Let’s start with a premise: Yellowstone is not like any other American park. While a visit of 1 day or sometimes even just a few hours can be enough to get a good idea of many natural parks on the West Coast, with Yellowstone you will not get off so easily. In 1 day you will see very little of what the whole area has to offer, in 2 you start to get your bearings, in 3 days you can say you have satisfactorily explored the park (without having seen all of it of course) and in 4 days you will really enjoy it! Why is that? Mainly for 2 reasons:
- There are so many things to do in Yellowstone, it’s like visiting 2 or 3 parks in one go
- Getting around is slower than expected, you’ll find full parking lots and long queues generated by tourists and… bison crossing the roads!
The problem is therefore to create an efficient and balanced Yellowstone itinerary, so as not to waste time and make the most of the hours available. To this end, I thought of writing a day-by-day road trip itinerary that you can cover in 3 or 4 days, with a route that you can easily copy, so as not to waste too much energy on organization and be sure not to miss anything that is really worth seeing.
Contents
Planning the best Yellowstone itinerary: travel and accommodation
First, a premise. I have already mentioned the problem of traffic and the slowness of movement. This is why there are 2 crucial aspects:
- choose the area where you will sleep carefully
- get up early in the morning to explore the park when the flow of tourists has not yet become unbearable
Outside Yellowstone Park, near all of its 5 entrances, there are small towns with a good number of accommodations, and there are also some hotels inside the park; for a complete overview of all the hotel offer take a look at our guide on where to stay in Yellowstone.
My advice, however, if you are following the classic itinerary from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone, is to opt for West Yellowstone, for the following reasons:
- from a strategic point of view it is the best area, as all the attractions are within a reachable distance
- overnight stays in this area are expensive and sleeping outside the park will allow you to save quite a bit compared to an internal solution
- it is less expensive than Jackson
- the town is amenable and also offers some interesting attractions, starting with the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center
To find lodging in this town, I refer you to our guide on where to sleep in West Yellowstone
This town is perfect for dedicating 2 or 3 nights to the park, but if you have 1 extra day then here are 2 other towns that come particularly in handy:
- Cody, founded by Buffalo Bill and known as the Rodeo Capital of the World, is a great base for seeing the eastern side of the park. Here are our tips for sleeping in Cody
- Jackson is a popular tourist destination and an ideal base for exploring Grand Teton. Here are our tips for sleeping in Jackson
Having said that, here is an itinerary that covers both possibilities, a visit in 3 days and one in 4 days.
Please note: the interactive maps shown take into account the closure of roads during the winter season, so if you consult them during that period, they will show much longer routes that do not match the description of this article. Roads start to reopen in spring and consequently, the maps will show the correct routes starting from that period.
Yellowstone trip itinerary
Yellowstone itinerary 3 days
If well organized, a 3 days itinerary is enough to see all the main attractions, in particular exploring the eastern area of the park.
Day 1: Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris Geyser Basin
Stages:
- Mammoth Hot Springs
- Norris Geyser Basin
- Artists Paintpots
- Monument Geyser Basin
- Beryl Spring
- Gibbon Falls
Map:
The 2 attractions that make the day worthwhile are undoubtedly Norris Geyser Basin and Mammoth Hot Springs. From West Yellowstone, you will first encounter Norris (about 45 minutes). However, I recommend not stopping here immediately but continuing by turning left towards Mammoth Hot Springs (another 45 minutes or so), better to do the longer part of the drive first and visit Norris on the way back, as you’ll have to pass it anyway to get back to West Yellowstone.
- See my guide on how to visit Mammoth Hot Springs
- See my guide on how to visit Norris Geyser Basin
Having visited the Norris Basin, on the way back you’ll encounter a few smaller attractions along the way that are definitely worth a quick stop:
- Artists Paintpots: a multi-colored geothermal basin reminiscent of a painter’s palette; accessible by a 1-mile round-trip hike. The parking lot from which the trail starts is well marked.
- Monument Geyser Basin: a little-visited but interesting area, both for its uniquely shaped geysers and for the beautiful view of Gibbon Meadow. The trail is very short (a little over 1300 feet); you will find the trailhead on your right just before the steaming hot Beryl Spring, not really on a parking lot but on a small lay-by. If you don’t find a parking place, you can look for another place nearby (for example near the spring).
- Beryl Spring: you will notice this spring when you leave the car, as it is right next to the road and the smoke you see will be the first hint of a geyser in Yellowstone Park.
- Gibbon Falls: these beautiful waterfalls will not rival those of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, but they are definitely worth a stop; they can be visited quickly and are well signposted along the road. Even if you find the parking lot full, don’t give up because they free up places quite quickly.
Day 2: Old Faithful, West Thumb Geyser and Grand Prismatic Spring
Stages:
- Upper Geyser Basin / Old Faithful
- West Thumb Geyser Basin (optional)
- Black Sand Basin (optional)
- Biscuit Basin (optional)
- Midway Geyser Basin / Grand Prismatic Spring
Map:
This is the day when you will visit the most famous attractions and is therefore the most important. You will find traffic and full parking lots in this area more than the others. My advice is to plan to arrive at the Upper Geyser Basin Visitor Center at about 8 am (about 50 minutes’ travel), the time when it opens.
You’ll pass through the park in an atmosphere of almost surreal quietness, and once there, you can wait for the eruption of the park’s most famous and timely geyser at your leisure (Old Faithful, which erupts every 80 minutes or so). In the meantime, study the interesting exhibits at the visitor center.
The next stop is the West Thumb Geyser Basin (half an hour away), a geothermal area that sits right next to Yellowstone Lake. It is shorter and easier to visit than the previous stop. Go back, cross the Upper Geyser Basin (making an extra stop if there is an eruption due soon) and head straight for the second big attraction of the day, the Midway Geyser Basin, home to the beautiful Grand Prismatic Spring. There are 2 ways to visit it: one from close up, the other with a panoramic view from the top; in the first case, you will just have to drive to the Midway Geyser Basin, park up and take a pleasant walk on the wooden walkways, in the second, you will have to stop a little earlier, in the Fairy Falls parking lot and walk about three-quarters of a mile. You can find all the necessary information for both options in our dedicated article:
In the stretch between the Midway Geyser Basin and the Upper Geyser Basin, you will find 2 other minor attractions where, if you have time left over, you can decide to stop off:
- Black Sand Basin: another very small geothermal area that is quick to visit (it’s about a quarter of a mile of walkway), it can be a pleasant surprise
- Biscuit Basin: another small basin with some hot springs (in my opinion less interesting), whose main attraction is Sapphire Pool
Day 3: Grand Canyon, Hayden Valley and Yellowstone Lake
Stages:
- Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone / Artist Point
- Hayden Valley
- Sulphur Caldron (optional)
- Mud Volcano (optional)
- Lake Yellowstone
Map:
After 2 days like this, it’s hard to think that a third day could be on the same level, but it is: get ready to gawk at your surroundings for the third day in a row. Head east towards the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (you will cross the Norris Geyser Basin). If you leave early you will be able to enjoy both sides (North and South) without the stress of traffic and parking. If you have to choose just one point, make it Artist Point (1 hour and 10 minutes from West Yellowstone), the view will take your breath away. I recommend reading our article linked below:
After that, continue south and get ready to cross the wonderful Hayden Valley, which is famous for 2 reasons: its beautiful prairies and the incredible number of bison that congest the traffic. The pace will be slow but it is a real show! On the final stretch, you will encounter 2 minor attractions, Sulphur Caldron and Mud Volcano. Take the usual walk on the boardwalks, snap the rightful photos and leave. Continuing south, in 10-15 minutes (traffic permitting) you will reach the shores of Yellowstone Lake, a large and clear alpine lake, the ideal place to have a snack and buy some souvenirs at the village (they are a bit expensive though).
The day can end with a return to West Yellowstone for an overnight stay, or in Jackson, which is a better option for a quicker return south, towards Salt Lake City, passing through Grand Teton National Park, the second great natural wonder to be seen on a Wyoming road trip.
Yellowstone itinerary 4 days
In 4 days you can have an even more complete overview of the park, also exploring the Northwest area:
Days 1 and Day 2: same route as the 3-day itinerary
Repeat the same itinerary as described above.
Day 3: Grand Canyon and Lamar Valley
Stages:
- Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone / Artist Point
- Tower Fall (optional)
- Lamar Valley
- Dead Indian Summit Overlook
Map:
After visiting the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, instead of going south to Hayden Valley, go north to the other great valley there is to see in Yellowstone, Lamar Valley (about 1 hour), a great area for sighting bison, but also other wildlife in the park (wolves, bears, Rocky Mountain sheep, etc…).
Before arriving in this beautiful valley, may want to make a quick stop on the Tower Falls Lookout, easily reachable from the parking lot. On the way to Cody, you will find another beautiful viewpoint, called Dead Indian Summit Overlook, about 40 minutes from the town of Buffalo Bill.
Day 4: Lake Yellowstone and Hayden Valley
Stages:
- Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway
- Buffalo Bill Dam (optional)
- Lake Yellowstone
- Hayden Valley
Map:
Departing from Cody in the morning back towards Yellowstone, the beautiful road to reach the East Entrance is characterized by imposing dark red rock towers. This goes by the name of Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway and among other things, will allow you to cross the nature reserve of the same name (Buffalo Bill Reservoir) and the dam, where you can stop for a quick and free visit (a free shuttle service is available from the parking lot). Inside the park you can cross Hayden Valley and Yellowstone Lake and, unlike in the previous itinerary, you can ride along the entire northern part of the lake. Needless to say, the view is stunning. You will then continue south through Grand Teton and reach the town of Jackson.
