I've been to all of our major National Parks and feel the need to lead off with this because each and every time I've visited our parks I see someone doing something insanely stupid like the woman at left did.
Our Parks don't have a "SNAP A SELFIE WITH A BISON DAY" for a reason. That woman was incredibly lucky to have survived that attack, although she received serious pelvic injuries.
Always stay at least 100 yards from any of the Parks wildlife! This is especially true when these wild animals have their babies with them. Male bison (and other species) get very aggressive once the young are birthed - as the male in the video did.
So please...be respectful of the Parks wildlife and don't crowd them for your own safety and theirs.
On with exploring Yellowstone...
Yellowstone is probably our most popular National Park, garnering about 4 million tourists per year that spend on average of $500 million per year in the Park.
Yellowstone is HUGE, consisting of approximately 2.2 million acres or 3,472 square miles of land. This vase area spans the states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. There's no way you can see everything in one day so I recommend spending at least 3 days in Yellowstone.
I've been to Yellowstone 3 times now, each time experiencing the park in a new and unique way and I still haven't seen and done everything that Yellowstone offers park visitors.
FLYING IN
There are 5 airports around Yellowstone. Three of them are small regional airports that don't handle large planes so you will want to fly into either Bozeman or Billings airports, then rent a car to get to Yellowstone Park.
In general, Bozeman, Billings, and Jackson Hole will have the most flight options. The Yellowstone Airport and Yellowstone Regional Airport in Cody are both smaller airports and flight schedules are limited and fares generally high.
Because I have relatives in Bozeman I fly into Bozeman. From the Bozeman Airport to Yellowstone is 91 miles so you don't want to make Bozeman your home base. You'll be doing your driving INSIDE the park, you don't want to be doing it to and from the park 2 hours every day. (One way, 4 hours total)
If you fly into Bozeman this will put you closest to the 2 park entrances most people use - the West entrance and the North entrance. There are 6 Park entrances in all.
The West entrance is the most commonly used entrance and is near the city of West Yellowstone.
The next most used entrance is the North entrance next to Gardiner, MT.
The East entrance is the one I use most of the time as it's near Cody, WY but far from Yellowstone's main sites. (I stay in Cody.)
The South entrance connects to Grand Teton and Yellowstone.
The Northeast entrance is the least used, between Lamar Valley and Beartooth Highway.
Generally, which entrance you use will be determined by what airport you fly into or are coming from.
Map credit; We're In the Rockies
BEFORE YOU COME
You'll be doing a lot of driving in and around the Park so there are a couple of apps you want to download.
Do yourself a favor and download the free NPS (Natl. Park Service) guided tour app.
One app, every park at your fingertips. The NPS App is the new official app for the National Park Service with tools to explore more than 400 national parks nationwide. Find interactive maps, tours of park places, on-the-ground accessibility information, and much more to plan your national park adventures before and during your trip.The NPS App is currently available on iOS and Android mobile devices. It can be downloaded for free through the App Store and Google Play. Since cell reception isn't reliable at Yellowstone National Park, be sure to download the app and save for offline use before coming to the park. This can be done through the toggle switch located at the top of the Yellowstone section of the app.
You can tour Yellowstone on your own, but if you download the GuideAlong app, you’ll get an insider’s perspective of the park without having to go on a tour. It’s like having your own guide in the car with you.
As you drive, the app uses your location to automatically play perfectly timed commentary about history, geology, wildlife and more. The app also tells you about upcoming sights, so you have time to decide whether to stop. The best part is you don’t need cell phone service or Wi-Fi. Download content to your device from the App Store or Google Play beforehand, and the app determines your location and autoplays using GPS.
Buy directly from GuideAlong.com and save 15% on driving tours for Yellowstone, Beartooth Highway, Grand Teton, northern parks, and more. The Yellowstone app costs $20 and is well worth it.
You can book a guided tour of Yellowstone but in investigating current guided tour fares, I found them to be ungodly expensive, usually from $850 per person to over $1000 per person and then you're usually tied into their schedule, not necessarily your schedule.
PARK ADMISSION
When you enter Yellowstone National Park, you’ll need to buy a park pass at the entrance station (unless you have a park pass already). There are several different options you have when you go to buy a park pass. You can buy a pass that is good for seven days to Yellowstone, an annual pass to Yellowstone or you can buy an all-parks pass that is good for a year and gets you into every national park site. If you think you’ll visit more than one park in a year, buying the America the Beautiful all parks pass makes a lot of economical sense. Here are all the details.
GET IN FOR FREE
Active military receive free annual parks passes for themselves and their dependents when they show a military ID. Travelers under 16 years of age, as well as those visiting parks for educational or scientific purposes, also receive an entrance waiver. And if you have a permanent disability and show documentation, you get in for free and get a discount on camping.
Is there a fourth grader in your family? Visit everykidoutdoors.gov for your free pass.
Don’t fit those categories?
Hit your favorite park on a free admission day. There are usually 6 free days every year. Check our event calendar for dates.
To get a national parks pass, you can:
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Visit a federal recreation site in person and buy the pass there.
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Call 888-ASK USGS (1-888-275-8747), extension 3, and order the pass by phone. The hours of operation are 8 am to 4 pm Mountain Time.
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Go online and buy the pass from the USGS store. You will have to pay processing and shipping fees for online orders.
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Mail an application form (558KB PDF) and purchase the pass by mail.
Grand Teton Park is right next door to Yellowstone so when planning your vacation, you might want to consider buying an annual park pass and seeing both parks during your trip. It's actually most economical to purchase the annual pass for most people.
ACCOMMODATIONS
There are several in-park accommodations available but I think they're overpriced for what you get (a stay at Old Faithful Inn will cost you at least $525 per night) and they fill up quickly so you have to make reservations for them 6 months to a year in advance. This is especially true of the campgrounds.
You can make reservations at Yellowstone hotels here.
Hotels in the park:
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Canyon Lodge and Cabins
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Grant Village Lodge
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Lake Hotel and Cabins
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Lake Lodge Cabins
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Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins
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Old Faithful Inn
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Old Faithful Lodge
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Old Faithful Snow Lodge
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Roosevelt Lodge
As far as camping goes, there's soft sided and hard sided camping that hinges on how often the bears visit those campsites. Soft sided is supposedly campsites the bears don't frequent. The first time I visited Yellowstone as a kid, we had a soft sided pop up camper. It was so cold my dad slept with his PJ bottoms wrapped around his head. And the first thing we gals encountered the next morning in the bathroom?
Bears don't read signs.
On the second trip to Yellowstone my lte hubby and I had bought a conversion van. (Smartest move we ever made, it paid for itself several times over in what we saved in accommodations costs.) The rear seats folded down into a queen-sized bed, we'd throw our screen house in there to cook and relax in and off we'd go.
Because we were in a hard sided vehicle we were allowed to camp in the campgrounds frequented by bears - and never saw one damn bear the entire time we were there.
RV's under 30 feet are allowed in the tent camping areas.
Yellowstone has 12 campgrounds and over 2,000 campsites. There are also dozens of private, forest service, and BLM campgrounds outside of the park.
People ask what's the best campground to stay at in Yellowstone? That's a loaded question because it depends what you're after while camping.
If you want to see as much of the park as possible, then choose a campground like campground like Madison, Norris, or Canyon.
If you stay at stay at Bridge Bay, Fishing Bridge, or Grant Village you'll be close to the lake.
If you want to be near wildlife, stay at Slough Creek, Pebble Creek, Bridge Bay, Fishing Bridge, or Grant Village.
If it's seclusion you're after then Lewis Lake, Indian Creek, Slough Creek, or Pebble Creek will fit the bill.
Stay in Grant Village or Lewis Lake if you want to be near Grand Teton National Park.
You'll need to stay outside of the park if you have a big RV.
Campgrounds in Yellowstone range from ~$20-40 per night, except for Fishing Bridge RV Park, which costs over ~$80.
Those without a car like bikers and hikers generally pay between $5 and $9 per night.
Those with a Senior Pass or an Access Pass (for the disabled) get a 50% discount at all the campgrounds except Fishing Bridge RV Park.
Yellowstone’s campgrounds are managed by two different entities: the National Park Service (NPS) and Xanterra. All campsites must be reserved in advance, except Mammoth Campground from October 15th-April 1st. More information about campsites is available on the National Park Service website.
My personal favorite campground is Mather Campground. It's the most popular and it's centrally located near all of the Park attractions.
An added bonus: You'll share your space with the elk meandering through the campground.
On my last trip I had a new travel partner (Jay) who had a really nice 32' RV and we decided we'd stay about 3 miles outside of Yellowstone's West entrance at Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park.
Step out of your RV and walk 5 minutes to get anywhere in the town of West Yellowstone or walk along the many hiking trails in Gallatin National Forrest which borders two sides of the park.
They had large pull through sites with full hookups—water, sewer, and 20/30/50 AMP electric.
The last photo in the slideshow above is of one of the recently built cabins the park is renting out.
We did scope out the inside of a couple of them and they're really nice as well as modern. So if you don't have an RV but want to stay outside of Yellowstone Park, there's another option for you.
If you want to stay in the town of West Yellowstone, here are some unique accommodations you should check out:
EXPLORING IN YELLOWSTONE PARK
To refresh your memory...
I'm going to try to do this in some semblance of order by placing the various Park attractions near their closest park entrance but there are so many of them, forgive me if I goof up and get an attraction near the wrong gate. We'll start with the most popular entrance, the West entrance.
NEAR THE WEST ENTRANCE
The first place you want to stop upon entering Yellowstone is the Visitor's & Educational Center at the West entrance.
Photo credit: NPS
Located near Old Faithful Geyser, this visitor center offers views of the geyser's eruption from the tall, windowed front of the visitor center. Additionally, you can gather park information, talk with a park ranger at the front desk, shop for souvenirs in the park store, delve into the natural wonders of Yellowstone in the exhibit hall, join a ranger program, or use the restrooms.
If you have kids ages 4 and up then you want to pick up a FREE Junior Ranger book for them. There are different books gauged to their different ages and they can get one from the Rangers or one of the staff employees. While they are touring the park they complete their Junior Ranger activity book. (Bring along some pencils, colored pencils and a clipboard for each child)
When they've completed their book, return to one of the Visitor's Centers, the child should give their completed book to a Ranger and upon being "sworn in" will receive a Junior Ranger badge.
This will keep the kids entertained while you're touring the Park.
OLD FAITHFUL
Old Faithful is Yellowstone's most popular attraction, erupting about every 60 to 90 minutes.
Generally, the average height Old Faithful erupts is around 130 feet and it can last anywhere between 1.5 to 5 minutes per eruption.
Viewing it is made easy by the boardwalks that surround it. Benches are there to sit on.
Personally, I think Old Faithful is way overrated. There are better geysers to see in Yellowstone - which we'll get to later.
Old Faithful is located in the Upper Geyser Basin.
The Upper Geyser Basin is a large field of volcanic geysers that spout super-heated water from beneath the earth’s surface.
It will take you about 2 hours to fully explore the Upper Geyser Basin.
Old Faithful
Upper Geyser Basin Photo credit: Solo Trips & Tips
OLD FAITHFUL INN
Photo credit: Reese Moore
The first time I saw Old Faithful Inn I was just a kid and remember being WOW'd by it and its sheer size.
It is the largest log cabin in the world.
You don't have to be a guest at the Inn to visit it. When you plan your Yellowstone itinerary set an extra hour aside to be given a FREE tour by a Ranger, who will give you the history of the Inn.
GRAND PRISMATIC SPRING
The Grand Prismatic Spring is located in the Midway Geyser Basin area. It's one of the most colorful things to see in Yellowstone.
The 160 ft deep Grand Prismatic is the largest hot spring in the United States and the third largest in the world.
The Spring’s stunning rainbow colors give it a surreal, other-worldly appearance, making it a must-see attraction and the highlight of any Yellowstone visit. Needless to say, Grand Prismatic is Yellowstone’s most photographed thermal feature.
Grand Prismatic Spring gets its name from the sequence of its colors, which conform to those of a rainbow, or the way a prism disperses sunlight!
The colors of the spring are most vivid mid day on a sunny day.
As you enter Yellowstone National Park, look for signage to the Midway Geyser Basin. The Grand Prismatic parking lot is incredibly busy and priority seems to be given to the many visiting tour buses. Traffic can be heavy at times and is often impeded by visitors parking
along the roads and around the parking lot entrance. Expect to wait up to 20-30 minutes for a parking spot in the lot, especially after 10.30 AM in the summer, when the area is at its busiest.
Your best bet is to get there very early in the morning or late evening. You should set aside 1 to 2 hours for your visit to the Grand Prismatic. More if you are planning to hike to the overlook.
HAYDEN VALLEY
Photo credit: Windows 10 Spotlight
If it's wildlife you want to see then head to Hayden Valley. Located just north of Yellowstone Lake, the area is a favorite spot in the park. Grizzly bears may be seen in the spring and early summer preying upon newborn bison and elk calves. Bison are often seen in the spring all the way through the fall rut. Coyotes and foxes are often seen in the valley. Ducks, geese, and American white pelicans cruise the river, while a variety of shore birds may be seen in the mud flats at Alum Creek. Keep an eye out for bald eagles, northern harriers, and sandhill cranes.
There are also two well-known hiking trails in the area, the Hayden Valley Trail and the Mary Mountain Trail.
VISIT THE WOLF & GRIZZLY DISCOVERY CENTER
YELLOWSTONE LAKE
Yellowstone Lake is the largest lake in the Park but you wouldn't want to swim in it. It's very cold at an average of 41 degrees F during the summer months.
It has the largest population of wild cut throat trout in North America. However, I wouldn't recommend Yellowstone as the greatest of fishing spots. You're severely limited in what catch you can keep.
Boating is allowed on Yellowstone's lakes but it's just not worth the hassle!
NORTH YELLOWSTONE
MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS
Photo credit: NPS
Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces Photo credit: NPS
Walk on boardwalks above the steaming hydrothermal features or take a drive around the vibrant travertine terraces. In the winter, ski or snowshoe among the whiffs of sulfur along the Upper Terraces. The Mammoth Hot Springs terraces change constantly—sometimes noticeable within a day.
HISTORIC FORT YELLOWSTONE
Photo credit: NPS
Fort Yellowstone, established in 1891, served as a military outpost and played a crucial role in the protection and administration of Yellowstone National Park.
Exploring Fort Yellowstone is a fascinating dive into the park’s rich history. Located near the Mammoth Hot Springs area, Fort Yellowstone offers a glimpse into the early 20th century when the U.S. Army played a crucial role in the protection and administration of Yellowstone National Park.
A self-guided walking tour is available, allowing you to explore the fort at your own pace. Informational signs and exhibits provide insights into the daily life of the soldiers stationed here, as well as the challenges they faced in preserving Yellowstone’s natural wonders. The tour also highlights the transition of park management from the military to the National Park Service, marking a significant shift in the park’s history.
I thought this was one of the most interesting attractions in Yellowstone.
HAVE A DRINK IN THE MAP ROOM AT MAMMOTH INN
If you’re looking for a charming spot to unwind after a day of exploring Yellowstone, the Map Room at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel is an excellent choice. Located in the historic Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, this cozy lounge offers a unique blend of relaxation and character.
The Map Room is named for its distinctive decor, featuring vintage maps and historic photographs that provide a fascinating glimpse into the park’s past. The room’s ambiance is both inviting and rustic, with comfortable seating and a warm, lodge-like atmosphere.
In addition to its drink offerings, the Map Room occasionally features live music or other events.
NORTHEAST YELLOWSTONE
LAMAR VALLEY
If you would prefer to view wolf packs out in the wild, head to Lamar Valley. This is THE spot for finding wolves, as well as coyotes, grizzly bears, bison, and elk. For the truly serious wolf-fan, the Yellowstone Forever has wolf-tracking excursions throughout the park that you can always join. (They don't have their 2025 wolf excursions posted yet on their website so check back)
You might want to check out the rest of Yellowstone Forever's website though as they have a multitude of programs on various subjects available.
The best times to look for wolves and bears in Lamar Valley are in the early mornings and just around sunset.
STEAMBOAT GEYSER
This is the other geyser I mentioned previously. Steamboat is actually taller than Old Faithful and, with eruptions as high as 300 and 400 feet, Steamboat is in fact the tallest geyser in the world!
It is found in the Norris Geyser Basin, which formed around 100,000 years ago.
The area around Steamboat is the oldest active geothermal spot in the country and you can take daily tours from the Norris Museum make Steamboat and its surroundings easy to explore.
TOWER - ROOSEVELT & THE NORTHEAST
Photo credit: NPS
The 132-foot drop of Tower Creek, framed by eroded volcanic pinnacles has been documented by park visitors from the earliest trips of Europeans into the Yellowstone region.
The nearby Bannock Ford on the Yellowstone River was an important travel route for early Native Americans, as well as for early European visitors and miners up to the late 19th century.
OLD WEST DINNER COOKOUT
You’ll travel to Yancy’s Hole in the secluded Paradise Valley either by horseback, covered wagon, or stagecoach, where the welcome aroma of authentic cowboy cooking will fill the air.
The dinner includes steak, potato salad, beans, corn, watermelon and cobbler.
Duration of entire adventure is approximately 2-1/2 to 5 hours depending on choice of horseback ride, stagecoach, or wagon ride. We opted for the horseback ride. On the way to the dinner you take a scenic route that lasts about an hour. After dinner the ride back is direct and lasts about 30 minutes.
After dinner enjoy a cup of campfire coffee while listening to a cowboy singer.
Children under 3 are free if they share from adult’s plate and ride on a lap. The child rate applies to children 3 – 11 years old who will have their own plate. Any minor (under 18) must be accompanied by an adult (over 18).
You can read requirements here as well as book the cookout.
MT. WASHBURN
PHoto credit: NPS
Hikers consider the Mt. Washburn trails the best day hiking in Yellowstone.
Its peak elevation is 10,219 feet (3,115 m) and panoramic views for about 20 to 50 miles (32 to 80 km). At the top, check out interpretive exhibits inside the base of a fire lookout and enjoy the view.
Hike to the top via two trails that ascend Mount Washburn on a wide path with spectacular views. The trails start at the Dunraven Pass Trailhead and at the Chittenden Road parking area. Bicycles may use the trail from the Chittenden Road parking area.
Watch for bighorn sheep! It's common to see them on Mt. Washburn!
SOUTH YELLOWSTONE
WEST THUMB
I think West Thumb Geyser Basin is the prettiest one in the Park, especially the extraordinary blue of the Abyss Pool against the backdrop of Yellowstone Lake. We spent a full 30 minutes there going around both loops of the boardwalk.
There's also several paint pots in the Basin.
GRANT VILLAGE
Grant Village was built in 1984 and named after Ulysses S. Grant, president when Yellowstone became the world’s first national park in 1872. Located near the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake, Grant Village features 6 two-story buildings each containing 50 rooms, none have elevators. The lodging complex features a full-service restaurant, a lakeside restaurant with a casual menu, lounge and gift store. The village is also nearest to Grand Teton National Park.
DINING
If I'm to be honest here the food in Yellowstone just isn't all that great (except El Tovar) and it's generally overpriced.
Yellowstone has a total of 20 restaurants within the park. They range anywhere from upscale dining to grab and go. Prices for a meal generally range between $18 and $60 per meal.
Seven general/grocery stores offer picnic supplies for sale as well as counter service. They too were overpriced in our opinion.
The park has several beautiful spots to have a picnic so what we'd do is purchase picnic fare outside of the park and pack a picnic lunch. Then when we'd left the park and returned to the RV for the day or evening we'd eat at a restaurant outside of the park.
If you're staying in West Yellowstone, there's two grocery stores: Market Place and Food Round Up. Between the two of them you can get just about anything you'd want or need in the way of groceries.
When you first arrive at the park you'll be given a map of the park.
All of the picnic areas in the park will be marked with a black picnic table icon, showing you exactly where they all are.
The other upside to a picnic is that you don't have to drop what you're doing, then backtrack to find someplace to eat.
If you're staying in West Yellowstone, the town has 2 grocery stores at which you can get anything you'd need.
Cheryl and Matt at We're In the Rockies have an absolutely fantastic website that focuses on travel in the West. I hope you'll check it out! Lots of good stuff there! Anyway, they made this map of the Yellowstone restaurants and their locations within the park.
If you're staying in West Yellowstone, there are several good restaurants for such a little town and they go the scale from very upscale to walk up affairs.
Madison Crossing Lounge
121 Madison Ave West Yellowstone $$$
I would imagine the Madison Crossing has the most upscale food in West Yellowstone. We weren't starving so Jay ordered a burger called the Huckleberry. I busted out laughing at the look on his face when his burger arrived. That sucker was HUGE!
I couldn't resist...I bet him he couldn't finish the whole thing. The loser had to buy the lunch. Guess who ended up buying lunch! I don't know where he put it all...but I will say he was looking a tad green around the gills by the time he got it all down.
i ordered Bison Nachos since I'd never had nachos made with bison meat before. They were very good!
Madison Crossing Lounge is open 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Service is first come, first served.
FIREHOLE BBQ COMPANY
Firehole BBQ Company is where all the locals go.
I have to admit we were a bit apprehensive when we got our first look at the place.
Never in my life have I had BBQ brisket literally
melt in my mouth before!
(We ended up ordering a couple pounds of the brisket to take back to the RV with us for lunch the next day.) While eating there we both ordered the loaded baked potato. To die for.
The inside restaurant is small but there are several picnic tables out front you can eat at. You may have to wait in line for a few minutes to get served but it is SO worth the short wait! $
THE BUFFALO BAR
Another local haunt that's kind of like a sports bar but has delicious food at reasonable prices. I particularly liked the "unique" decor of the Buffalo Bar. $$
Mountain Fries
I always ask the locals what they'd suggest I'd order off the menu. Our server replied "I'm partial to the Buffao Balls myself."
Me: Excuse me, the WHAT? Exactly what balls are we talking here?"
Jay wanting to die of embarrassment
Server laughing: "Not THOSE balls! MEATballs!"
Me: "Oh OK. I just had to make sure exactly which end of the buffalo those balls were coming off."
Buffalo Balls...
(What? You've never heard of "Rocky Mountain Oysters" before?)
The food and service at the Buffalo Bar was very good. Even the Buffalo Balls.
335 Highway 20, West Yellowstone, MT
That wraps up our tour of Yellowstone. It's a beautiful park to visit with plenty to see and do.