Yellowstone National Park Guide
Situated primarily in the northwestern edge of Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park is geothermic wonder of geysers, hot springs, abundant wildlife, and otherworldly geologic formations. As America’s first National Park, Yellowstone National Park continues to amaze its millions of visitors and inspires all who walk through it’s historic gates. Read on to plan your next trip to this iconic National Park, but be sure to check out photo tour of Yellowstone National Park to discover the vast diversity of this wild landscape , as well!
Park Information
-
Northwestern Wyoming, and Gallatin County Montana, and Fremont County Idaho
-
2.2 million acres
-
3.3 million
-
$35
Map of Yellowstone National Park (courtesy of USGS.gov)
Yellowstone National Park is one of the largest National Parks in the continental United States. Not only is it massive, but it is also full of stunning sights, wildlife, overlooks, and iconic geologic wonders…and seemingly endless crowds. While you can always breeze through a National Park in one day, doing so at a place like Yellowstone National Park would hardly do this magical landscape justice! So, how many days should you spend in Yellowstone National Park? Well, it all depends on how much you want to see of this incredible landscape!
How Many Days Do I Need In Yellowstone National Park
-
Visit Mammoth Hot Springs, see Old Faithful, Walk the Midway Geyser Basin and see Grand Prismatic Spring
-
1 Day Itinerary plus: Visit the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, explore Artists Paint Pots, drive through Firehole Canyon
-
2 Day Itinerary plus: Head to Fishing Bridge, explore Norris Geyser Basin, hike along Yellowstone Lake
-
3 Day Itinerary plus: Explore West Thumb Geyser Basin, head to Lamar Valley, explore Fort Yellowstone, enjoy a hike through the Yellowstone wilderness
To truly experience Yellowstone National Park you should allow at least 3 days to visit this breathtaking landscape. As with any National Park, allowing yourself more time will naturally allow you to explore more of Yellowstone National Park, including many of the lesser seen pockets of the park!
While Yellowstone National Park offers stunning sights throughout the year, each season brings with it a unique experience for all visitors! In addition to the changing sights, the crowd volume of Yellowstone National Park greatly varies throughout the year, and definitely can impact your park experience! The park is open 24 hours a day, so while you are always able to access this wonderful wilderness, the weather (and crowds) can often dictate what and where you are able to see and explore.
When To Visit Yellowstone National Park
-
Colder temperatures (30-60), snowfall should be expected, lower crowds in early season
-
Excellent weather (70-80F) with occasional evening rainstorms, very heavy crowds
-
Colder temperatures (30-60F), snowfall should be expected in mate season, medium-heavy crowds
-
Colder temperatures (0-20F), expect snow (sometimes heavy), light crowds, sections of the park may be inaccessible
While Yellowstone National Park is just outside Gardiner, MT and West Yellowstone, MT, there are also multiple lodging and eating options within the park! This gives you an assortment of lodging, eating, and shopping options both within park boundaries and just outside the gates! Be sure to book early as many accommodations are fully booked up to a year in advance!
Where To Stay At Yellowstone National Park
-
Roosevelt Lodge sits in the northeastern area of the park and offers multiple cabins
-
West Yellowstone, MT is bustling small town just outside the west entrance gate. It offers multiple short term rentals, hotels, motels, shops, and eateries.
The Old Faithful Inn and surrounding accommodations offer a range of hotel rooms, cabins, and suites right next to Old Faithful!
-
Gardiner, MT sitting just outside the north entrance to the park, has multiple lodging, eating, and shopping options at the doorstep to the park.
Additionally, the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel lies just across the street from the Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace within the park
-
Grant Village and the Lake Yellowstone Lodge offer multiple lodging options in the south and south central regions of the park. Staying outside the park to the south is extremely difficult due to Grand Teton National Park sitting directly to the south.
While every aspect of Yellowstone National Park should be experienced, check out a few of the must-see sights within the park. Make sure to spend some time hiking the trails, viewing the wildlife, and taking in the incredible geologic wonders of Yellowstone National Park!
