Yellowstone Trip Planner – Planning a Yellowstone Itinerary

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear mention of Yellowstone National Park?  For me, it’s Yogi Bear – Yabba Dabba Doo folks! You might be aware that the fictional Jellystone Park, Yogi’s home, is a variant of the real Yellowstone National Park.    If Yogi Bear is not the first thing that comes to mind, then perhaps when you think of Yellowstone, you think of the fact that it is the world’s first National Park. Whatever it is that comes to mind, just know that Yellowstone is a place that you must include on your travel bucket list.   After all, the park is located on a volcanic caldera and super-volcano in the Western United States – how cool is that?  A Yellowstone itinerary should be a part of your US travel plans, and this Yellowstone trip planner will help you plan yours.  In fact, we will even give you a Yellowstone 4 day itinerary that you can follow to make it easy.

While planning my road trip, visiting Yellowstone was a non-negotiable.  The only question was, how long would I stay. By the way, I’m Tori, I’m an Aussie living in the USA, and an avid traveler.  I recently took 6 months off work to travel, which started with a 3-month road trip across the US with the express purpose of visiting as many National Parks as possible!  Ever since, I have used my experiences to help as many people as possible have their own amazing experiences.  You may be familiar with me from my stories on Lassen Volcanic National Park, Wind Cave National Park and the Black Hills, or Redwood National Park.

Yellowstone National Park stretches across 2,221,766 acres of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho (fun fact: it’s larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined.)  Yellowstone has many unique landscapes – from Geyser Basins and Ghost pines to Lodgepole Pine forests and lush green hillsides, this place is packed full of attractions that bring in the tourists – over 4 million of them per year.   

You will see why when I’m going to tell you a little more about the sights and activities that make the park a great location for a multi-day vacation.  In fact, we think 4 days in Yellowstone is perfect, and we think our Yellowstone 4 day itinerary is about perfect. 

So, are you ready to visit this amazing volcanic caldera?  Do you want to know what the coolest attractions are?  Do you want to know exactly how you can organize your time there?  We are about to share all of that, and our Yellowstone 4 day itinerary.  But first, since this is Gypsy With a Day Job, I have to share a bit of history.

Yellowstone History

The earliest human history in the Yellowstone region dates back around 11,000 years, but that’s a LONG time ago…  In some more recent history, I can tell you that Europeans began exploring the region in the early 1800’s, but it wasn’t until 1870 that the first organized exploration of the region occurred.  Yellowstone became the world’s first National Park on March 1, 1872, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act into law.

Over time, the park boundaries were debated and changed to include some natural topographical features of the surrounding landscapes, increasing the size of Yellowstone along the way.    

After a string of park superintendents were hired and fired, the US army intervened in 1886, and managed the park until the National Park Service was founded in 1916, and the first park rangers took charge of the park in 1918.

Getting to Yellowstone

First, let’s discuss getting there, and getting around

Yellowstone is in the northwest corner of Wyoming. The park is best suited to self-drivers due to its remote location, and the distances between attractions within the park.   There are five entrances to the park, making it accessible from north, east, south and west, depending on the direction you are travelling in.  Many people start with a road trip through some of the iconic wide open spaces of the western United States, to make an entire vacation of their Yellowstone itinerary,

If you are not intending to make a huge road trip, then you might choose to fly in and rent a vehicle to explore the park. In that case, Cody, Wyoming and Jackson, Wyoming are the closest airports. 

Other options that are a bit further, but enable approaching the park from different directions, include: Billings or Helena, Montana;  Boise or Idaho Falls, Idaho.   These choices are ideal if you want to make your trip to Yellowstone a full vacation and experience some of the other natural wonders and attractions in these states.  For example, there is a fabulous Capital City Public Market in Boise.

If you don’t mind driving a little longer, Salt Lake City offers the lowest price flights.  The drive to the west or south entrance of Yellowstone takes between 4.5 and 5.5 hours.  

If you don’t have your own transport, but still want to visit – check out the NPS website for a list of operators who offer tours, transport and experiences within the park.  

When is the Best Time to Visit Yellowstone?

Summer is by far the busiest season, and when most visitors make their way to Yellowstone.  July and August are the only months when all the parks facilities and services are available.  

If you’re wanting to avoid the huge crowds, then perhaps consider a visit in spring (April/May) or fall (September/October).

Winter access is limited by the weather, and while you’ll enjoy snowy thermal landscapes, access and services in many regions of the park will be severely limited.

Always check the park conditions on the NPS website before heading out, as park access is subject to weather conditions in all seasons.

Is a Yellowstone Itinerary Necessary?

Absolutely! It is a huge park.  Once you get there, you need a plan.  

If you only set out with a general list of hot spots you hope to see, you could spend most of your time driving and only see one or two attractions each day.  For example, I stayed at Mammoth, and to get to Old Faithful was a 2-hour drive, so it’s important to have a plan and make sure you see everything in the region, because it’s a long way back.

Regardless of where you’re staying, it’s a good idea to divide the park up into the regions you want to explore and visit all the sights in that area on the same day.  That way you make the most of your visit.  The last thing you want is to waste time driving willy-nilly from one big attraction to the next.  You will spend more time driving than actually experiencing anything.  

I recommend 4 days in Yellowstone, which is why I have included a Yellowstone 4 day itinerary.  It is the right amount of time to see a lot of amazing sights, including all the big names.  This also includes several short hikes in the areas visited.  But, if you want to spend time relaxing, do some fishing, or get out into the backcountry, you will need more.  You can still use our guide on the days you plan to see the attractions.

(There are some amazing photo locations in Yellowstone.  Don’t get caught with just a phone!  You might even catch footage of a geyser erupting!)

A Yellowstone 4 Day Itinerary

Day 1: Mammoth Hot Springs, Gardiner, MT and Lamar Valley Wildlife viewing

Located close to the Northern entrance to Yellowstone, the travertine terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs are created by calcium carbonate deposits on the hillside.

Find a car park here and hit the boardwalks around the terraces – you can follow the boardwalks from the bottom of the terraces, right to the top.  There are plenty of opportunities to stop and admire the views and the multi colored springs along the way. Allow a couple of hours for a leisurely stroll around here.

After exploring the Springs, make a stop at the Visitor Centre in Mammoth Village.  There’s loads of information about Yellowstone and its history in the visitor center, and it really helps to understand how the whole region came to be.  The Park Rangers there can give you the hot tip on where people have had the best wildlife sightings recently. If you have children in your group, pick up a Junior Ranger guide to work on throughout your 4 days in Yellowstone.  Mammoth village also has lodgings, a general store, a gas station, a resident herd of elk, as well as some other vital park services.  

Hold off on filling up on gas though, as you’re about to head out to Gardiner, MT for lunch, and you can pick up gas a little cheaper out there.  Gardiner is just a short 15-minute drive north. Gardiner has served as the main entrance to Yellowstone since it was created in 1872. The town straddles Hwy 89, and the Yellowstone River, and has plenty of restaurants, shops and lodgings to choose from.  Take some time to enjoy a nice lunch and wander the quaint streets of Gardiner before hopping back in the car for your drive to the Lamar Valley. Don’t forget to fill up on gas before you leave town.

The Lamar Valley is around an hour drive from the Gardiner/Mammoth region – take Grand Loop Road east past Roosevelt Tower, then continue on the Northeast Entrance road.   If you are hopin to see wildlife as part of your Yellowstone 4 day itinerary, Lamar Valley is well-known as one of the best places in the park to view large populations of animals. As the animals are most active at dawn and dusk, I’d recommend arriving as close to dusk as possible.  As you drive along the road, look for groups of people pulled over – you can’t miss them. Every large gathering indicates that there’s a good chance that someone has spotted a wolf, bison, or other animal.

If you arrive in the valley early afternoon, maybe park the car and take a short hike to Trout Lake (1.2 mile loop trail), a great spot to stretch your legs after lunch.

Day 2: Old Faithful, Midway Geyser Basin & Grand Prismatic Spring, Biscuit Basin and Mystic Falls.

Old Faithful, is such an iconic region of the park that it really can’t go unexplored. Every recommended Yellowstone 4 day itinerary will include it. Having said that, I’ll be straight with you from the get go and tell you I found it anti-climactic, and the whole region a little contrived.  But don’t let me stop you –I think I just liked the more rustic geyser basins.

Old Faithful currently erupts approximately every 90 minutes. Make sure to check approximate times of eruption at the visitor centers in the park before heading out there.  Once you’re in the Old Faithful village, pack your patience, and head out to the viewing area with plenty of time to spare. Wait for the underground chambers to begin unloading their waters, sending a large spout above ground, then head off to explore the trails leading through the surrounding geyser basin. Alternatively, if you’ve had enough of the crowds (like I had), just grab a snack from the general store and hit the road to see some of the other highlights in the area that I’m going to tell you about now.  

Biscuit Basin is a cute little thermal area just a few miles north of Old Faithful.  The boardwalk leads past some stunning blue springs that you really shouldn’t miss. There’s also the option to take the trail that veers off into the woods towards Mystic Falls. This 1-mile trail down the valley leads to an active waterfall and was an easily walkable detour from the Geyser basin, and a nice change from all the springs and spouts!

A further 3 miles or so up the road, you’ll come across the Midway Geyser Basin.  Now, in my opinion, this is an area that you simply cannot miss. Yellowstone’s largest hot spring (almost 200 feet across) – Grand Prismatic Spring is the main feature here, but you’ll pass by some other stunning pools along the boardwalk. The spectacular colors of Grand Prismatic Spring are created by the microorganisms living in the water. Unfortunately, my visit here was less than ideal, as strong winds had picked up, and to be honest, it was miserable.  I felt like I was going to be blown off the boardwalk at times, and the steam blowing across the surface almost completely obscured the stunning orange and brown colors surrounding the spring. I hope the weather conditions are more favorable when you visit, because it’s easy to see how magnificent this could look if the weather conditions were pleasant.

Another option here is to hike from the Fairy Falls Trailhead to the Grand Prismatic Springs Overlook (1.2 miles round trip) to get a bird’s eye view of the Spring and the entire Midway Geyser Basin.  I really wish I’d done this hike.

If you’re traveling north back to your accommodation, you’ll come across a couple of other thermal regions along the way – they’re just short detours off the main highway, and I’d totally recommend taking them, and just stopping to check out any of the features that interest you along the way.

Day 3: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone & Mud Volcano area.

Over thousands of years, the waters of the Yellowstone River have worked away at the rhyolite rock, carving out the spectacular Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It is one of the most iconic locations in the park, and should be a substantial part of your Yellowstone 4 day itinerary. The canyon is 20 miles long, and more than 1000 feet wide in most places, but it’s said that the top 2 miles of the canyon are the most spectacular.  Check out the photos and let me know what you think.

You can easily spend at least half your day here – there are many walking trails and overlooks to explore along the North and South Rims of the canyon. On the north rim, I’d recommend the trail to the brink of the Lower Falls – it’s a challenging trail due to its steep grade and uneven surfaces. It’s worth the walk though, because the trail leads to an overlook that literally sits at the top of the falls, where you can appreciate the sheer volume of water flowing over the falls every second. The views down the canyon don’t disappoint either.

Other overlooks to check out while exploring the canyon are Grand View Point, Artist Point, and the equally stunning Brink of the Upper Falls on the south rim. The trail to the brink of the Upper Falls is much easier to negotiate, but no less stunning, as it’s here that you see the Yellowstone River change from a wide, meandering stream, to a raging torrent rushing over the brink of the falls. Total highlight moment was catching the rainbow that was hovering around in the mist at the base of the falls.

Once you’re done exploring the canyon, you might want to stop at the Canyon Village for lunch before heading off to the nearby Mud Volcano area – 12 miles south of Canyon Village.  This area turned out to be one of my favorites of the park.  Once a volcano spewing mud into the region, it eventually blew itself apart and became what it is today, a collection of pools containing muddy, bubbling water, emitting a distinct sulphur smell.  Following the entire trail is worthwhile, definitely don’t miss Dragon’s Mouth Spring – it’s a cave like opening in the rock, from which water, and gaseous rumblings constantly explode through the opening.

Day 4: Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone Lake and other activities

Midway through the park, on the edge of the Yellowstone Volcano caldera, the Norris Geyser Basin is one of the most thermally active areas in the park, and a must see on any Yellowstone itinerary.  It is home to Steamboat Geyser, currently the highest erupting geyser in the world.

There are two main trails here, and I would recommend the Back Basin trail, which was chock full of steaming springs and venting fumaroles. Steamboat Geyser’s eruptions are completely unpredictable, and while I was visiting, it was nothing more than some bubbling water and steam.  Allow around 2 hours to stroll around the sights at the Norris geyser basin and look out for some of the notable thermal features, including Porkchop Geyser and Vixen Geyser, which thrilled onlookers with its minor, but frequent eruptions.

After lunch it is time to see the park from an entirely different perspective with a scenic cruise in Yellowstone Lake. Cruises depart from the Bridge Bay Marina several times a day and last an hour. Eagle and Osprey are often seen, and there is an excellent view of the surrounding mountains. For some visitors, Yellowstone Lake is a highlight of the park, and it would be a shame to leave it out of your Yellowstone 4 day itinerary

For the remainder of your fourth day, I would recommend selecting one of the alternative activities in the park, be it a moderate hike, a ranger program, fishing or Horseback riding. If you are traveling with a family, it is time to wrap up the Junior Ranger activities.  Then head to one of the ranger stations, and get sworn in as a Junior Ranger!  It is pretty cool!

 Additions to your Yellowstone 4 Day Itinerary

If you’re road tripping, here’s some suggestions for nearby locations you might want to 

Grand Teton National Park – less than an hour south of Yellowstone, you’ll reach the Teton’s.  Stay for a few days to explore the rugged mountain peaks and tranquil glacial lakes.

Cody, Wyoming – 50 miles from the east entrance – Once home to Buffalo Bill Cody, this place is the real deal of the Wild West!  Stop by for a night to experience a rodeo or go on a tour to see the wild mustangs that are believed to have descended from Buffalo Bill’s herd.

Yellowstone Entrance Fees

An entry pass is required for all vehicles entering the park.  The cost for a pass, valid for 1-7 days entry is $35. For those who anticipate visiting multiple national parks during the year, I’d recommend purchasing an annual pass.  The annual pass provides access to all Federal recreational areas, and costs $80 for one year – it’s great value.

Where to stay while visiting Yellowstone National Park

Wherever you decide to stay – the best advice I can give is to book well in advance.

Campgrounds

For campers, Yellowstone National Park has 12 campgrounds, with over 2,000 sites total.  Five of these campgrounds offer reservations, the rest are first come, first served. Check out the NPS website campground section, for all the details and services that each campground offers.  Make sure you reserve well in advance if you plan on staying inside the park.  First come, first served campsites fill fast – you need to be on site by 8am to have a chance to get a site.  If you’re arriving to the park without a reservation, I found the visitor centers to be helpful, and they were able to check availability and provide a list of campgrounds just outside the park to try.

If you are planning to camp, you can get any supplies you need at a great price in our Amazon Outdoor Store, or you can get free shipping and no sales tax on orders over $40 at US Outdoor!

Lodges

If you are spending 4 days in Yellowstone, you may prefer a little more luxury. There are nine lodges in the park with more than 2,000 rooms.  Generally speaking, the lodges are well kept, and have a certain element of old school elegance. Again, you’ll need to plan well in advance to get a reservation.  Alternatively, there are plenty of lodgings just outside the parks north entrance in Gardiner, MT, and you’ll also find some close by in West Yellowstone, MT.

Other Lodging Near Yellowstone

If you miss getting your reservation, or just want to save a little bit by staying outside of the park, there are numerous options on all sides of the park.  You can choose from any of 4 different states to stay in, and still be within driving distance. But keep in mind the additional travel time when ironing out your Yellowstone 4 day itinerary. You can also stay mobile and stay near each of the 5 entrances  as you make your way around the park.

You can find a fabulous deal and reserve your rooms for Yellowstone National Park right now.  Whether you are looking for a lodge room in the park, or something in the surrounding communities, we probably have it!

Tips for your National Park Trip:

• Ensure your vehicle is in good repair and fill up with gas as often as possible.  There are a few gas stations in the park, but prices are high, so start with a full tank, and fill up outside the park if you head out to one of the outer regions for the day.
• Carry lots of water at all times.  At least a gallon per person is recommended if you are planning any type of outdoor exploration.  If it is hot, or hiking is planned, carry even more.
• Pack in layers – always carry a warm layer & a waterproof layer.   
• Always carry a map, and practice safe hiking.  Let someone know where you’re going, and when you should be back.  
• Don’t rely on your phone.  I found there were only a few locations in the park that I could even get a signal.   There’s an app for that – download the Yellowstone app ( https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/app.htm ) and save the offline content for access while you’re in the park.
• You’re traveling in Bear Country – be prepared to encounter a bear at any time – check the NPS website for bear safety tips. 

Ready to Visit Yellowstone?

I hope this Yellowstone trip planner has inspired you, and given you everything you need to start planning your Yellowstone itinerary.  If you use our Yellowstone 4 day itinerary, you will not be disappointed!  We would love to hear about it if you go!

Pin it to inspire your friends!

Yellowstone isn’t the park you are looking for?  Perhaps you are interested in one of our other western National Parks.  You may want to check out Lassen Volcanic National Park, or Yosemite, or perhaps you would prefer the deserts of Death Valley National Park.  Of course, you can’t go wrong with Grand Canyon National Park.

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