If you are planning your trip to Yellowstone National Park, this is a great place to start. There are many different ways to plan the “perfect Yellowstone itinerary,” depending on your interests and how much time you have.
Yellowstone is the second largest national park outside of Alaska. With over two million acres of land, five park entrances, numerous geyser basins to visit, and scenic drives through valleys filled with elk and bison, there is A LOT to do here.
Ideally, you need at least three or four days to visit Yellowstone National Park. However, if you are short on time, you can get to the main highlights, even if you just have a day or two.
About this Yellowstone Itinerary
This Yellowstone itinerary works best during the months of June through October. From early November through late-May, many of the park roads will be closed due to snowfall. It’s still possible to visit the park in the winter, but you will get around by snowmobile or snow coach, which of course will be a much different experience than the summer months. You can get the status of road openings and closures here, a good idea if you are contemplating a visit in May or October into November.
With that being said, you should know that crowds are huge during the summer months (especially July and August). In 2021, Yellowstone was the 3rd most visited park in the USA, receiving 4.9 million visitors. In 2022, visitation dropped to 3.3 million, but that was because of the flood that occurred in June. In 2023, visitation rebounded with 4.5 million visitors and 2024 is expected to be just as busy. Expect major difficulties finding a parking space midday and be prepared to share walking trails with many other visitors.
If you plan to visit Yellowstone National Park for at least three days, we recommend staying in two different locations. Yes, it can be a hassle packing and unpacking, but Yellowstone is so large that switching accommodations can minimize travel time in the park. I give recommendations on where to stay in each itinerary. However, if you want to stay in one place for your entire visit, Canyon Village is the most centrally located village in Yellowstone.
Currently, you do not need an advance reservation to enter Yellowstone, but if you have plans to visit one of these other US National Parks, you will need to make a reservation in advance.
A Quick Geography Lesson
Yellowstone is the second largest US national park outside of Alaska. With over 2 million acres of land and 5 park entrances, this place is massive.
Yellowstone National Park is primarily located in Wyoming, although it does spill over, just a little bit, into Idaho and Montana.
If you look at the map of Yellowstone below, you will see that the network of roads inside the park forms a figure of eight. The main loop is called Grand Loop Road. Bisecting this loop, and making the park roads resemble a figure of eight, is Norris Canyon Road. The majority of sights you will visit are located on Grand Loop Road.
I modified this nps.gov map to highlight Grand Loop Road, the park entrances, and the main sights in Yellowstone. The pink lines are Grand Loop Road and Norris Canyon Road.
There are five park entrances, one on each side of the park (north, east, south, and west), with an additional entrance on the north side. Because of the park’s location, and the multiple entrances, it makes an awesome road trip destination. A visit to Yellowstone is usually combined with Grand Teton National Park, Devils Tower and Mount Rushmore, and Glacier National Park.
It takes three to five days to see and do everything inside of the park. If you are staying for 3 or more days, I recommend staying at two different locations in Yellowstone to minimize driving time. You can get recommendations on where to stay in our Where to Stay in Yellowstone article.
Best Things to Do in Yellowstone
Here is a list of the best things to do in Yellowstone:
- Old Faithful & Upper Geyser Basin
- Grand Prismatic Spring & Midway Geyser Basin
- Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
- Wildlife sightings in Hayden and Lamar Valleys
- Norris Geyser Basin
- Mammoth Hot Springs
- Go for a hike (Mt. Washburn & Fairy Falls are popular options)
The wildlife spottings in Yellowstone are incredible and every day offers a different experience. The best time of day to see the bison, elk, and bear are early and late in the day, so plan your visits to Hayden Valley and Lamar Valley during these times. But it is possible to spot wildlife anywhere in the park, so always be on the lookout.
How Many Days Do You Need in Yellowstone?
You need a minimum of three full days to see the top sights in Yellowstone. Since Yellowstone is so large, you will potentially spend several hours each day driving from sight to sight. Add in extra time for wildlife sightings, animal traffic jams, and maybe even circling the parking lots midday for an empty space.
If you want to thoroughly explore Yellowstone, I recommend spending at least four to five days here. That’s plenty of time to visit the top sights without feeling like you are in a race.
How to Get to Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park is located in the northwest corner of Wyoming. Here are the distances and driving times from nearby airports:
- Idaho Falls Regional Airport, Idaho: 110 miles, 2 hours
- Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, Montana: 80 miles, 1.5 hours
- Yellowstone Airport, West Entrance of Yellowstone: 3 miles, 10 minutes
- Yellowstone Regional Airport, Cody, Wyoming: 55 miles, 1.25 hours
- Jackson Hole Airport, Jackson, Wyoming: 70 miles, 1.5 hour
- Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah: 325 miles, 5 hours
- Rapid City Regional Airport, South Dakota: 440 miles, 7.5 hours
Both Yellowstone Airport and Yellowstone Regional Airport are very small airports, so your options will be limited. You might have better luck finding convenient and economical flights at Bozeman, Idaho Falls, and Jackson Hole. We usually fly into Salt Lake City and visit Grand Teton National Park on the drive up to Yellowstone.
Yellowstone is a very popular road trip destination. Here are nearby travel destinations which you can visit before or after Yellowstone:
- Grand Teton National Park: 60 miles, 1.5 hours
- Jackson, Wyoming: 80 miles, 2 hours
- Cody, Wyoming: 80 miles, 1.5 hours
- Devils Tower, Wyoming: 375 miles, 7 hours
- Mount Rushmore & Rapid City, South Dakota: 450 miles, 8 hours
- Glacier National Park: 380 miles, 6 hours
Note: This driving distances and times are estimates and will vary according to your starting/ending location inside of Yellowstone National Park.
If you have plans to visit Yellowstone National Park on a road trip with Devils Tower, Mount Rushmore and/or the Black Hills of South Dakota, you have several scenic drives to choose from that cross Wyoming. In our guide about how to drive from Yellowstone to Mount Rushmore, we cover the two routes that cross the Bighorn Mountians: Cloud Peak Skyway and Bighorn Scenic Byway.
One Day Yellowstone Itinerary
Where should you go if this is your first visit to Yellowstone and you only have one day? In my opinion, the must-see sights for a first-timer are Old Faithful, the Grand Prismatic Spring, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and a drive through either Hayden Valley or Lamar Valley to spot wildlife.
If you only have one day, most likely you are on a road trip through the USA. Most people visit Yellowstone on a big road trip that includes Grand Teton National Park. If that is your plan, you can start in Grand Teton, hit the main sights in Yellowstone, and end the day in either Mammoth, West Yellowstone, or in one of the lodges inside of the park.
Below is an itinerary that starts in Grand Teton and ends in central/north Yellowstone. We also have an article with six different ways to spend one day in Yellowstone National Park. This article includes many different routes through the park to fit your road trip itinerary.
Here is a map if you start in Grand Teton and end in Mammoth (but it also works if you are traveling in the opposite direction).
How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left corner of the map to see a list of the points of interest and to turn layers on/off. Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest.
To take this map with you, click the star next to the title of the map which adds it to your Google account. Next, within your Google Maps app, select ‘Saved’ and then select ‘Maps’. This map title will now appear in your list.
One Day Itinerary
Here is a sample one day Yellowstone itinerary. All times are approximate, to give you an idea of how to plan your time.
7 am: Drive from Jackson/Grand Teton National Park to Yellowstone. From Jackson, it is a 60-mile drive to the south entrance of Yellowstone and takes approximately one hour and fifteen minutes (95 miles, 2.25 hours to Old Faithful).
9:30 am: Old Faithful. Old Faithful is the world’s most famous geyser. It erupts every hour and half, give or take ten minutes. While you are here, you can also explore the Upper Geyser Basin. A visit to Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin typically lasts two hours.
Old Faithful
Boardwalk trail on the Upper Geyser Basin
12:30 pm: Grand Prismatic Spring. Take in the breathtaking view from the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook. It’s a 1.6-mile round trip walk from the Fairy Falls parking lot. Then, brave the crowds at Midway Geyser Basin for an up-close view of the Grand Prismatic Spring.
The view from Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook
Midway Geyser Basin
4:00 pm: Hayden Valley. Hayden Valley is one of the best places in Yellowstone to see bison. If you are lucky, there will be a large herd on the roadside so you can get up close with these animals.
Bison in Hayden Valley | Yellowstone Itinerary
5:30 pm: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. You can visit both rims of the canyon, either driving or hiking to the overlooks. If you are doing good on time, it is worth it to see both sides of the canyon. But if you are short on time (or low on energy), go to the south rim and visit Artist Point, the iconic view of the waterfall and one of the most popular sites in Yellowstone.
Plan your visit with our Guide to Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
Artist Point, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Once finished at Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, check into your hotel. Canyon Village is the most convenient place to stay. If you have plans to drive on to Glacier National Park, stay in West Yellowstone or Gardiner, Montana.
Doing this in Reverse Order: You can also do this in reverse order, starting in West Yellowstone, Mammoth, or Gardiner, and ending in Grand Teton. Go first to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, drive through Hayden Valley, visit Grand Prismatic Spring when the sun is still high in the sky (to see the most vibrant colors) and end with Old Faithful.
For more information, read our article about How to Spend One Day in Yellowstone.
Visiting Yellowstone on a Day Trip from Grand Teton National Park or Jackson
Visiting Yellowstone on a day trip from Grand Teton National Park or Jackson works great. With one day, you can visit the tops sights in Yellowstone, including Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and see the bison in Hayden Valley.
We have a detailed guide on how to plan your day trip from Grand Teton and Jackson. But if you prefer to learn more about Yellowstone from a guide and/or if you don’t want the hassle of driving and parking, there are several highly rated tours that start in Jackson.
Two Day Yellowstone Itinerary
This two-day Yellowstone itinerary is a continuation of the itinerary above, only you travel at a more leisurely pace and you get to visit a few more places.
Day One
Morning: Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin. Watch the geyser eruption from the boardwalk. For a unique view of the eruption (and much lower crowds), hike up to Observation Point. Take your time walking through the Upper Geyser Basin and Geyser Hill. Have lunch at the Old Faithful Inn or assemble a picnic lunch at the Old Faithful General Store.
Midday: Grand Prismatic Spring and Midway Geyser Basin. Consider adding on the hike to Fairy Falls.
Afternoon: More Geyser Basins. Located in the same area as Grand Prismatic Spring and Old Faithful are several more geyser basins to visit: Biscuit Basin, the Fountain Paint Pot Trail, and Black Sand Basin. Leave the crowds behind and hike to Lone Star Geyser, a geyser that erupts up to 45 feet every 3 hours.
Where to Stay: Old Faithful, Canyon Village or West Yellowstone
View of Old Faithful from Observation Point
Fountain Paint Pot Trail
Old Faithful Inn
Day Two
If you stayed in Old Faithful the night before:
Morning: Visit West Thumb Geyser Basin and drive through Hayden Valley to see the herds of bison. Optional: visit Mud Volcano, a short trail that takes you past bubbling mud pots.
Morning/Midday: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Visit both sides of the rim, either walking or driving to the overlooks. Midday, parking can be limited, so your best bet is to walk to the overlooks. Our top experiences here include Artist Point and Uncle Tom’s Trail on the South Rim and Brink of the Lower Falls, Lookout Point, and Red Rock Point on the North Rim. Learn more about the Grand Canyon and ideas on how to plan your time in our Guide to Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
Afternoon: Visit Norris Geyser Basin. A visit here consists of seeing two basins, Back Basin and Porcelain Basin. Unless you catch Steamboat Geyser in action, Porcelain Basin is more thrilling. Steaming hot springs, light blue thermal pools, and noisy fumaroles are what you will see here.
Late Afternoon/Evening: Mammoth Hot Springs. Mammoth Hot Springs is a large complex of hot springs that is located in north Yellowstone. Hot, steaming water spills out over travertine terraces, making this one of the most unique geothermal areas in the park. A visit here can be quick, with a short walk to one or two viewpoints. Or, you can spend an hour or two walking the boardwalk trails past each of the viewpoints.
West Thumb Geyser Basin | Yellowstone Itinerary
Norris Geyser Basin
Mammoth Hot Spring
If you stayed in West Yellowstone or Canyon Village:
Morning: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Midday: Hayden Valley with the option to visit Mud Volcano
Afternoon: Norris Geyser Basin and Mammoth Hot Springs.
Where to Stay: West Yellowstone or Canyon Village
Three Day Yellowstone Itinerary
Our three-day itinerary is similar to our two-day itinerary, with the addition of the amazing Lamar Valley, a scenic drive, and the addition of a big hike.
Day One
Morning: Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin
Midday: Grand Prismatic Spring, Midway Geyser Basin, and the option to hike to Fairy Falls
Afternoon: Geyser basins near Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic Spring: Black Sand Basin, Biscuit Basin and the Fountain Paint Pot Trail
Where to Stay: Canyon Village, Old Faithful, or West Yellowstone
Day Two
Morning: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Midday: Drive Dunraven Pass. This is a good time to hike to the top of Mt. Washburn for panoramic views of the park. It is a 6.2 mile round trip hike.
Afternoon: Drive through Hayden Valley to spot wildlife. Optional visit to Mud Volcano. Optional visit to West Thumb Geyser Basin.
Where to Stay: Canyon Village is the best place to stay but West Yellowstone and Mammoth/Gardiner also work well.
Day Three
Morning: Norris Geyser Basin
Midday: Mammoth Hot Springs. Have lunch in Mammoth or Gardiner. See the Roosevelt Arch, a stone arch that was constructed in 1903 and marks the main entrance into the park at that time.
Evening: Visit Lamar Valley at dusk. This is the best place in Yellowstone to spot wildlife.
Where to Stay: Mammoth, Gardiner, or Canyon Village
Boiling River Hot Spring
Lamar Valley at Sunset
Gardiner, Montana
PRO TRAVEL TIP: When driving through Yellowstone, be prepared to drive slowly and to get stuck in “animal traffic jams.” Bison tend to stop smack in the middle of the road, blocking traffic in both directions, creating traffic jams.
Four Day Yellowstone Itinerary
With four days, you can visit the main highlights of Yellowstone at a leisurely pace. You also have the option to add in a few short hikes.
Tip to Avoid the Crowds: Crowds are largest between 10 am and 4 pm in the summer months. If you have four or five days in Yellowstone, you have more time to work with, so it is possible to plan your days to avoid sightseeing at these crowded times. Start early, visit a site in the morning, relax in your lodge or have a leisurely picnic lunch midday, and then visit another site in the late afternoon.
On our most recent visit to Yellowstone, we were here in August. To avoid the crowds, we woke up very early and toured the park from 7 am to 11 am. We spent the middle part of the day at our hotel and then we went back out at 5 pm. It worked out very well. We saw most places with low crowds and we had a better chance to spot wildlife, since the animals are most active at dawn and dusk. The only downside is the extra driving.
Day One
Morning: Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin
Midday: Grand Prismatic Spring, Midway Geyser Basin, and the option to hike to Fairy Falls
Afternoon: Geyser basins near Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic Spring: Black Sand Basin, Biscuit Basin and the Fountain Paint Pot Trail
PRO TRAVEL TIP: The best time to visit Grand Prismatic Spring is midday, when the sun is high in the sky and the morning mist has burned off of the spring. This is one place in Yellowstone that we recommend visiting midday, during peak hours.
Where to Stay: Canyon Village, Old Faithful, or West Yellowstone
Morning Glory Pool in the Upper Geyser Basin near Old Faithful
Day Two
Morning: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Midday: Have lunch in Canyon Village. Drive Dunraven Pass. This is a good time to hike to the top of Mt. Washburn for panoramic views of the park. It is a 6.2 mile round trip hike. Or, drive south to Yellowstone Lake and hike Elephant Back Mountain, a 3.5-mile trail that offers nice views over Yellowstone Lake.
Afternoon: Drive through Hayden Valley to spot wildlife. Optional visit to Mud Volcano and/or West Thumb Geyser Basin.
Where to Stay: Canyon Village is the best place to stay but West Yellowstone and Mammoth/Gardiner also work well.
Day Three
Morning: Norris Geyser Basin
Midday: Free time at your hotel
Afternoon: Mammoth Hot Springs
Where to Stay: Mammoth, Gardiner, West Yellowstone, or Canyon Village
Day Four
Morning: Optional hike near Mammoth. The Bunsen Peak Trail is a 4.6-mile hike where you climb to a peak for great views of north Yellowstone. The Beaver Ponds Loop Trail is an easy 5-mile hike with a good chance to spot wildlife, just make sure you bring bear spray.
Midday: Relax in your hotel or have a picnic lunch.
Afternoon/Evening: Drive to Lamar Valley. On the way, add on the 7-mile scenic drive on the Blacktail Plateau. End the day spotting wildlife in Lamar Valley.
Where to Stay: Mammoth, Gardiner, West Yellowstone, or Canyon Village
Blacktail Plateau | Yellowstone Itinerary
Lamar Valley
Another option to consider is this 4 day tour of Grand Teton and Yellowstone. With a guide, you visit both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Along the way, you will stay in Jackson, Cody, and Cooke City. The fee includes transportation, lodging, and your guide. The tour is designed as a safari, giving you the best chance to spot wildlife.
Five Day Yellowstone Itinerary
With five days in Yellowstone, I recommend following the four day itinerary and on your fifth day, adding on additional experiences in Yellowstone.
Ideas include:
- Take a Ranger Guided Tour
- Go Fishing
- Spend more time in Lamar Valley spotting wildlife
- Go horseback riding
- Go hiking (there are over 1,000 miles of trails in Yellowstone)
- Plan a backcountry camping trip
- Drive Beartooth Highway. This scenic drive is one of the best in the USA and starts at the northeast entrance of Yellowstone. Read our Guide to Beartooth Highway for more information.
Beartooth Highway | Yellowstone Itinerary
Yellowstone Itinerary: Fees, Links & Helpful Tips
Reserving Your Hotels/Lodges
If you want to stay within Yellowstone National Park, in one of the lodges or campgrounds, you need to make your reservation well in advance.
Reservations open one year in advance on the 5th of the month. For example, on May 5, 2025 reservations open for May 1 to 31, 2026. Lodges get fully booked one year in advance but cancellations are common, so keep checking back if you can’t reserve the lodge you want.
Get recommendations on where to stay in and around Yellowstone in our post Best Hotels and Locations in Yellowstone.
National Park Fee
It costs $35 per vehicle to enter the park and this is good for seven days.
America the Beautiful Pass: If you have plans to visit Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks, it is worth it to purchase the America the Beautiful Pass. This annual park pass costs $80 and is valid for one year. Not only will you save money on park fees for this trip but you will also get free admission to any other national park or federal recreation sites that you visit within 365 days of purchasing this pass.
Traveling with an RV
We have not traveled with an RV, so we don’t have experience about what it is like to visit Yellowstone with an RV (but we have seen many RV’s on these roads). If you want more information, I recommend taking a look at this website, for an overview of what to expect in the park.
Important Links
Check park conditions and road closures on the official Yellowstone National Park website.
Tours of Yellowstone
If you prefer to visit Yellowstone with an experienced guide, or want to avoid the hassle of driving and parking, here are several highly rated tours to consider.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days do you need in Yellowstone National Park?
If you want to see Yellowstone’s top sights, plan on spending three full days in the park. This gives you enough time to drive the south and north loops, visit the long list of geyser basins and hot springs, hike a few trails, and spot wildlife in the park.
Is one day enough time to visit Yellowstone?
With one day in Yellowstone, you can see a few highlights of the park, so it is still a worthwhile experience. This can be done on a point-to-point road trip through the park or as a day trip from Grand Teton National Park.
Where is the best place to stay in Yellowstone?
The best place to stay in Yellowstone depends on your travel itinerary. Yellowstone is a very large national park, with 5 park entrances, multiple villages inside the park, and small towns that sit outside of the park boundary. If you have plans to spend several days in Yellowstone, we recommend that you stay in two different areas, in order to minimize how much driving you will do.
If you have any questions about this Yellowstone itinerary, let us know in the comment section below.
NATIONAL PARKS: In our Guide to the US National Parks, get the full list of national parks with important travel planning information, such as things to do in the parks and sample itineraries.
Read all of our articles about the United States in our United States Travel Guide.
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