A trip to Yellowstone with toddlers is definitely worth some serious consideration, especially for 2 reasons:
- it is possible to visit a large part of it in several days without having to change accommodation (see for example my itinerary of Yellowstone)
- the main attractions are equipped with comfortable wooden walkways that can also be used with a stroller
If you add to these 2 reasons the incredible beauty of the park and the variety of animals that your kids can admire…. well, you can see for yourself that this is a mix that is really hard to resist.
To make it easier for you to plan your visit to Yellowstone, I thought I’d create a short guide to the main trails, indicating which ones are stroller-friendly or require a baby carrier. In this way, you will be able to get organized more easily and evaluate whether or not to buy a backpack or a baby carrier.
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Yellowstone with toddlers: suitable and non-suitable trails for strollers
Stroller friendly trails in Yellowstone
On these trails you won’t have any problem, you can admire the surrounding beauty while walking with a stroller, because the ground is flat and usually equipped with comfortable wooden walkways that will make your life much easier.
- Upper Geyser Basin: This is the most famous geothermal area, where you can find the Old Faithful geyser, Grand Geyser, Grotto Geyser, Castle Geyser, Riverside Geyser, the Morning Glory Pool hot spring, etc…
- Midway Geyser Basin: a much smaller basin where there are 4 hot springs (although one, Excelsior, is actually a geyser), including the portentous Grand Prismatic Spring
- Norris Geyser Basin: another rather large geothermal area divided into 2 basins (Back and Porcelain Basin), the one that impressed me the most is definitely the latter. You will find some steps at the beginning and near Echinus Geyser in the Back Basin.
- West Thumb Geyser Basin: smaller than Norris, this expanse of geysers and fumaroles also offers a nice view of Lake Yellowstone
- Lookout Point: if you’re looking for a great view of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, this is not the best one, but it’s easy to get to and you won’t be disappointed
- Boiling River Trail: this easy trail, with only a few steps at the end, takes you to the confluence of the Boiling River hot springs and the Gardner River. Many take advantage of its steaming waters to take a dip
- Fountain Paint Pot Trail: another small geothermal basin with some interesting springs and geysers. At some point you will find a few steps, but nothing challenging.
Feasible trails with strollers but with some difficulty
The following trails are doable with a stroller but will require some extra effort, especially if you have a heavy stroller. So some visitors may prefer to use a baby carrier.
- Artist Point: probably the most beautiful point to see the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone from. You can easily get there with your stroller, the only difficulty is the ten steps you have to take to reach the highest platform, being quite crowded I opted to leave the stroller at the bottom of the steps.
- Mammoth Hot Springs: the whole area is crossed by comfortable walkways, the problem is that the site is developed vertically, so there are many steps at various points. Lifting the stroller every time can be a bit tiring, but all in all doable. To save your efforts, you can park at the Upper Terraces first, visit the upper part and then drive down to see the lower area. See How to see the best in a short time at Mammoth Hot Springs.
- Mud Volcano: a 2 loop route through fumaroles, boiling mud, and hot springs. The lower loop is located just outside the parking lot and is fairly easy; the upper loop is accessed by about ten steps. It is quite common to spot bison in this area.
Yellowstone baby carrier hikes
Here are 2 paths not suitable for strollers, but given the beauty of the views they offer, it would be a shame to miss them. If you intend to walk them equip yourself with a backpack or a baby carrier.
- Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail: this is the trail that will take you to the top of Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone’s most famous hot spring. We’ve already given directions on how to reach the overlook platform in our in-depth look at the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook.
- Uncle Tom’s Trail: you’ll descend the more than 300 steps of the trail along the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone to admire up close the power of the Lower Falls up close. Although the hike is short (just over half a mile in total) it is very challenging with a child on your back. If you’re not sure you’re up for it, below is a video to give you an idea
