Yellowstone National Park is one of the largest and most famous national parks in the United States, primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Designated as the world’s first national park in 1872, Yellowstone is known for its stunning natural beauty, including geysers, hot springs, lakes, and waterfalls, and its rich wildlife, such as bison, elk, wolves, and grizzly bears.
Entrance Fee
The entrance fee is $35 for a private vehicle. It is included in America the Beautiful Pass, a national pass that covers entrance fees at all National Parks and Monuments and costs $80 annually.
How to get there
The closest major airports to Yellowstone are in Bozeman, Montana, and Jackson, Wyoming, about an hour and a half drive from the park. Smaller regional airports are located in West Yellowstone, Montana, and Cody, Wyoming. Additional options are flying in Salt Lake City, UT, Rapid City, SD, or Denver, CO, and including Yellowstone as part of a road trip to other areas.
Complete guide to visiting Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park is a vast park that can be accessed through five different entrances. Below is information on each entrance and the activities and accommodations available in each area.
1. Old Faithful Area
Old Faithful is one of the most famous attractions in Yellowstone National Park; you can enter through the South Entrance or West Entrance and make your way to the Old Faithful area. The lodging available in this area is Old Faithful Inn, Old Faithful Lodge, and Old Faithful Snow Lodge.
Old Faithful Geyser
One of the most famous features of Yellowstone is Old Faithful, a geyser that erupts approximately every 90 minutes.
You can also hike to the old faithful viewing area to watch eruptions or watch it from the boardwalk.
Upper Geyser Basin Loop
The Upper Geyser Basin is home to the largest number of this fragile feature in the park, including Castle Geyser, Riverside Geyser, Grotto Geyser, and Morning Glory Pool.
Here are a couple of geysers and hot springs in this area.
Belgian Pool
Wave Spring
Chromatic Pool
Grand Geyser is the tallest predictable geyser in the world. It erupts every 6-8 hours, so you must be lucky or patient to see it.
Crested Pool
Biscuit Basin Loop
This short boardwalk trail will take approximately 15 minutes, and you will see plenty of colorful hot springs and spurting geysers.
Black Diamond Pool
Sapphire Pool
Avoca Spring
Midway Geyser Basin
The Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in the United States. You can see it from the boardwalk or hike to the Grand Prismatic Overlook.
Tip: You can hike 0.6 miles to Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail via the Fairy Falls trailhead Parking Lot.
Excelsior Geyser Crater
2. Norris Geyser Basin
Norris Geyser Basin is located near Yellowstone’s West Entrance. You can find additional lodging in the nearby town of West Yellowstone, Montana.
The basin consists of two areas: Porcelain Basin and the Back Basin.
Porcelain Basin
This area is barren of trees and provides a sensory experience in sound, color, and smell; a 3/4-mile (1.2-km) bare ground and boardwalk trail accesses this area.
Back Basin
This area is more heavily wooded, with features scattered throughout the area. A 1.5-mile (2.4-km) trail of boardwalks and bare ground encircles this part of the basin.
Steamboat Geyser is the world’s tallest active geyser, which can shoot water up to 300 feet in the air.
Artists Painpots is located south of Norris Basin, a small area with several hot springs and mud pots.
Oblique Geyser is located south of Artists Paintpots and can be accessed from Grand Loop Rd.
3. West Thumb Geyser Basin
West Thumb Geyser Basin is located near Yellowstone’s South Entrance. The lodging in this area is Grant Village which offers hotel rooms and cabins. You can find additional lodging in the nearby town of Jackson, Wyoming
It has a wooden boardwalk that winds through the West Thumb Basin. It offers a close-up view of the various geothermal features in the area, including hot springs, geysers, and mud pots.
Bluebell pool
Fishing Cone is a unique hot spring fisherman once used to cook their catch.
Abyss Pool is one of the largest pools in the West Thumb Basin, with a depth of over 50 feet.
Painted Pool
4. Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth Hot Springs is a geothermal area located near Yellowstone’s North Entrance. The only hotel in this area is Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins. You can find additional lodging in the nearby town of Gardiner, Montana.
Here are some things to see in Mammoth Hot Springs:
Mammoth Hot Springs is known for its unique terraces formed by the deposition of calcium carbonate from the hot springs. The terraces are constantly changing and offer a variety of colors and textures.
Liberty Cap is a cone-shaped formation made of travertine and is one of the oldest structures in Mammoth Hot Springs.
Palette Spring features a variety of colors, including blue, green, and orange.
Minerva Terrace is one of the most popular in Mammoth Hot Springs and features a large pool with cascading water. It was dry now, and no water was flowing.
Cleopatra Terrace
Mound Spring and Jupiter
Upper Terrace Drive
Upper Terrace Drive is a one-way, scenic, 1.5-mile (2.4-km) long road that winds among hot springs and travertine formations. You can enjoy the views of the hot springs and surrounding landscape from the pullout points.
Orange Spring Mound
5. Tower–Roosevelt & Lamar Valley
Tower–Roosevelt area located near Yellowstone’s Northeast Entrance. The lodging in this area is Roosevelt Lodge Cabins which offer a quieter, more secluded option. You can find additional lodging in the nearby town of Cooke City, Montana.
Here are some things to see
The Tower Fall is a 132-foot waterfall located near the Tower-Roosevelt area. You can hike to the falls or view them from a nearby overlook.
Lamar Valley is located along Northeast Entrance Road, which offers stunning views of the valley and surrounding mountains.
6. Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is closer to the park’s East Entrance and Northeast Entrance. The lodging in this area is Canyon Lodge and Cabins.
The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is home to two major waterfalls – the Upper and Lower Falls. You can view these falls from several overlooks along the canyon rim.
The Brink of Lower falls offers a distant view of the falls. You can also descend on the steep trail (.38 miles) to the brink to experience the power of the falls.
Lookout Point offers a view of the canyon from several overlooks.
Inspiration Point offers panoramic views of the canyon.
Artist Point provides an impressive view of the Lower Falls. It is a popular overlook that offers one of the best views of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.
The Brink of Upper Falls can be reached by following the short drive off the Grand Loop road.
7. Yellowstone Lake Area
Yellowstone Lake area is located near Yellowstone’s East Entrance. The lodging in this area is Lake Yellowstone Hotel & Cabins and Lake Lodge Cabins. You can find additional lodging in the nearby town of Cody, Wyoming.
Here are some things to see here
Fishing Bridge offers beautiful views of Yellowstone Lake. The original bridge was built in 1902 and was historically a tremendously popular fishing place. You can watch fish from the bridge, but fishing is not allowed anymore.
The Mud Volcano area is located near Hayden Valley and features a boardwalk that winds through geothermal features, including bubbling mud pots and steam vents.
The Dragon’s Mouth Spring is a cave-like opening that constantly releasing steam and water.
The Churning Caldron is a large pool of bubbling water surrounded by a muddy gray rim.
Mud Volcano is a large mud pot that is constantly bubbling and churning.
Hayden Valley is known for its abundant wildlife, including bison, elk, grizzly bears, wolves, and coyotes. You can view wildlife from the road or designated pullouts and viewpoints.
The drive through Hayden Valley offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and wildlife.
How many days
Since it is such a vast park, it is recommended to stay at least 3 -4 days to see all the areas of Yellowstone. You can stay in 2 different places to save some driving time within the park. If you are short on time, some must-see attractions include Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, Mammoth Hot Spring, and Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. If you have more time, you can explore the park more relaxedly and even take longer hikes.
Our Experience
We enter Yellowstone Park from the South Entrance after visiting Grand Teton National park. We stayed two nights in the Yellowstone Lake area and two nights in Gardiner, Montana. We exit the park from the Northeast entrance to continue our scenic drive on Beartooth Highway.