10 Tips for Visiting Yellowstone National Park

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Want to know the top tips you should have in your back pocket for visiting Yellowstone?

After visiting Yellowstone countless times, I honestly believe that everyone should make the trip there once. Where else can you see natural wonders like geysers, spot animals like wolves and bears, and embark on some epic hiking trails? As a kid, I definitely didn’t have an appreciation for this spot when my dad drug us there on a road trip, but now I certainly do.

Of course, such a popular national park requires a bit more planning than some of the others, and having a few pro tips can make it easier to put together a Yellowstone itinerary, as well as know how to avoid crowds during those packed summer months. I’ve picked up a few on my trips there that I’ve found make my time there better!

Here are some of my personal tips that I’ve found helpful when planning my own adventures in America’s first national park, as well as some recommendations I make for clients with my itinerary service. Hopefully these will make your trip memorable for all the right reasons instead of the wrong!

In summary: These are a few of my tips that I’ve found necessary on my adventures in Yellowstone, as well as some to keep in mind for yours.

Quick tip: If you are planning on exploring away from the crowds, make sure you have some bear spray in hand and know how to use it!

1. Book your trip at least five months in advance

Although it might be difficult to know when you’ll be heading to Yellowstone, the more prepared you can be, the better. Accommodations in the park book up about a year in advance, and even those in Gardiner or West Yellowstone are often all full three months before. If you are planning on tours, those too can be unavailable if you haven’t booked ahead of time.

I recommend looking into your trip at least five months in advance. This will make it much more likely that you can get places to stay nearby and that you will get on all the tours that you want to.

2. Accept there will be crowds

Yellowstone is a busy national park. Over 4.5 million people were there in 2023, and you have to put in some effort in order to find some of its quieter spots. If you plan on seeing the highlights like Old Faithful and the Grand Prismatic Spring, then you’re going to have to accept that you won’t be doing it alone.

Of course, visiting during less-busy months like May or September and entering early in the morning can be the best way to allow yourself some time alone with nature. Sometimes, I get up as early as 6:00 am to get in before the morning rush.

3. Know each area of the park offers something different

One of the challenges of planning for such a large national park is knowing which spots to visit and for which reasons. Heading up north to Mammoth Hot Springs offers an entirely different experience than chilling on the shores of Yellowstone Lake. It’s all about how much time you have to explore and what you want to get out of your trip.

I always suggest that you look over a map before you head into the park so you know what you want to see that day–as well as if there are any road closures that might require you to take a different route to see certain attractions.

4. Take a day to explore outside the park

While you can spend weeks in Yellowstone and not see everything, there are some really incredible things to check out outside the park, as well. Nearby, you have Bridger-Teton National Forest, Nevada City and Virginia Ghost Towns, the Beartooth Highway, and so much more! Some of these you can see on a tour, while others you might have to drive yourself.

I almost always include an extra day or two in the area to see some sights on the perimeter of the park, just because there is so much to explore!

5. Look into guided ranger programs

I personally think that Yellowstone has some of the best guided ranger programs within the national park system. They usually cover a variety of topics from wildlife to geology to stargazing. The best part is that you can come back year after year and they always have some new presentations.

If this is something you’re interested in, you’re going to want to check out the Yellowstone website for the most up-to-date listings and a calendar where programs are scheduled. If you have kids, their Junior Ranger Program is also a ton of fun.

6. Know Old Faithful’s schedule

Old Faithful might not be as faithful as you would believe. It actually has an interval period for eruptions from around 35 to 120 minutes. So expecting it to erupt like clockwork might not be the best plan if you want to see the show. (In fact, geysers like Steamboat Geyser tend to be more reliable.)

If you have a ton of time to loiter, then you might just want to hang around the Old Faithful Visitor Center until it erupts, but if you are on a tight schedule, then knowing in advance is essential. The Yellowstone website has an updated time table that you’ll want to check out for sure.

I recommend you show up at least ten minutes before the scheduled eruption time since even the NPS can’t 100% predict when an eruption will happen.

7. Be prepared for weather changes

The Greater Yellowstone area experiences a lot of weather changes no matter what time of year you visit. I’ve visited on days where the weather is incredible in the morning and a storm rolls in during the late afternoon. Packing the right items can be one of the best things you can do in order to make sure you are ready for these changes.

One thing I definitely am always on the lookout for in Yellowstone is lightening storms–especially if you are in open areas like Hayden Valley and Lamar Valley. Know how to keep yourself safe and get indoors if you can!

8. Consider a safari tour

While you are almost guaranteed to see bison in Lamar and Hayden Valleys without a tour, guides can be incredibly helpful if you want to see some rarer species in the area. Safari tour companies tend to know where animals like bears and wolves hang out and where you can get the best photos.

If you are a photographer or you aspiring to be one, I definitely recommend booking one so you are likely to get the best photos out of your trip. They usually aren’t cheap, but it can be worth it if you’re itching to get the shot.

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9. Know where to stay

A lot of things you will do in the park and the highlights you will see depends on where you will be staying. If you are up near Gardiner, then you will have easier access to Mammoth Hot Springs and Grant Village. If you are staying near Jackson Hole, then you’ll be closer to Yellowstone Lake and Moose Falls.

Knowing what is a priority to you and what you most want to see can help you choose where you want to base yourself.

10. Fill up your car outside the park

While there are gas stations in the park, it tends to typically be more expensive than filling up in other areas outside of it in Bozeman or Jackson. West Yellowstone is usually a little cheaper, but the closer you get to the park, the more you will have to pay.

That being said, if your tank is low, you aren’t out of luck like in many of our national parks. There are six different places where you can fill up–even if you are paying a little bit more to do so.

Conclusion

I hope this has helped you plan your trip to Yellowstone. I’ve personally found these useful when visiting myself and planning itineraries for clients. While this park is very busy, hopefully this information will give you some time in nature and allow you to enjoy this stunning area–there’s a reason why this was the first national park in the world!

Have any questions about your trip to Yellowstone? Let me know in the comments!