Yes, it will require booking many months in advance. However, it is imperative for maximizing your time in Yellowstone as the entrances to Yellowstone are quite far. We can make it work; we can see almost everything. Similar to having one day in Yellowstone, it is important that you stay in one of the Yellowstone lodges inside the park.
This road forms the figure 8 inside the park, and along this road contains the main tourist attractions of YNP. If you have two days in Yellowstone, that will be just enough time to experience the Grand Loop Road.
The 1-day Yellowstone guide above covers the lower circle of the figure 8. On the second day, you can cover the top circle of the number 8.
When doing the Grand Loop Road, it is important to see if there are any road closures. This is especially common during the off-season a. Check the road conditions of Yellowstone National Park here! It is enough time to explore Grand Loop Road in its entirety leisurely.
There is no need to stress about any unforeseen circumstances such as wildlife traffic jams and road closures. You can plan your visit to the main attractions in Yellowstone and avoid the crowd. There is flexibility when you visit Yellowstone in 3 days.
We encourage you to head over to Lamar Valley near Tower Fall and check out some of the wildlife. It is considered one of the best places in Yellowstone to observe wildlife. If you get lucky, you might even see the iconic Yellowstone Grizzly Bears but hopefully not too close!
Having three days allows you to try out some of the hikes in Yellowstone. Both of those offer extraordinary views of some of the best features of Yellowstone.
For a more difficult hike, Mount Washburn is a no-brainer as its elevation at 10, ft offers panoramic views of the natural landscape. If a friend asks me for my expert opinion on how many days to see Yellowstone National Park, I would tell them 4 days. Four days in Yellowstone gives you enough time to explore the park leisurely, enjoy some of the lesser-known treasures of the park, or even participate in ranger programs.
We really liked the Great Fountain Geyser, as it had a beautiful background and hardly any crowds. The only downside to the Great Fountain Geyser is that it erupts once in a 4-hour window, so you might need to wait for some time. We enjoyed a packed lunch and some drinks while being completely immersed in nature.
Four days is perfect for anyone traveling Yellowstone on a budget because this allows you to stay outside of Yellowstone Park and save money on lodging. Small towns outside of Yellowstone such as Gardiner, West Yellowstone, and Jackson offer more amenities and a wider variety of cuisines.
It is known for its gorgeous Grand Teton Mountain Range that makes the perfect backdrop for landscape photography. It is perfect for travelers that like to travel slow and appreciate the nature of Yellowstone. This amount of time in Yellowstone offers you the opportunity to just lounge around for a day.
Exploring the nearby Grand Teton National Park is highly recommend if you have five days. The world is your oyster when you have 5 or more days in Yellowstone! Because Yellowstone is so big, picking the proper place to stay in Yellowstone is critical to maximizing your time.
Below we will talk about the two options you have when you are at Yellowstone — staying inside the park or staying in one of the towns outside of an YNP entrance.
Staying inside Yellowstone is one of the coolest experiences you can have at the park. Not only that, but staying in the park lets you get around much easier. For example, if you want to visit the Grand Prismatic Spring, the closest entrance is the west entrance, which is located a minute drive away!
But if you were staying in Old Faithful Inn, that commute would only be about 10 minutes. There are a total of nine lodges and over 2,00 rooms in Yellowstone National Park for guests. While most of these lodges are open in the summer, only a selected few are open in the off-season.
These lodges are very popular, especially the more famous ones such as Old Faithful Inn and Lake Lodge. It is important that you make a reservation at least several months in advance to secure a spot in one of the lodges. We snagged a free upgrade to Premium Lodge Room from Western Cabin which was a welcome escape from the cold nights!
This region is where your Yellowstone geyser hunting experience springs to life and you can witness the tallest active geyser in the world. At Norris geyser basin you will find several thermal geysers in very close proximity. The area is easy to explore via boardwalk and has to rank as one of the must visit regions on your 4 days in Yellowstone National Park itinerary. Waters around Norris basin are acidic, rather than alkaline, which means bacteria creates those colorful patterns you associate with Yellowstone.
Longer opening times and central location make this one of the most popular campgrounds at Yellowstone. Old Faithful is the iconic Yellowstone geyser everyone knows about before visiting the park. But the Old Faithful region has much more on offer, including perhaps the most eye catching feature of all: Grand Prismatic Spring.
You can find almost all amenities here, except a campground. Midway Geyser Basin — Smaller in area but possibly the most rewarding in terms of natural beauty.
The vibrant colors of Grand Prismatic Spring are difficult to appreciate from its boardwalk, so you will need to climb Fairy Falls Trail for that postcard perfect view. Upper Geyser Basin — The crown Jewel, Old Faithful is located here along with the highest density of geothermal activity in the park.
Old Faithful erupts once every minutes for anywhere between minutes. This trail also offers postcard-perfect views over Grand Prismatic Spring. You will be rewarded with a much more tranquil viewing platform. Old Faithful Inn — rooms and open from early May to mid October, but get in early as this is the most requested lodge in Yellowstone. Wide range of rooms available at various prices. It is enormous! All amenities can be found at both locations on the lake. What makes this place unique is stunning views of Yellowstone Lake and snow capped mountains behind geothermal features.
A boardwalk loops around West Thumb Basin allowing you to see the most impressive features while enjoying some of the best views in the park.
However, there are two easy going walks ending with excellent views over the lake and West Thumb. Lake overlook — Easy to moderate 1.
Storm Point — Easy 2. Areas surrounding East entrance road are known to be a favorite of the Grizzly Bear, but you can also expect to see a wider variety of wildlife in this region. We saw coyotes and mule deer pictured above around Lake Lodge during our visit. It is open late May to early September more information. However, this one is only open mid June to mid September more information. The RV park is open early May to mid September more information. We always find that spending just a few minutes working out where things are really helps when we arrive.
You can begin to construct your plans now you have an idea about each region inside the park. The following example itinerary is 4 days long, which means you can relax and take things slowly but still see and do the best of Yellowstone National Park. Our biggest frustration when first visiting with 3 days was only having enough time to visit each attraction once and having to rush through. But with that extra fourth day, it means you can re-visit any place you missed, was too busy or you enjoyed the most.
You can start your itinerary at any entrance. The figure 8 road inside the park makes it easy to adapt this itinerary to suit beginning from any direction. This is the most efficient way to visit because you can drive through Lamar Valley early on your first morning for the best chance of seeing abundant wildlife, see the park and leave without driving back on yourself too much.
If you are staying in West Yellowstone or Gardiner for the duration of your visit, or are entering via any other entrance, simply move around the days as we list below. The same things to do still apply, you can just adjust the itinerary to fit.
Try to arrive early morning for the best shot as seeing Bison and other animals. Spend an hour or two stopping at various pull-offs. Tip : By getting away from the road you give yourself a much better chance at seeing animals in the wild. When you arrive at Tower Junction turn left and drive a few miles to see Tower Fall and if time allows, hike to Yellowstone River Overlook.
But it is around 50 million years old, which means it is in fact, mightily impressive. Alternatively, Gardiner is the best place to stay outside of the park boundaries on this first night. After dinner depending on light and time of year , drive a couple minutes up to Mammoth Hot Springs for a quick look around the area.
Wake up early. Midday is busy but allows you spend more time walking the boardwalks comfortably and better chance to see the radiant springs.
Return to your cabin or the dining hall for breakfast, check out and get on the road heading South towards Norris Geyser Basin. Scenery along the way is gorgeous, stop if you see anything you like the look of but not for too long. Park up at Norris, be sure to look around the educational Visitor Center before spending the next few hours wandering the Geyser Basin boardwalks. You have plenty of geysers to take in throughout two loops of boardwalks.
There are dozens of springs and geysers in all colors and varieties here, just keep following the boardwalks and the crowds. Echinus geyser is a popular stop, however, this once prolific steam sprayer has become far less inclined to blow its top in recent years. We highly recommend this quick 1 mile roundtrip hike where you can see deep earthy colors surrounding small hot springs.
In addition, you have an opportunity to get up close and personal with boiling mud bubbling in grey molten clay-like pools. Take Norris Canyon road due East towards Canyon without stopping before checking in at your Canyon accommodation. Panoramic views from the summit will be worth the time and effort. Drive back past Canyon and turn onto one-way North Rim Drive.
Your first time seeing the powerful Yellowstone Lower Falls is from Lookout point, which is awesome, but less awesome than some of the other viewpoints coming up. At dusk, on the way back to Canyon, drive slowly and look out for wildlife. We saw Bison and a lot of Mule Deer on this stretch with a stunning deep purple sky sunset and moonrise over the plains.
Another early start and this one is non-negotiable! Check out and leave at least 30 minutes before sunrise check times here so you can get parked, walk the very short trail to Artist Point. Get your camera set up before the sun rises and illuminates the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The steep staircase trail descent was not open when we visited, so be sure to check for trail closures before your visit. The key is not to go looking for the animals, but to park up where nobody else is parked along the Yellowstone River and wait for them to come to you.
You might see a multitude of amazing wildlife, or you might not see any animals at all, it all comes down to chance. Be prepared for both eventualities. Next up as you head South is Mud Volcano. We spotted a gang of Elk and more coyotes right on the lake edge around Lake Yellowstone lodge.
Drive West to Old Faithful and check in to your final accommodation. Depending on the time, you can either stick around Old Faithful for sunset or drive 11 miles North to Great Fountain Geyser , which has a magnificent sunset. You get to sleep in a little finally! Slowly does it today. It is important to note here — if you want to get photographs of one particular area such as Grand Prismatic Spring, it might be worth beelining straight there first thing in the morning.
Opposite the one-way exit from Firehole Lake road, park up at Fountain Paint Pot trailhead and walk the very short trail. If you missed swimming in Boiling River at Mammoth due to closure, you could drive a few miles North to Firehole swimming area.
Firehole River will likely be engulfed in a cloud of steam as you walk towards Grand Prismatic, giving off an eerie effect. This huge heated cloud is produced by Excelsior Geyser , which was once the tallest geyser at Yellowstone.
Without question, the place will be packed with tourists, so try to be courteous as you walk the relatively narrow boardwalks. Finish your 4 days in Yellowstone itinerary back where you started this morning at Old Faithful.
What better place to sign off an incredible experience than its most iconic feature. Check times of eruptions, noted all around Old Faithful area including the dining halls.
Plan to arrive minutes before the predicted eruption. The bleachers will be busy so be sure to walk around and behind Old Faithful, before taking the Observation Point trailhead to a much better vantage point. The crowds will cheer once Old Faithful begins to erupt and you will have finally seen the most famous geyser in the world spurt its hot steam into the deep blue sky above!
Behind Old Faithful — past the trailhead for observation point — you can follow a path leading to multiple hot springs and geysers. Geysers : We highly recommend you do spend time walking behind Old Faithful as far as incredibly vibrant Morning Glory Pool, one of our favorites in the entire park.
If you like to kayak, Lewis Lake on the way out of Yellowstone is the best place in the park to paddle. Animals are very active as they come out of hibernation, grizzlies are very grizzly so care must be taken. Snow melting causes waterfall volumes to increase and the weather begins to warm slightly.
May and June are excellent months to visit Yellowstone before it gets too crowded. April in Yellowstone is interesting, you will have attractions almost to yourself but road access is limited and no park lodging is open.
However, you get more daylight and warmer temperatures which means perfect conditions for crushing hikes, sightseeing and comfortable camping. Of 4 million annual visitors to the park, over half visit in July and August. Not only will every attraction be busy but getting a camping spot or hotel room would be tough going. When we visited Yellowstone in October it had snowed heavily just a few days before our arrival.
The scenery was staggeringly attractive, with glittering ice and snow dancing under sunlight. It was the first big snowfall of the year so we just missed those beautiful rustic fall colors. September would be a fantastic alternative if you prefer to avoid crowds and enjoy cooler temperatures. Most of the park shuts down in Winter and access can only be achieved by snowmobiles. Our photographs will give you an idea of what Yellowstone would look like if you were to visit in Winter.
Following a huge snowfall, the temperature stayed below zero for 3 days but the sun was shining brightly from a deep blue clear sky every day.
Woah, this is so nice and thorough! Thank you so much! So glad my post was helpful! Yellowstone is one of those parks where there is little hiking required to see the sites.
However, the neighboring park of Grand Teton is full of long hikes in case anyone in your group is looking for that.
Hope that helps! Hi there, I followed your plan almost to a T and it worked out perfectly. My kids and I had a wonderful time at Yellowstone and beat most of the crowd during the busy 4th July weekend. Thank you for sharing your insight! Hello, thank you for your detailed post.
He loves to walk, run, hike etc but at times wants to just chill in his stroller. Are most places stroller accessible? So so thank you for this awesome itinerary. We followed it through and saved so much time, headache and effort. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Flights to this airport can be expensive since it is so small, and normally connect through SLC. There are direct flights from LAX. Where to Stay in Yellowstone National Park You can either book a campground or lodging inside the park, or stay in one of the towns right outside of Yellowstone!
However if you are on top of it and planning your trip that far out, here are some of the best lodging options: Old Faithful Inn — the most famous lodge in the park, built in out of local stone and logs! Best Lodging Near Yellowstone National Park If you are planning your trip to Yellowstone more last minute and there is no availability to stay inside the park, there are still some great options in the towns just outside the park! Best Place to Stay in West Yellowstone West Yellowstone is your best bet for looking for a place to stay near the park, as this town is only 3 miles from the West entrance of Yellowstone National Park.
Photo: VRBO. Like what you see? Share it! Share this content Opens in a new window Opens in a new window Opens in a new window. Elana 9 May Reply. Alex 8 Jul Reply. Lauren Wilson 8 Jul Reply. Rob Chang 11 Jul Reply. Lauren Wilson 12 Jul Reply.
I love to hear that. So glad you guys had a great time! Sandra 29 Jul Reply. Lauren Wilson 6 Aug Reply. Yes, most of the main spots in Yellowstone are stroller-accessible, as far as I remember!
Saba 15 Aug Reply. Lauren Wilson 14 Sep Reply. So glad it was helpful.
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