Best things to do in Yellowstone National Park. How to plan your time, best time of year to visit, map, photos, updated for 2024.

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Our 2 Day Best of Yellowstone National Park itinerary: from the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Norris Geysers, Old Faithful and Yellowstone Lake, each itinerary route is its own day in the park and covers the best sights and tips for enjoying driving through Yellowstone National Park.

Are you looking to see the best of two epic national parks on one trip? Don't miss this 7-day road trip itinerary from Grand Teton to Yellowstone!

Check out my 3-day Yellowstone itinerary and discover all the amazing things this park has to offer. Get ready to plan an epic trip!

Explore SwellMap's 11566 photos on Flickr!

See all the best things to do in Yellowstone National Park by area, where to spot wildlife, the best day hikes, where to eat and stay, and what you need to know before you visit.

First-timer's guide to visiting the Grand Prismatic Spring and Midway Geyser Basin in Yellowstone. Practical information like how and when to visit, how to see the Grand Prismatic from above, and much more. Read this before you go!

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Wondering where to stay in Yellowstone? We're sharing the most convenient lodging in - and near - the park to help you plan.

One of my favourite things about the US is the absolutely stunning national parks that are literally dotted all over the country. And you know what, - 10 Best Things To Do In Yellowstone National Park - Travel, Travel Advice - North America, United States, USA, Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park - Travel, Food and Home Inspiration Blog with door-to-door Travel Planner! - Travel Advice, Travel Inspiration, Home Inspiration, Food Inspiration, Recipes, Photography

You know it's cold outside when Yellowstone National Park's Old Faithful geyser starts erupting snow instead of super heated water and steam.

Exploring Yellowstone National Park in just one day might sound ambitious, and it is! Sprawling across nearly 3,500 square miles, this park is massive enough

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Our guide to spending 1 great week in Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks, including things to do, trip budget, packing list & meal ideas!

See all the best things to do in Yellowstone National Park by area, where to spot wildlife, the best day hikes, where to eat and stay, and what you need to know before you visit.

This list of the best easy hikes in Yellowstone includes short and fun trails for every age and ability -- written by a former park ranger!

First-timer's guide to visiting the Grand Prismatic Spring and Midway Geyser Basin in Yellowstone. Practical information like how and when to visit, how to see the Grand Prismatic from above, and much more. Read this before you go!

Lonely Planet is proud to present Ultimate Travel List, the second edition of our bestseller that presents a new ranking of the greatest places on Earth.

See all the best things to do in Yellowstone National Park by area, where to spot wildlife, the best day hikes, where to eat and stay, and what you need to know before you visit.

Visiting Yellowstone National Park during the daytime is enchanting; with its geysers, lake and wildlife attracting tourists and photographers from across the world. Stay after dark however, and the park takes on a magic that is as indescribable as it is dynamic. Combine this magic with clear; dark skies, very few people, the Milky Way, and if you are extra lucky, the Aurora Borealis, and you have a photographic opportunity that is literally out-of-this-world. If you are unfamiliar with Milky Way photography, there are a few checks to go through before starting to even think about shooting: 1) Time of the year: in the Northern hemisphere the Milky Way is not visible through the end of November to around the beginning of February; 2) The Moon; you need dark skies so that the Milky way is not washed out. New moon (i.e. no visible moonlight) is best, but the general rule of a week either side of new moon is feasible in terms of getting those epic Milky Way shots too; 3) Weather: dry skies are best, humid skies are hard to get a crisp view of the stars due to atmospheric distortion; 4) Light pollution: the more removed from human lights, the better, ‘dark skies’ are optimal; 5) And lastly, but certainly not least (and potentially the most difficult to achieve!) is that you need about 1 hour for your eyesight to adjust from seeing artificial light to viewing the stars clearly! Using a headlamp with a red light is optimal, as is not looking at a cell phone! Camera settings for astrophotography are somewhat like Goldilocks’ porridge, with elements of necessity and those also of personal choice: 1) A wide angle lens is a must, anything from an 8 mm fisheye to a 24 mm is optimal; 2) The aperture of the lens needs to be able to let as much light to the sensor as possible. A general rule is that lenses with apertures of f/1.4 to f/2.8 are optimal; 3) The ISO can make or break a Milky Way photo. Too low an ISO and the amount of light reaching your cameras sensor will be suboptimal, too high and your shot is likely to be noisy and lack contrast. For most full sensor CMOS cameras somewhere between 2000-3200 is optimal, if you are shooting using a cropped sensor, closer to 2000 will likely be best; 4) Shutter speed, a general rule is that below 20 seconds you will not see visible star trails. A higher ISO however, will mean that you may need to decrease the shutter speed and/-or the aperture (f-stop) values. Regardless of photography, there is nothing quite like being out in Yellowstone at night; looking-up at the universe from one of the most dynamic places on this earth!

The ultimate Grand Teton itinerary including eveything you need to know about where to stay, what to pack, and the best things to do.

First-timer's guide to visiting the Old Faithful in Yellowstone. Practical info and fun facts about the OF geyser, best time to visit, eruption times & more

Looking into The Black Pool at West Thumb Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park in western Wyoming and the Idaho, Montana border.

Many say “Once you visit Yellowstone it will forever call you back.” And that is the truth. I hope if you are reading this it is because you are planning a trip to Yellowstone because it will forever change you. This is from my experience while exploring the area several times and I hope it helps make your trip absolutely incredible – in fact, I know it will. 1. Don’t Skip the Following Places We all know it’s a must do that you see Old Faithful erupt, take in the beautiful colors of the Grand Prismatic and slow down for the abundant wildlife throughout the park but there are beautiful places in Yellowstone that are often overlooked such as: The Boiling River: This river merges with the Gardner River just north of Mammoth Hot Springs as you are heading out the North gate. Since it’s a hot spring (like scalding hot spring) merging with a cold river, you get the making of an extremely relaxing hot tub river. It’s such a unique experience. My little ones said it was one of their favorite things we did while in YNP. Uncle Toms Trail: This is not a trail for the faint of heart but the view it gives of the 300 foot Lower Falls is absolutely incredible. It is almost 350 stairs, 500 foot vertical descend, into the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. And there is something to be felt afterward about completing such a challenging trail! Grand Teton National Park: Last but not least, if you go to Yellowstone and do not take the hour or so drive down south to see the Tetons – you.have.missed.out! The Tetons hold such a special place in my heart. That view….uh it’s breathtaking! 2. Don’t Experience Yellowstone From Your Car Another mistake so many people make when visiting the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is they only experience the area from their car. I think a lot of this has to do with a lack of time. Let me tell you, you have to plan for AT LEAST 3 days in the park…at least. If not you’re just going to be driving in your car trying to hurry up and see everything and there is no possible way. So get out of your car – take in nature, hike a trail, get away from all the people and get off the roads. Make a list of the things you don’t accomplish this trip…because I promise there will be a next time! Also, a fantastic tool we used to plan the hikes we wanted to take was the All Trails App. It’s a fantastic tool that shows you all the trails, their difficulty level, and even pictures of the different scenery along the trail. Side note: This app is good for finding trails anywhere, not just at Yellowstone. 3. Pack for All Seasons You may have heard this but I can’t reiterate enough – you have to pack for all temperatures! It can and has snowed in July! In fact, due to the different levels of elevation all throughout the park, you can easily experience a 15-degree temperature drop within just a few miles of driving. I know packing for all seasons with kids is stressful but check and see if where you’re staying has a laundry facility. Anytime we travel I make sure there is a laundry facility onsite. That way everyone only packs a couple of outfits, then halfway through the trip, I throw it all in a quick wash load and we re-wear those outfits on the second part of the trip. 4. Don’t Forget the Binoculars One mistake my husband and I made our first trip to the area was not taking binoculars. Our first day in the park we saw bears far off across the valley. Everyone around us had binoculars but us…amateurs. That evening we went and bought some and the next day driving into the park we saw wolves! This time we had binoculars and it made the experience incredible! When we went back with our kids we bought this scope. It is absolutely incredible and I highly suggest investing in it. It’s really inexpensive and attaches to your cell phone. Essentially making your cell phone into a huge binocular screen – easier for kids to see than trying to have them figure out binoculars. Really cool! 5. Invest in an Audio Tour Guide The last piece of advice I would give someone heading into the park is to purchase the GyPSy App – an audio tour guide for the park. It’s $5 for just Yellowstone or $9 for Yellowstone and Tetons. Let me just say – it was the best $9 we spent! The app narrates the park as you’re driving. The narrator gives tips on must-see areas, optional side roads, and historical facts of the park (my favorite part). It works offline since you most likely will not get service in the park. Well there you have it, I could go on and on about Yellowstone but I will leave you with that for now. I tell all my friends of our visits there, anyone who will listen, I show them pictures. But just know, it doesn’t do Yellowstone justice. Pictures and words cannot begin to describe this place. You have to see it, listen to it, put your hands on it and soak it all in. My life will forever revolve on how to get back to Yellowstone. Meet Kaila: Kaila writes about all things travel, lifestyle, and how to market your business. For more tips and free trainings on how to start a business online – you can follow Kaila on Instagram @kaila.ruan

Yellowstone National Park is full of things to do and see. From rafting and mountain biking to historical landmarks and hot springs, you probably could spend a week exploring Yellowstone and still not see it all. Still, if you're sleeping outside the park, you might want to explore the surrounding area. Rich in ...

Here are pictures from each of the 59 designated national parks, along with their locations. You know, in case you’re itching to travel a bit.

There are several cities to stay in near the Park, each with its pros and cons. Here are the most popular places to stay near Yellowstone National Park.

A look at the Old Faithful Inn located close the famous geyser called Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park and the largest log hotel in the world.

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Yellowstone National Park

If you’re taking a dream trip to Yellowstone then why not stay in a cabin? These are our favorite Yellowstone cabins for your next vacation.

View on Black and LARGER Tourists watching the Old Faithful eruption in Yellowstone National Park. Every eruption is different. I photographed over 8 eruptions of the Old Faithful geyser, and this was the best - it was powerful and high; and there was just enough wind to carry the spray and steam to right (south) so that you got a clear view of the geyser. This eruption was photographed from the Old Faithful Inn, using a medium telephoto lens -- I wanted to be slightly elevated and far enough from the crowds of tourists so that their size relationship with the geyser would be more accurate. About Old Faithful: Old Faithful is a cone geyser. Eruptions can shoot 3,700 to 8,400 U.S. gallons (14,000–32,000 litre) of boiling water to a height of 106–185 feet (30–56 m) lasting from 1.5 to 5 minutes. The average height of an eruption is 145 feet (44 m). The highest recorded eruption was 185 feet (56 m) high. Eruptions often occur about 90 minutes apart, but this interval can range from 45 to 125 minutes on occasion. Old Faithful was named in 1870 during the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition and was the first geyser in the park to receive a name. How "Faithful" is the geyser? Over the years, the length of the interval has increased, which may be the result of earthquakes affecting subterranean water levels. These disruptions have made the earlier mathematical relationship inaccurate, but have in fact made Old Faithful more predictable. With a margin of error of 10 minutes, Old Faithful will erupt 65 minutes after an eruption lasting less than 2.5 minutes or 91 minutes after an eruption lasting more than 2.5 minutes. The reliability of Old Faithful can be attributed to the fact that it is not connected to any other thermal features of the Upper Geyser Basin.

So many people have requested to know more about our stay in Wyoming, so I decided to deliver on all the details! From where we stayed, what we ate, and all the things we saw, if you’re planning a…

See all the best things to do in Yellowstone National Park by area, where to spot wildlife, the best day hikes, where to eat and stay, and what you need to know before you visit.

From Hawaii to Alaska and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, there are the U.S. national parks with volcanoes, such as Crater Lake, Lassen and Katmai.

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