Yellowstone National Park Travel Guide 2025 – Forbes Advisor

Discover the Best of Yellowstone National Park

Home to some of the most unique geothermal features in all of North America, Yellowstone National Park is a true treasure. Visitors can hike any of its 900 trails, watch as the Old Faithful Geyser erupts hundreds of feet into the air or stand in awe as they observe a mother grizzly herd her cubs just 20 feet from their car. 

This park has dozens of campsites sprinkled throughout, historic hotels within the park and visitor centers where you can learn all about its history. Plus, you can get around to all the attractions easily by car.

Where is Yellowstone National Park?

Yellowstone National Park lies primarily in the northwest region of Wyoming, with a small portion of it extending into Montana and Idaho.

Why Visit Yellowstone National Park? 

Yellowstone was the world’s first national park, and people visit it for its diverse wildlife and unique geothermal features, such as geysers and colorful hot springs. The park offers over 900 miles of hiking trails, but you can also tour the entire park from the comfort of your vehicle. More than 300 animal species call Yellowstone home, including large mammals like grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, bison and elk.

Yellowstone National Park Highlights

Visitors flock to Yellowstone for iconic sights like Old Faithful, but there is so much more to see.

“My top tip for Yellowstone is for visitors to see more than just Old Faithful,” says Natalie Vereen-Davis, travel blogger for Camping Kiddos. “The park is massive at 2.2 million acres, and many of the hidden gems like the Sheepeater Cliffs and the Old West cowboy cookout require visitors to head deep into the park.”

While visiting the park, these are the attractions you won’t want to miss:

• Old Faithful Geyser
• Grand Prismatic Spring
• Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
• Mammoth Hot Springs
• Norris Geyser Basin
• Upper Geyser Basin and Morning Glory Pool
• Lamar Valley
• Hayden Valley
• Old Faithful Inn
• Yellowstone Lake
• West Thumb Geyser Basin
• Yellowstone Grand Loop Road
• Mount Washburn
• Tower Fall
• Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center

Top Park Activities in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park offers something for everyone, regardless of physical ability or age. You can drive through the entire park and see its famed attractions from your vehicle, or park and spend days hiking its landscape. 

Besides its geological features like geysers and hot springs, Yellowstone’s wildlife is extraordinary. No matter where you are in the park, you will find yourself surrounded by bison, elk, grizzly bears, black bears and other animals. If you’re lucky and visit during the spring, you may even see a mother bear with her cubs—especially if you can get to Lamar Valley.

Popular park activities include:

• hiking
• wildlife viewing
• camping
• scenic drives
• horseback riding
• ATV tours
• whitewater rafting
• photography

Best Time To Visit Yellowstone National Park

Spring and fall are great times to visit, but summer is by far the most popular season because of its warm weather and lush greenery. 

The “secret season” is winter,” explain the experts of Xanterra Travel Collection, operators of Yellowstone National Park Lodges. “While operations are limited to Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Mammoth Hot Springs at that time, there are far fewer people, the restaurants are in full swing and serving great food, and it’s really quiet! You almost have Old Faithful to yourself!” 

Although snow may close some roads and limit activities, winter allows yout to experience the wonders of Yellowstone in an intimate way.

In any season, including the busy summertime, you will benefit from an early start. The earlier in the day you get going, the fewer people you’ll encounter and the more wildlife you’ll see.

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Weather in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone experiences all four seasons, and temperatures vary depending on the time of year. During the summer, you can expect temperatures in the 70s, but during the winter, it can drop to below zero. Weather conditions can change quickly, and rain and snow are a common occurrence.

• Spring. 30 to 60 degrees
• Summer. Around 70 degrees and occasionally 80 degrees
• Fall. 30 to 60 degrees
• Winter. Zero to 20 degrees during the day; subzero common overnight

How To Get to Yellowstone National Park

The majority of Yellowstone National Park lies in Wyoming, but it has five entrances: North (Gardiner, Montana), Northeast (Cooke City, Montana), West (West Yellowstone, Montana), South (Jackson, Wyoming) and East (Cody, Wyoming).

• Driving. You will need a car to get around Yellowstone, so driving, or at least renting a car, is a popular option. You can enter the GPS coordinates for any of the five entrances and drive directly to that location.
• Bus. Bus service from Bozeman, Montana, to West Yellowstone, Montana, via Highway 191 is available all year, but service from Idaho to West Yellowstone operates only during the summer months. Transportation from Bozeman, Montana, to Gardiner, Montana, and Cody and Jackson, Wyoming, is also only available during the summer season.
• Airplane. You can fly directly to one of the airports near Yellowstone’s entrances, the most popular being Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN), Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) and Yellowstone Airport (WYS).

Nearest Airport to Yellowstone National Park

Although you may still need to drive or bus, commercial airlines can get you near one of the five entrances in Yellowstone by flying you to airports in: 

• Cody and Jackson, Wyoming
• Bozeman and Billings, Montana
• Idaho Falls, Idaho
• Salt Lake City, Utah (May through mid-October)

Where To Stay Near Yellowstone National Park

The beauty of Yellowstone—besides the views themselves, that is—is that you can do it on nearly any budget. You can book a campsite for as little as $20 per night, book a room at an iconic hotel or rent a luxury cabin for significantly more.

“The best places to stay are within the park boundaries—whether it’s tent camping, a large RV, rustic cabins or deluxe suite hotel rooms, it exists within Yellowstone National Park,” shares Xanterra Travel Collection. “The most unique would be the Old Faithful Inn or the Lake Yellowstone Hotel.” The benefit of staying in the park is that you have immediate access to everything with no need to wait in long entrance lines.

If you want to save money or have a larger group, you can also stay outside the park at one of the local hotels, an Airbnb or a VRBO. The downside is that you have to drive into the park each day, which means you may have to wait in line to get in. From experience, the wait can be anything from five minutes to over an hour.

Fees, Hours and Parking in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone charges a $35 entrance fee per vehicle that is good for seven consecutive days. If you’re staying more than a week, you might as well purchase a $70 season pass, as it would be the same cost as paying $35 twice.

Park hours are 24/7. Gates remain open during the evening, so you can come and go as you please. Most park facilities are only open during the spring through fall months, but some—like the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, Old Faithful Inn and Old Faithful Visitor Center—are open during the winter months. Some roads close due to severe weather, so visit the Yellowstone National Park website for the latest updates.

The neat thing about Yellowstone is that you can drive to all the major attractions and most require minimal walking or hiking. Boardwalks lead right up to everything, making this park accessible and stroller-friendly. 

While there are parking lots at the major attractions, they fill up quickly. When this happens, parking gets creative, and you may find yourself parking a half mile away from sites like the Grand Prismatic Spring.

Camping in or Near Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone has a lot of campsites spread out over the park, “but I’d still recommend booking sites four to six months ahead of time, especially if you’re visiting on a summer weekend or near a holiday like the Fourth of July,” shares Vereen-Davis. 

The most popular campsites in and around Yellowstone are:

• Madison Campground
• Canyon Campground
• Bridge Bay Campground
• Grant Village Campground
• Fishing Bridge RV Park
• Lewis Lake Campground 
• Indian Creek Campground

Yellowstone National Park at a Glance

Insider Tips for Visiting Yellowstone National Park

There is so much to see and do in Yellowstone that it can feel overwhelming trying to plan a trip. You may drive to all the locations, but there is much more to do than just stop and stare. Plus, Yellowstone’s main attractions sit right off the side of the road, so there is plenty to stop and do. 

Here’s how our experts say you should enjoy Yellowstone:

• Every major attraction is just hundreds of feet away from the road, so you don’t need to be super outdoorsy to enjoy the park.
• Get up early to avoid the crowds.
• Spring and fall may not have 70-degree weather, but the park is significantly less crowded.
• Start hikes early in the day to avoid being out after dark.
• The south side of the park is a hidden gem that not everyone knows about.
• Walk the boardwalks, as seeing the geothermal features up close is something special.
• Bring your bear spray—bears can be anywhere!

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Yellowstone National Park Travel Guide Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)