Before visiting Yellowstone National Park for the first time last year, I had no idea of how big the park is and how much there is to explore whilst you are there. From waterfalls, hot springs, geysers, wildlife, lakes and incredible scenery – there really is so much to see and do and I had great fun planning our visit. I decided to write this guide to visiting Yellowstone National Park with some tips and advice that I discovered when we were there to help anyone planning a trip in the future as a little knowledge goes a long way.

Where is Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park which covers nearly 3500 square miles is mostly located in Wyoming but also covers small areas of Montana and Idaho.

How to Get to Yellowstone National Park

We drove to Yellowstone National Park as part of a road trip covering thirteen states but it is also possible to fly to nearby airports and drive from those. The closest international airport to Yellowstone National Park is Salt Lake City (which is still a five hour drive to the park) and the closest regional airports are Bozeman, Billings, Cody and Jackson Hole.

There are five entrances to Yellowstone National Park and the closest towns and cities to each one are:

North Entrance (Gardiner)
Northeast Entrance (Cooke City)
West Entrance (West Yellowstone)
East Entrance (Cody)
South Entrance (Jackson)

The North Entrance is the only one that is open year round.

When to go to Yellowstone National Park

The best time to visit Yellowstone National Park is off-season in either May or September to avoid the heavy summer crowds in June, July and August.

During peak season there will be constant traffic jams, crowded boardwalks, parking lots will be full and the crowds of people at the main sights will not be fun or enjoyable. Even when we visited at the end of September, it was busy at the Grand Prismatic Spring and at Mammoth Hot Springs so I dread to think how busy they are in the height of summer.

Yellowstone National Park is also open in winter and looks magical in the snow however not all services or hotels inside the park are open and most roads are closed.

Where to Stay at Yellowstone National Park

Even though there are hotels and campsites available inside Yellowstone National Park, they can cost an absolutely ridiculous amount of money and I personally would not recommend them. There are however hotels just outside the park in the nearby towns that have much better facilities and are much more affordable.

We personally stayed in a hotel in West Yellowstone which was a fantastic base for our stay as it was right outside the West Entrance. Not only was our accommodation a lot cheaper than if we had stayed inside the park but we also saved money by eating at the restaurants in the town (the menu options were a hundred times better than anything I saw inside the park especially if you have various dietary requirements) as well as having access to supermarkets and cheaper fuel. Yes we got caught in a Bison Jam each day between West Yellowstone and Madison Junction but it was all part of the fun of going to Yellowstone.

No matter where you stay, make sure to book in advance (sometimes up to a year before) especially during peak season as accommodations either inside or outside the park are limited and definitely do not turn up without having anything booked.

How Long to Spend at Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is huge – much bigger than you think it will be and it takes time to get around. The absolute minimum you need is three full days just to see the “highlights” but the more time you have, the better. When deciding the number of days to visit, make a list of everything you want to see and do whilst you are there and allow enough time and a little more to be able to do that – especially during the busy summer period.

Entrance Passes at Yellowstone National Park

The entrance fee to get into Yellowstone National Park is $35 per vehicle for seven days. You can also purchase an annual pass for $70.

However if you plan to visit several National Parks within a year, buy an America the Beautiful pass for $80 which is valid for a year and covers entry to all National Parks, National Monuments and federal recreation sites throughout the US. We bought one last year and it has definitely been worth the investment.

Driving in Yellowstone National Park

It is very easy to drive everywhere in Yellowstone National Park so there is no need to do an organised tour. This will allow you to have your own schedule and to be able to visit everywhere you want to in your own time and have the freedom to change plans if needed.

Whilst the distances do not look far on a map, the travel times between sights can be long so you need to allow extra time to get anywhere. I allowed for double the amount of time to what I thought the journey would take as there will be places along the way that you see where you will want to stop, constant bison jams and road works causing long tailbacks, other wildlife and being stuck behind slow camper vans and coaches without being able to overtake.

Make sure to adhere to all speed limits in the park as animals can run into the road out of nowhere and you do not know what is around the corner. Also be beware of other drivers around you in case they get distracted by something and slam their brakes on. Use the pullouts and do not block the road if you see any wildlife and to take photos and to let other cars pass you if needed – do not be the cause of another traffic jam.

As fuel is expensive inside the park, remember to fill up your tank in one of the nearby towns outside the park. We filled up in Livingston before we arrived in the park and at Jackson and West Yellowstone during our stay.

Photography at Yellowstone National Park

When visiting Yellowstone National Park you will want to take photos of the amazing scenery and wildlife so a good camera with a zoom lens is essential – an iPhone camera will not give you the photos you want or do the park justice. It’s a perfect excuse to buy that SLR camera or telephoto lens that you’ve been looking at for ages.

When driving along keep your eyes open for any wildlife and always have one person in the car with a camera ready and if you see a crowd of people or a lot of cars parked on the side of the road, there will be a reason why. When stopping to photograph anything you see, make sure to use the pullouts instead of blocking the road and causing a traffic jam.

Make sure to arrive at the park each day with all camera batteries charged and with spare memory cards in case they are needed and if trying to photograph wildlife either early or late in the day when there is low light, a tripod will also be essential.

However do not bring a drone as they are banned in all National Parks.

Wildlife at Yellowstone National Park

One of the main reasons to visit Yellowstone National Park is to see the incredible wildlife that lives inside the park whether it be bears, bison, elk, coyotes or deer amongst many others. It is important to be respectful of the wildlife and stay a safe distance away – either inside your car or at least 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards for other animals. Never approach wildlife as they can move faster than you think which is why a zoom lens for your camera is essential – the best phrase I heard was “zoom with your lens not your feet”.

Remember that whilst you will see wildlife but you are not guaranteed to see everything – we did not see a single bear during our stay no matter how hard we looked.

How to Explore Yellowstone National Park

No matter when you visit but especially during peak season, it is best to start your day at Yellowstone National Park as early as possible before the crowds and the coach tours turn up. This is especially important at the most popular sights such as Old Faithful and the Grand Prismatic Spring. On the flip side to this, it will also be quieter late afternoon once all the crowds leave for the day. You are also likely to see more wildlife either early or late in the day.

Split the park up into sections and explore a different area each day you are there. Rushing is impossible at Yellowstone so slow down and enjoy yourself and do not worry about seeing everything. Take your time to enjoy and appreciate everything you find and see.

If you are on long drive in the park, stop and use the toilets when you see them as it could be a while before the next one.

If you want front row seats to watch Old Faithful, you can check the NPS Twitter Feed for predicted eruption times and they are also on display in the Visitor Center. Arrive in good time (at least an hour before) and bring drinks and snacks and sit and wait – it is worth it.

The Altitude at Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is over 8000 feet above sea level and I was not expecting the painful effect that the altitude had on me. Due to the lack of oxygen in the air, any physical exertion feels like hard work and I felt tired and exhausted the whole time we were there. Make sure to drink plenty of water and take your time and do not rush. Also your skin will feel dry due to the altitude so remember to bring a good moisturiser.

When we left Yellowstone to drive to Seattle, we could feel ourselves getting better and better the closer we got to sea level.

Respect the Rules at Yellowstone National Park

When at Yellowstone National Park, it is important to follow all the rules and respect the land and where you are. Remember to read all the signs as they are there for a reason and stay on the boardwalks and paths and do not go where you are not supposed to.

Leave the park how you would want to see it and do not litter – you can take the Yellowstone Pledge here.

Being Connected at Yellowstone National Park

Once inside Yellowstone National Park, prepare to be offline for the majority of your stay as there is little to no mobile signal there and wifi is rare – even at the major sights. As we were staying in West Yellowstone we had a full 4G signal in the town and free wifi available at our hotel so we ensured that we downloaded offline maps when we had connectivity before we started each day.

If you need to access mobile data whilst visiting the USA, you can purchase a travel E-Sim through Airalo. If you would like to use my referral code NIKKI8866 when signing up, you will receive £2.50 / US$3 off your first purchase.

Eating at Yellowstone National Park

Before we arrived at Yellowstone National Park, we stopped at one of the big supermarkets in Bozeman and stocked up on drinks and snacks for the car so we could eat on the go. We bought our food there instead of inside the park as there was a better selection as well as it being a lot cheaper. There were also some small supermarkets in West Yellowstone where we stayed where we also bought some groceries.

Instead of having dinner at one of the restaurants inside the park where there were limited options, we ate every night in either West Yellowstone or Jackson which had lot more choice. In both towns I found numerous delicious vegetarian and gluten free choices.

What Clothes to Bring to Yellowstone National Park

When packing for your trip, remember that you could experience all four seasons in one day as the weather constantly changes. Wear layers (including a thermal base layer) which you can add to or remove so you can be ready for all temperatures as you’ll be warm, cold and everything in between. I wore my trainers most days that I was in the park but I also bought my waterproof hiking shoes with me and kept them in the car along with a hat, scarf, gloves and a waterproof jacket if I needed them.

When packing leave any flashy clothes, unsuitable clothes such as heels and expensive jewellery at home – you really will not need any of it.

What Other Items to Bring to Explore Yellowstone National Park

Bring binoculars for the car to be able to help spot wildlife in the distance.

Bring an insulated mug and make a tea or coffee before leaving your hotel in the morning – it’s the best thing to have in the car for an early start and a long day ahead.

Bring a refillable water bottle and make sure to have extra water in the car in case you need it.

Bring sunglasses and a sun hat in case it is sunny – and remember to hold onto your hat at Grand Prismatic Spring as there is no way of getting it back if you lose it.

Bring a cooler for the car to keep all your food, drinks and snacks in.

Bring hand sanitizer to use after stopping at any of the toilets in the park.

If hiking, there is no need to buy expensive bear spray – you can rent it cheaply at Canyon Village inside the park instead.

Visit Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole

When planning your trip make sure to make time to visit the neighbouring Grand Teton National Park which is located thirty one miles to the south of Yellowstone National Park. The picture perfect snow-capped mountains look like a postcard and there are incredible vistas everywhere you look including the famous Snake River Overlook. It also seemed empty compared to Yellowstone and much more relaxed.

The nearby town of Jackson is a great place to spend a few hours and there are some great places to shop, eat and drink. There is also a nearby mountain coaster and an aerial tramway with incredible views. I would have loved to have spent more time here and it is on my list of places that I want to go back to.

Entrance to Grand Teton National Park is $35 for seven days but as mentioned earlier, buy an America the Beautiful pass for $80 for unlimited access to all National Parks for a year.

The Most Important Thing at Yellowstone National Park is Patience

It is important to be patient and flexible with your plans when at Yellowstone National Park as you have no control over the weather, crowds, wildlife or traffic. You will lose count at the amount of time you will be sat in your car in a long line of traffic as another group of bison block the road yet again or stuck in traffic due to people slowing down to look at wildlife. It is not worth getting stressed over something you cannot control so take a deep breath, sit back, relax and enjoy where you are.

Since this blog post was written back in 2020, some of the information may no longer be accurate or up to date. Be sure to do your own research and check official websites for the latest details before making any of your own travel plans.

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