Denise and Reed

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Yellowstone is the first national park in the U.S. Prepare to see some of the coolest natural spectacles in the world here! Read on for more.

Yellowstone Travel Guide

Yellowstone is the first national park in the United States. It is bigger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined and expands across 2.2 million acres. Yellowstone sits atop a volcanic hotspot and is home to over half the world’s geysers containing over 10,000 hydrothermal features. There are 4 different hydrothermal features, geysers, mud pots, hot springs, and fumaroles. Be prepared to see some of the coolest natural spectacles you’ll ever see. Each feature has its own unique qualities and characteristics.

Yellowstone brings people from all over the world seeking wildlife that is rare or nonexistent in other places. There are over 67 mammals and 285 bird species that live in Yellowstone. You can see Grizzly bears, brown bears, pronghorns, elk, moose, beavers, muskrats, bighorn sheep, gray wolves, and many other animals that live in the greater Yellowstone area, an area that still has all of its indigenous animals intact. There’s tons of space, trails to explore, and things to see. The park is 2.2 million acres large. If you want to go backpacking, you can find permits online and in-person within the park. 

We visited in August, and there were lots of people. Keep in mind that there will be large crowds in the summer! So book campsites months in advance, and have a solid plan! There are 5 different entrances to the park. Logistically this gives you a lot of different ways to approach exploring Yellowstone. You can find a downloadable map of Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons here.

History

Scientists have found tools proving humans existed in the Yellowstone area up to 11,000 years ago. Only 2% of the park has been surveyed by archaeologists, though. To date, there are 26 different tribes that have historical connections to Yellowstone. For centuries the area was used for its natural resources by indigenous people. Hunting, gathering, and harvesting obsidian for spearheads were some of the uses of the region.

Around the time Europeans came to what is now called Yellowstone, there were a few main tribes in the area. A tribe of Shoshone called Tukudika are believed to be the only year-round residents. They lived in higher elevations. The Blackfeet frequented the area north of the park, Nez Perce, and bannock hunted annually east of the park in the plains, the Crow lived between the Yellowstone and Bighorn rivers. The indigenous people in the region believed the geysers and springs housed spirits. The land is very sacred to them. Tribes were forced out of the area over time as the area became more useful to colonizers and tourism increased.

We often talk about Indigenous history in the past tense, which perpetuates the erasure of the Indigenous people and tribes that continue to live here today. The fight for Indigenous land rights and Indigenous sovereignty is ongoing. Today tribe committees consult with the park about its management and the future of bison. You can help these communities today by doing research about the tribes in Yellowstone, supporting Indigenous rights by having conversations about Indigenous sovereignty. By seeking out and supporting indigenous-owned businesses, honoring and acknowledging the land you are on. You can start by downloading the app Native Land on your phone. Remember, Indigenous people’s history is American history and their stories and lives are still with us today.

Native Land

Native Tribes that are Indigenous to the area

  • Apsaalooke (Crow)
  • Eastern Shoshone
  • Cheyenne
  • Blackfeet
  • Bannocks

Is is accessable?

Was there wifi? 

Places with gas, food, shopping; Canyon village, Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, West Thumb, and Grant Village, Fishing Bridge, and Madison. 

How long can you stay in each place?

Sites outside Yellowstone are typically 14 days. However, some of the sites near the Tetons are 5-day stays.

Showers

Grant, fishing bridge, and canyon campgrounds have showers on-site that anyone can pay to use for under $5.  

Recommended supplies to bring?

Bring clothes and gear for hiking, layers for cold nights and mornings. Binoculars/telescope for viewing wildlife, any birding supplies, camping supplies, and definitely buy bear spray before getting to the park. It’s costly inside Yellowstone, up to $90!

Best time to go 

To avoid crowds, the best times of year are late April-May and September-Early October. However, be prepared for cold nights this time of year. For example, when we went in August, the average night temp was in the upper 40’s.

Free or paid? 

We stayed in free spots outside the park entrances.

There are two first-come, first, serve campgrounds within Yellowstone. The rest are reservations only. I’d recommend getting a sight within the campground for a night or two if you’re watching expenses. The park is so large I would have liked to stay closer to one of the valleys and be able to watch for wildlife while the sun rises. I’m not a super early riser, so proximity would really help. 

Grassy Lake

This spot is just 30 minutes outside the south entrance of the park. We drove 8 miles down a gravel road till we noticed some turns headed down to the lake. Several different spots lay within the tree line surrounding the lake. It was beautiful to watch the sunset behind the lake. It’s a gorgeous area, and if we were moving slower, I would have liked to camp here a week. 

West Fork Denny Creek dispersed camping

A few minutes from West Yellowstone. We got here around 8 pm, and all the spots at the beginning of the road were taken. We drove a few miles up the mountain and found a beautiful turnout. It was quiet, spacious, and scenic. Noone drove past our sight the 12 hours we were there.

Hikes

West Thumb area 

  • Riddle lake trail – south of grant village intersection. About 3 miles long, this trail leads through meadows and a forest to a beautiful lake.
  • Lewis river channel/dogshead is a 10.8 mile loop that provides backcountry views. It’s an easy to moderate hike featuring Shoshone lake and Lewis Lake.

Mammoth Hot springs 

  • Beaver ponds trail – 5 mile trail through meadows and trees, might see some beavers! Bears frequent this area, lots of wildlife in this area, deer, pronghorn, muskrats, elk, moose, birds. Located behind mammoth hot springs at the start of old gardiner road 
  • Mammoth Hot Springs hike is 30-90min long, stay on boardwalks as entire area is thermal activity region

Old Faithful area

  • Mallard Lake trailhead – 7 miles out and back 
  • Mystic falls 2.4 mile located at the far side of the Biscuit basin boardwalk. This trail follows a creek to mystic falls, a beautiful 70 foot fall!
  • Grand Prismatic Overlook – .6 miles along fairy falls trail, you can get here form the fairy falls parking lot. This hike is highly recommended as Grand prismatic is hard to see from ground level due to how large it is and how the boardwalk is placed. 

Canyon Day hikes

  • Mount Washburn Spur trail – a very long 16 mile hike 
  • Cascade lake trail 4.4 miles 

South Entrance

The nearest town is Jackson, WY, 64 miles away. This entrance is great if you’re coming from Grand Teton national park, Jackson, WY, or any southern state. This entrance allows you to see two of the most beautiful national parks in one day! You’ll also pass by Lewis Lake Campground, which is a first-come, first-serve campground. We stayed just 40 min outside the south entrance at Grassy lake. The lines to enter are relatively shorter here compared to West Yellowstone. Once inside the park, it’s a beautiful 45 min drive through pine trees to the first major sight which is West thumb Geyser Basin. The largest basin on Yellowstone lakes shore. From there, continue northwest to Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin or head northeast along Yellowstone Lake to Buffalo People’s Valley (Hayden Valley) for wildlife watching. 

West Yellowstone

It is the park’s busiest entrance. Use this entrance if coming from Idaho or western Montana. You’ll find a bustling town just outside the West entrance in West Yellowstone, Montana. It has a good mix of accommodations and services. We ate at Ernie’s bakery and deli, and it was delicious. It’s a very popular place good for breakfast and lunch. It’s been around for over 30 years! If you want to skip the park entry lines, maybe choose a different entrance as this is the busiest entrance into the park.

After you enter, you’ll soon cross the Wyoming border and drive 14 miles to Madison, where you’re in Geyser utopia! The upper and lower geyser basins are very close. Drive south for old faithful or continue northeast to Norris geyser basin. The west entrance is also a good place to see bison and other wildlife. The road follows the madison river through a small valley that has pull-offs for wildlife viewing. We saw elk and bison in this area.

North Entrance

The nearest town is Gardiner, just a few miles outside the entrance. It’s a lively small western town. The North entrance is the only year-round entrance! Use this entrance if coming from the Pacific Northwest or north of Yellowstone. This entrance puts you right at one of the most beautiful spots in all of Yellowstone, Mammoth Hotsprings. Mammoth’s gorgeous steamy terraces are colored white, brown, and yellow. It’s been described as looking at a cave turned inside out. There are about 50 hot springs in this area. Head East to Lamar Valley for some of the best wildlife viewing in the park or towards mount Whitburn. Head south to Norris geyser basin. 

Northeast Entrance

The nearest town is Red Lodge 69 miles away, Billings, MT is 125 miles away. This entrance brings you in via high altitude! Beartooth pass on highway 212 provides spectacular views before reaching the park. The Northeast entrance is the closest entrance to Lamar Valley, home to grizzly and brown bears, wolves, elk, and bison. This is the valley where Wolves were first reintroduced into the park in the late 1990s. Come early in the morning or in the late evening and bring your binoculars. 

East Entrance

The nearest town is Cody, WY, 53 miles away. This entrance leads straight to Yellowstone Lake, where you’ll find a visitor center and museum. We utilized the information desk there and spoke with a Park Ranger about wildlife in the park. We recommend picking up a wildlife map to see all the animals inside the park and view some of them. The lake is great for swimming (average temp 41 degrees F), fishing, boating, tubing. All watercraft must obtain a permit/inspection for invasive species. Head North to Buffalo People’s Valley (Hayden Valley), Canyon Village, and Mount Washburn, or head southwest along the lake to West thumb. We swam just south of bridge bay off Gull point Dr. There’s a small beautiful shoreline with lots of pull-offs to enjoy the water and sights. 

Activities we didn’t do but wish we did

  • Explore Mammoth Hot Springs 
  • Lamar Valley wildlife watching
  • Fairy falls hike
  • Any backcountry hike

Places we visited 

West Thumb Geyser Basin

The first sight to see coming from the south entrance. This basin is the largest along Yellowstone Lake’s shoreline. It provides beautiful views of the lake while seeing some unique hydrothermal features! There’s plenty of parking. We meandered around the boardwalk, oohing and awwing at different hot springs and geysers for about 40 minutes. (Fishing Cone pictured below. Fishers would stand near the cone and fish. When they caught one, they’d dip the fish into the cone for a quick boil.)

Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin

This basin provides extensive trails around the different geysers in the area. We spent around 3 hours taking in the sights. First, we saw old faithful, Grand geyser, and Morning Glory, to name a few. Then, we walked a mile past morning glory on a more secluded trail to see the gem pool and artemisia geyser before making our return to the old faithful parking lot. It’s highly recommended to explore the entire region, most people come to see old faithful and never see the large variety of geysers and springs.

Grand Prismatic

One of the most sought-after attractions is Grand Prismatic, a large colorful spring. It’s the 3rd largest spring globally and exonerates bright orange, yellow, and green rings around a blue center. There is parking on the street jas well as a parking lot. The boardwalk around the features took us about 30 minutes. There are two small pools and one large geyser on this trail. We recommend taking the overlook trail because of the size of the spring. It’s hard to see it well from the surface level. The overlook can be reached via the Fairy Falls hike.

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone displays a huge waterfall and the roaring Yellowstone river running through a beautiful canyon. There are many different places to see the canyon, and we witnessed its beauty from the upper falls viewpoint. Then, we did a short 30-minute hike down to the river. Artist point is a popular trailhead/viewpoint of the canyon. 

Buffalo People’s Valley

The Blackfoot Nation has requested the name change of Hayden Valley to Buffalo People’s Valley due to Peigan Hayden’s belief that Natives should be exterminated from Yellowstone. This valley is home to herds of bison and other wildlife. We spent an hour stopping at 3 different locations where Bison were hanging out doing their thing. We recommend coming here to see these beautiful animals. The valley is picturesque and very peaceful.

Yellowstone lake at Gull Point Dr

We parked off Gull Point Dr for a quick swim along the shores of Yellowstone lake. There’s a relatively long coastline with many pullouts to enjoy the view/water. The area is sandy and suitable for relaxing by the water. Yellowstone lake is cold so remember to limit your time in the water to stay safe. (insert photo of me swimming)

To read our Flagstaff travel guide, go here.

Flagstaff Travel Guide | Vanlife

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