18 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is an absolute must visit destination for any nature lover. Not only was the park designated as the world’s very first national park in 1872, but it is also home to more geysers and hot springs than any other place in the world! How crazy is that?
Along with overwhelming amounts of stunning geysers and hot springs, you will also find loads of wildlife living in Yellowstone like huge bison herds, wolves, elk and grizzly bears. Plus there are beautiful green valleys, lakes and even a huge canyon called the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. What I’m saying is- there is a lot to see in Yellowstone.
I grew up visiting Yellowstone National Park multiple times (in both summer and winter), and have since recently returned to the park as an adult. If you are looking to travel to Yellowstone as a family, be sure check out my Yellowstone with Kids: The Ultimate 2 Day Itinerary article.
So, from my experience visiting Yellowstone multiple times, plus additional research, here are my suggestions for the top 17 things you need to know before visiting Yellowstone National Park. These top things to know will definitely help you when planning your time in Yellowstone!
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1. Yellowstone National Park has 5 entrances
Yellowstone has 5 entrances entering the park from all directions. Since the park is so large (about 63 miles x 54 miles) these entrances all spit you out in very different locations.They are fittingly called the West, North, Northeast, East, and South entrances.
My favorite park entrance to use is the west entrance which is located in West Yellowstone, Montana. It is the closest entrance to a large concentration of geysers and hot springs within the park, plus West Yellowstone is a fun small town to explore all on its own.
Learn more about the 5 different Yellowstone entrances here.
2. There are two main loops to drive within Yellowstone National Park
There are two main loops called the ‘upper loop’ and the ‘lower loop’ that hold most of the typical things to see in Yellowstone. It will take you 3+ hours to drive the entire lower loop and about 2+ hours to drive the upper loop. These drive times don’t include any stops to see attractions or any ‘wildlife jams’ (aka bison crossing the road or a bear on the side of the road).
If you only have one or two days in Yellowstone National Park I’d recommend sticking mostly to the lower loop. This is where you’ll find huge concentrations of geysers and springs, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Lake Yellowstone, and beautiful valleys to drive through for wildlife viewing.
That being said, the upper loop also has really cool things to do in Yellowstone like the super unique Mammoth Hot Springs and you can even go swimming in a warm river.
In short, the most popular (and in my opinion the best) entrance to Yellowstone is the west entrance from West Yellowstone, Montana. From this entrance, you pop in closest to the large concentration of geysers in the park, plus the town of West Yellowstone is a great place to stay if you are not staying within the park.
3. Yellowstone National Park is Very Stroller Friendly
Let’s get this out of the way, if you are wondering if a Yellowstone family vacation with young kids is a good idea- it totally is! Yellowstone has so many things to do for kids even when your kids are still being toted around in a stroller.
There are loads of geysers and springs to see in the park that have flat, wooden boardwalks weaving through them that make it super easy for strollers or for little ones to walk. Plus other attractions are just a short walk from a parking lot which is also great for kids!
Check out my Yellowstone 2-day itinerary with kids to see what I’m talking about.
4. There are loads of lodging options available for your trip to Yellowstone
When you visit Yellowstone you may be wondering where to stay and the great thing is, you have lots of options. You can book a room in a beautiful lodge right in the heart of Yellowstone next to Old Faithful, you can go camping in a tent or RV, you can book a hotel outside the park, or even rent a beautiful cabin from Airbnb/VRBO.
Every time I have visited Yellowstone National Park, I have stayed just outside of the park’s west entrance. The town is West Yellowstone, Montana, however, you quickly enter Wyoming after entering the park.
Lodging Within Yellowstone National Park:
Camping : There are 12 campgrounds in Yellowstone with hundreds of sites available. Many are open from dates in May-September with others opening in June and closing in October. You will need to make reservations ahead of time and as far in advance as possible (the campgrounds fill up!).
There is also backcountry camping available if you are more hardcore like that. Permits and reservations are required and there is an optional permit lottery available since permits go so quickly. You can learn more about the backcountry sites on the Yellowstone backcountry page.
Lodges/Hotels/Cabins: Unlike parks like Canyonlands National Park or Joshua Tree National Park, Yellowstone has a lot of lodging available within the park. There are 9 different Yellowstone hotels/lodges/groups of cabins available for bookings within the park.
You can stay in an elegant hotel on Lake Yellowstone or a beautiful wooden lodge just steps away from Old Faithful geyser. Plus there are rustic cabins built in the 1920s to choose from or a more typical hotel with hundreds of rooms. Check out all of the hotels, lodges and cabins within Yellowstone.
Lodging Outside of Yellowstone National park:
Camping: If you are really set on camping but you weren’t able to snag a reservation at any of the campgrounds within the park-don’t worry! There are many campgrounds near Yellowstone located as close as 2 miles to an entrance. Even though demand is less for these sites, I still recommend reserving as early as possible.
Hotels: There are 5 entrances to Yellowstone National Park. Like I mentioned earlier, this is a popular entrance to the park and there are plenty of lodging options in the town of West Yellowstone, Montana.
Another small city, Gardiner, Montana, is at the north entrance to Yellowstone and also has some lodging options. Every time we have visited Yellowstone, we use the West Yellowstone entrance and stay in or near the city of West Yellowstone.
VRBOs/Airbnbs: My favorite place we have stayed when we visited Yellowstone was a large cabin just outside of the city of West Yellowstone that we found on VRBO. It was great to be able to have a big space for a large family gathering, not to mention a hot tub to relax in at night!
And even though we were not staying within the park we were only about a 15-20 minute drive to the west entrance. Looking for cabins on VRBO or Airbnb is definitely a great option when staying near Yellowstone.
5. Yellowstone Camping and Lodging Reservations are available 13 months in advance
This may sound a little crazy, but if you want to camp or book a room within Yellowstone National Park, you are going to think ahead (like far ahead). You can book a campsite or room/cabin in Yellowstone National Park on the 5th of each month for the same entire month of the following year.
The website and phone lines are expected to be especially busy on the 5th of each month, so you may want to search ahead of time to figure out exactly what campsite/hotel you would like to book so that you can book quickly once the time comes.
This is not to say that you are out of luck if you don’t book 13 months in advance, however, you will want to book as far in advance as possible. This is especially true for campsites as they tend to go most quickly (from my observation). Learn more about the advanced reservations system here.
6. Visiting Yellowstone in Summer and Winter are totally different experiences
The busiest months in Yellowstone are June, July and August (like many travel destinations). According to Yellowstone’s official website, more than half of the park’s yearly visitors visit in those three months!
On the flip side, roads in Yellowstone are closed for regular vehicles from about mid-October to the third week of April. So if you are looking to avoid peak crowds but not have a wintertime visit May or September are great options. Be sure to check out Yellowstone’s in-depth season overview to see what rangers say to expect each month in the park.
Summer is popular for good reason- you can go hiking and enjoy the lovely summer temps between 70-80 F degrees (but dipping low at night between 30-40 F degrees).
Although summertime visits are the most common in Yellowstone, wintertime visits are also magical in a totally different way. Because the roads are closed to regular cars in the winter, you must book a snowmobile or snowcoach tour. A snowcoach is basically a huge passenger van with the tires removed and replaced with giant tank-like treads. It’s pretty awesome.
I visited Yellowstone in the winter when I was young with my family and it is by far one of the most unique trips we have ever taken. Imagine driving around a wintery Yellowstone in an awesome snowcoach and seeing the hot, steaming geysers and wildlife covered and surrounded by glistening snow. It’s pretty magical.
A wintertime visit to Yellowstone should definitely be considered.
7. Two or more days in Yellowstone is ideal
I get that we all don’t have unlimited time or money, however, I do recommend spending at least two days within Yellowstone National Park. If you try to see Yellowstone in one day, you will find yourself spending a lot of time on the road and not much time experiencing the park.
Yellowstone is so large that even with two days in Yellowstone you will still spend some time driving and probably won’t really be able to see everything on both the upper and lower loops. However, this is coming from me who likes to take things a little slower to enjoy the experience.
8. Check geyser eruption predictions before planning your day in Yellowstone National Park
One great thing to do before planning out your itinerary for the day is to get an overview of the predicted eruptions of some of the geysers in the park. Some erupt so consistently that they can be predicted within a 15-minute time frame. The most famously consistent geyser is Old Faithful, however, there are six other geysers that the park provides predictions for.
You can see the predictions on the Yellowstone NPS predictions page for the six geysers plus wider estimates (think every 6-12 hours) for many more geysers.
You can also follow @geysernps on Twitter or download the Yellowstone NPS app which includes a geyser eruptions section.
9. Be sure to follow Yellowstone’s safety rules
Yellowstone is home to things like boiling hot springs and amazing wildlife that many people have never encountered in their life before and therefore may not know how to behave around. It’s very important to follow Yellowstone’s safety rules of not touching any thermal water (not even dipping your fingers in) and keeping a safe distance from all animals.
A safe distance is 100 yards (or a football field distance) from all animals like bears and wolves and staying 25 yards from all other animals like bison, elk etc. This way you will be able to enjoy the natural wonders of Yellowstone and keep yourself (and the animals) safe while doing so.
Check out Yellowstone’s safety page for a more in-depth guide of things to do and not do within the park.
10. Bring binoculars to Yellowstone for easier wildlife viewing
One of the best things to add to your daypack while in Yellowstone is a pair (or two or three pairs) of binoculars. Sometimes wildlife will be right next to the road, however, they will usually be far from the road and a pair of binoculars will help you see them so much better!
Besides, you are supposed to stay 100 yards (or a football field) away from bears and wolves and 25 yards from other animals like bison and elk- so binoculars are pretty much a must-have!
11. There are some stops that just need to be included in your itinerary
If this is your first time visiting Yellowstone National Park, there are a few things you absolutely need to make sure you add to your Yellowstone itinerary. Here are my top 5 recommendations of things you cannot miss in Yellowstone:
- Old Faithful Geyser (the most predictable (and famous) geyser in the park)
- Grand Prismatic Spring (the largest hot spring in the park and gorgeous blue, green, yellow, orange, and red water)
- Artist Point at Grand Canyon of Yellowstone (deep canyon with a huge waterfall pouring into the canyon)
- Mammoth Hot Springs (out of this world, white cascading springs)
- West Thumb Geyser Basin Trail (boardwalk through springs and geysers along Yellowstone Lake)
12. You can swim in two designated swimming areas within the park
There are very limited areas within Yellowstone National Park that allow swimming. This is because of both the extremely hot water (think boiling hot pots) and extremely cold water (think frigid snow runoff) within the park.
You may be used to visiting hot springs for a nice soak, but Yellowstone is not somewhere you can do that. Soaking in any thermal springs in Yellowstone is totally forbidden.
However, there is an area you are allowed to soak called the Boiling River (confusing name, I know). This is an area where some hot springs flow into the Gardiner River and the mixing of the hot and cold waters makes the temperature suitable for soaking.
One other swimming area within the park is called the Firehole River swimming area (just a specific portion of the river). Also a confusing name, because this swimming area is actually not a ‘hot soak’ but is generally similar to an unheated outdoor pool temperature.
Swimming in both the Boiling River and the Firehole River is only available during designated hours and seasons. Be sure to check out the current conditions before you head out to either of these swimming spots.
13. Pack a picnic or eat at one of the many food options in Yellowstone
You may be surprised to find out that there are multiple Yellowstone eateries within the park. You can choose from restaurants to cafeterias, ice cream counters and more.
However, even though there are multiple places to pick up food in the park- I recommend packing in a picnic lunch and taking advantage of one of the 52 picnic spots within the park. This way you will be able to reduce driving time, skip some of the crowds, and sit outside to enjoy nature even while you eat.
14. Dogs are only allowed in specific areas of the park
It’s definitely not recommended to bring your dog to Yellowstone since it will significantly limit what you can do. Dogs are only allowed 100 feet (30.5 meters) from roads, parking areas, and campgrounds. This means that you are not allowed to bring them on any boardwalk or trail.
These rules still apply even if you are planning on carrying your dog in a backpack or crate. If you will be traveling with your dog, I recommend checking out nearby dog kennels or booking a dogsitter through Rover.com (that’s what we did when we visited Joshua Tree National Park and it worked like a charm).
15. Just outside the park, West Yellowstone, Montana also has fun things to do
Right outside of the west entrance to Yellowstone, is a small town called West Yellowstone. Not only does West Yellowstone have many hotel options, but there are also fun things to do.
You can go shopping on N Canyon St at trinket shops, trading posts, and other lovely, local shops and pick up food at one of the eateries along the way.
Or you can watch an awesome Yellowstone documentary at the huge Yellowstone IMAX theatre (along with current blockbuster hits). Plus you can play at the Yellowstone Zipline Adventure Park, see bears and wolves up close at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center or watch a local production at the Playmill Theatre.
16. There are many beautiful day trips from Yellowstone to choose from
If you have time in your itinerary, I recommend taking a day trip from Yellowstone or making Yellowstone a stop on a road trip through the area. Here are some areas near Yellowstone that are also gorgeous and worth a visit:
- Grand Teton National Park (think epic mountain peaks and gorgeous lakes)
- Jackson Hole, Wyoming (think cool mountain town with ski resorts and shopping)
- Island Park, Idaho (think beautiful nature opportunities and cabin rentals very close to Yellowstone National Park)
- Big Sky, Montana (think endless views with mountains and valleys)
17. A Yellowstone tour may be a great option for you
If you want a more in-depth experience in Yellowstone or you just want as stress-free of a trip as possible, then booking a Yellowstone tour may be perfect for you!
The last time I visited Yellowstone, we were with a large family group of 10 people. We didn’t want to drive multiple cars through the park one after another (not to mention find parking for all of our cars everywhere we stopped). Because of this, we booked a full-day tour in Yellowstone (not the same tour we booked, but very similar).
It was so fun to experience everything as a group instead of in separate cars. Plus, the stories from our tour guide were really a highlight of our trip!
Besides full-day tours in Yellowstone, you can also book a guided hike in Yellowstone, go kayaking on Yellowstone Lake, or purchase an inexpensive Yellowstone audio guide to listen to on the drive (for how inexpensive it is- the guide really enhances the experience).
You can even book a 3-day Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park tour! This would be the ultimate hassle-free way to experience these two, gorgeous parks that are so close to each other. I’d definitely love to take this tour.
18. Participate in a Ranger program for a unique park experience
If you don’t want to book a Yellowstone tour, but you’d still love some insider knowledge about the park, then a ranger program is perfect for you. Like most national parks, Yellowstone has specific activities curated and run by the Yellowstone park rangers.
The ranger activities include guided walk and talks, hikes, activities geared towards families, and more! Check out the upcoming Yellowstone Ranger Program calendar before your Yellowstone trip.
And those are all the things that I think you need to know before visiting Yellowstone National Park! Please reach out to me if you have any questions about planning a trip to Yellowstone, I love chatting all things travel!
Check out these other posts, I know you’ll love them:
- Yellowstone with Kids: The Ultimate 2 Day Itinerary
- Things to do in Bryce Canyon in Winter: The Perfect 1-Day Itinerary
- How to Spend One Perfect Day in Island in the Sky: Canyonlands National Park
- 15 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Joshua Tree National Park
- The Ultimate Guide to Joshua Tree National Park and Nearby Towns
- 8 Things to Do in Acadia National Park for the First Time
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