Yellowstone National Park
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Yellowstone National Park Travel Guide
Yellowstone National Park feels like the planet decided to put on a show. Steam vents breathe across the horizon, geysers rocket skyward, and whole hillsides smell faintly like eggs and adventure. Bison clog the road at their own pace. Sunrise turns the steam gold at Upper Geyser Basin, and sunset paints Lamar Valley like a wildlife documentary with a better soundtrack. Straddling Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, this is the original national park for a reason.
Yellowstone National Park is Earth turned inside out, geysers that breathe fire, valleys alive with wildlife, and landscapes so wild they invented the idea of a national park.
How to Get There
Think of Yellowstone as an enormous, living caldera with five doors. West Yellowstone and Gardiner serve the Montana side, Cody handles the east, and Jackson connects from the south through Grand Teton National Park. If you're flying, there are multiple angles: seasonal Yellowstone Airport in West Yellowstone puts you minutes from the West Entrance, Jackson Hole Airport lands you right below the Tetons with a gorgeous one-hour drive to the South Entrance, and Bozeman Yellowstone International is the most common hub for the north and west sides. Renting a car is non-negotiable, as the park is the size of a small country and its sights are spread around the Grand Loop.
Nearest airports: WYS seasonal near West Yellowstone; JAC about 1 hour to the South Entrance; BZN about 1.5–2 hours to the North or West Entrances; plus IDA and COD for the west and east.
By car: Five entrances feed the 142-mile Grand Loop.
Pairings: Grand Teton to the south makes a perfect two-park itinerary.
Know Before You Go
Yellowstone does not use timed entry. You only need a park pass. Traffic can feel like city rush hour whenever a bison sneezes, so start early, choose a side of the park per day, and pack a cooler. Thermal areas are fragile and dangerous, so stay on boardwalks and obey closures. Cell service comes and goes.
Entrance: A park pass is required; no vehicle reservations are necessary.
Safety: Stay on boardwalks in thermal areas and keep at least 25 yards from most wildlife, and 100 yards from bears and wolves.
Seasonal notes: Some roads close to wheeled traffic in late fall and reopen in spring.
Best Time to Visit
Summer delivers full access and long days. Spring is a season of baby animals, accompanied by variable weather. Fall brings elk bugles and quieter roads. Winter is a world entirely different, with guided snowcoach or snowmobile access and frosted geyser basins. Pick your flavor: warm and wide open, or cold and cinematic.
June–September: All roads are open, with the biggest crowds.
May and October: Shoulder seasons with thinner crowds and unpredictable weather.
December–March: Snowcoach won Wonderland, with limited access that feels private.
Best Things to Do
Yellowstone rewards a slow circuit. Use the Grand Loop like a clock face and pick two or three highlights per day so your time isn't spent in the car. The hits feel like movie sets that happen to boil.
Old Faithful + Upper Geyser Basin: Do the boardwalk loop and catch multiple geysers.
Grand Prismatic Overlook: Hike the Fairy Falls overlook spur for the rainbow view.
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone: Artist Point and North Rim viewpoints.
Lamar Valley: Dawn or dusk wildlife stakeout for bison, pronghorn, maybe wolves.
Norris Geyser Basin: Otherworldly steam and colors.
Best Hikes
You can keep it boardwalk easy or go legs on fire. Mix a short boardwalk with one moderate trail daily for balance.
Fairy Falls + Grand Prismatic Overlook (4.8 miles, easy-moderate): Hot spring theater from above, then a forest walk to a tall waterfall.
Uncle Tom's Point to South Rim viewpoints (1–2 miles, easy): Canyon drama without big commitment.
Mount Washburn from Dunraven Pass (6.8 miles, moderate-strenuous): Big summit views when open for the season.
Mystic Falls via Biscuit Basin Loop (3.5 miles, moderate): Geysers, river, waterfall.
Places to Stay
Book early and think in "zones." Want geysers at sunset and sunrise? Sleep near Old Faithful. Craving animals at first light? Base near Lamar.
In-park classics: Old Faithful Inn, Lake Yellowstone Hotel, Canyon Lodge.
Gateway towns: West Yellowstone for west-side loops; Gardiner for the north; Cody for the east; Jackson for a two-park combo.
Camping: Reserve popular campgrounds; consider first-come, shoulder-season options.
Places to Eat
Picnic like a pro to beat the clock. For sit-down meals, lodges cover the basics, while gateways offer a wider variety.
In park: Old Faithful Lodge Cafeteria, Canyon Eatery, Lake Lodge.
Gateways: Wild West Pizzeria in West Yellowstone, Yellowstone Pizza Company in Gardiner, Cody's rodeo-town restaurants, Jackson's whole scene from burritos to bistros.
