in one of the lodges or small hotels in the park, for example, I would suggest going at the end of May or in mid-September. However, you will need to bring reliable cold-weather gear.

To give you some idea, I spent four days there at the beginning of August 2018, and at night the temperature dropped down to around around 2°C to 4°C. If you are in a tent, you will need to be equipped with a good sleeping bag!

I don’t know if you can imagine, but the park alone is bigger than the whole of Corsica! (almost 9,000 km²). No matter how you decide to travel or what you like to see and do when on vacation, everyone agrees that three or four days in Yellowstone is the minimum necessary to appreciate the size of the park and see all of its different areas.

If you have taken the trouble to go to the park (more remote and less familiar than many of the parks in the American West), make the most of the journey. If you stay and camp inside the park, you should be fine. If, however, you are staying outside the park in one of the bordering cities, you may find that you have to spend many hours on the road…

So yes, some might visit the park in a day simply to be able to say “I’ve been there”…but, in my opinion that would be a mistake. Be aware of one thing, the main loop through the park is about 250 km. Knowing that the park is limited to 45 mph, or about 70 km/h. The National Park Service estimates that it takes seven hours to go around the loop without stopping ….

This is one of the main challenges. You do not need to plan every detail in advance. But it’s a very large park and if you want to see the majority of the sites, you’ll have to do some planning, in my opinion.

Here are some itinerary ideas based on the number of days spent in Yellowstone Park. Of course, there are many other possibilities, depending on which gate you enter through first.

1 day: one day is very short, and you will not be able to see everything. Focus on the area around Old Faithful and stop off to see the superb Grand Prismatic Pool. Then continue on the lower loop towards Yellowstone Canyon heading towards Hayden Valley to see herds of bison. End your journey on the shores of Yellowstone Lake.
For this short itinerary, the ideal is to enter the park through the West gate and exit at the East gate (or vice versa). If you don’t want to do it alone, there are several tours available operating from outside the park with very good reputations.

2 days: you have a little more time, although still not enough to see everything. On your way back through the North Gate, visit the beautiful Mammoth Hot Springs site, then continue south with only a few stops to the Old Faithful/Grand Prismatic Pool area. You can spend the night at Madison Campground for example. The next day, head back to the lower loop towards Canyon Village, stop by Yellowstone Canyon and finish your day in Lamar Valley, the one of the park’s best areas for seeing bison.

For this itinerary, the most convenient option is to enter the park from the north and exit to the northeast.

3 days: Begin in the north at Mammoth Hot Springs, then continue to the Old Faithful area and include Norris Geyser Basin. Spend the night at Madison. The next day, you can go through the bottom of the lower loop to Yellowstone Lake and up to Yellowstone Canyon. Sleep in Canyon Village. Finally, follow the beautiful road that leads to the Lamar Valley to exit at the East Gate.

4 days: That is how long I stayed. A lot will depend on where you are planning to sleep.

You can keep more or less to the same route as if you were staying for 3 days but you will be able to include the smaller roads and trails you wouldn’t have had time to see in only 3 days, including: going down to Lewis Falls, south of the park, taking the beautiful Blacktail Plateau Drive (west of Tower-Roosevelt), or even climbing Mount Washburn.

For hiking fans, and those who are tired of driving, hiking in Yellowstone Park is a great idea, right?

Everyone will have their preferences on this point but the reality is this: if you do not book your accommodation in the park at least a few months before your departure, you may not find anything available!

There are generally two main approaches. Either you love nature and you don’t want to leave the park every night. In this case, stay in the park for your whole stay, but you will need to book one of the campsites, sites or cabins. Be careful, these can fill up from six months to a year in advance. I was able to book into one of the park’s campsites about four months in advance. I was lucky, do you not think?

To book one of the campgrounds, use this site. For campers, there are only five campgrounds where you can reserve your site in advance. The others operate on a “first come, first served” basis. You can check the availability of the campsites here.

For campers, also be aware that depending on the season, temperatures can be very low in Yellowstone and that not all campgrounds have showers. I am thinking in particular of all those who travel with their families, with babies or young children… For information, there are paid showers in all the cities outside the park (or almost). I used one in Gardiner, north of the park, and found it clean and pleasant.

For those who wish to sleep outside the park by choice (or found that accommodation inside the park was full), you can consider sleeping:

• In the North, in Gardiner
• In the Northeast, Cooke City,
• At the West Gate, West Yellowstone,
• At the East Gate, Wapiti or further to Cody.

Many, including myself, advise that it’s best to stock up on food and drinks in the cities outside the park. It’s usually much cheaper and you’ll have a lot more choice.

If you are planning your itinerary well in advance, you might consider doing your grocery shopping in one of the major cities in the area (Livingston, Idaho Falls, Billings, etc.). You will find large supermarkets, such as Walmart, and prices are generally much lower…

In the park, you will find food and drink at gas stations and in tourist shops. You will always find what you need if you forget anything, so don’t worry. You will also find some nice restaurants in the park, especially in the tourist areas. Keep an eye on the prices….

In November, the standard entrance fee for Yellowstone National Park is $35 per private vehicle, $30 per motorcycle, or $20 per person entering on foot or by bicycle. The pass is valid for seven consecutive days. Another option is the America the Beautiful annual pass. It costs $80 for U.S. residents and $250 for non-U.S. residents. Depending on how many national parks you plan to visit, it can be a worthwhile option for a three-week or month-long trip. I bought one myself. You can purchase it online or at participating park entrances, so there is no need to buy it far in advance.

• Get up earlier than most visitors. Ideally, you should be on your way before sunrise. You will enjoy the beautiful morning light for photography and avoid many of the visitors who begin arriving around 8 or 9 a.m.
• Do not hesitate to remain in the park until sunset. Temperatures drop quickly in the evening, so many visitors return to their lodges, leaving the main sites noticeably quieter.
• Be aware that distances may look short on the map but can involve a considerable amount of driving.
• Whenever possible, avoid driving through the park late at night. I returned one evening at 11 p.m. after eating outside the park, and encounters with bison and coyotes standing in the middle of the road can be genuinely unsettling.

I deliberately didn’t want to list every site in Yellowstone Park. I might spoil the pleasure of discovery for you when you get there, would I? Here are some of the park’s classics that I really liked:

1 – Old Faithful Geyser

This is the main must-see attraction where everyone goes in the park. It is one of the largest natural geysers in the park, with an eruption about every 90 minutes. The eruption, which is impressive to watch, lasts between 2 and 5 minutes.

2 – Hayden Valley

This is the part of the park famous for large gatherings of bison. If you want to see them up close, this is the ideal place. Often by the roadside and even on it, the experience can be impressive.

3 – The Norris Geyser Basin area

This area is very active in the park and offers visitors superb views of vividly colored hot springs. Take a few hours to explore this remarkable landscape.

4 – Mammoth Hot Springs and Minerva Terrace

This is one of the most beautiful examples in the world of limestone deposition in a geothermal zone. From a photographer’s perspective, you will really enjoy this area and should make the most of walking around in this otherworldly setting.

5 – Yellowstone Grand Canyon

From here, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the largest waterfall in Yellowstone Park from this point. The colors of the surrounding canyon walls are striking (see Artist Point) so take the time to discover the different viewpoints. In fact, if you’re interested in this kind of scenery, you should have a look at our full Grand Canyon travel guide.

6 – The Midway Geyser Basin and the Grand Prismatic Spring

This is a superb area to discover with the famous Excelsior Geyser sending large volumes of water into the Firehole River but even better is the extraordinary Grand Prismatic Pool, the largest hot spring in the park (60 m × 100 m). The colors, both from the edge and from the overlook above, are impressive.

7 – Lake Yellowstone

The last place I really liked was the famous lake named after the park. As you travel around the park, you will have several opportunities to stop along its shores. Take the time to stroll along the lakeshore while looking around you… I saw some beautiful pronghorns, alone in the forest. It was a lovely sight.

Of course, there are many other beautiful places in the park. I’ll let you discover them for yourself once you get there 😉

I hope you enjoyed this article in preparation for your visit to Yellowstone Park! You now have what you need to plan your stay in the United States’ first national park.

In any case, even if the park is very popular, I really appreciated the 4 days I spent there. Try to explore some of the smaller trails, if you have time, to avoid the largest crowds. However, I preferred (this is simply a matter of personal preference) the Grand Teton National Park, just to the south. Wildlife often seemed easier to spot and I haven’t even mentioned the breathtaking landscapes. I’ll tell you about them in a future article.

Written by Sylvain PONS

Twice, over a period of about 2 months, I had the opportunity to explore several corners of the United States, taking advantage of the best it has to offer. I decided to share some of my experiences with you!

Despite our care, a mistake may have slipped into this article. If you find any, please don't hesitate to let us know so we can correct it as soon as possible and keep our information up-to-date!

See you soon for another article about our trip through the United States. Enjoy planning your journey!