21 Best Things to Do in Yellowstone National Park in 2024

LOOKING FOR THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN YELLOWSTONE?

You’re in the right place! Yellowstone is one of our family’s favorite places to be, and we have logged some serious hours in the park. We love exploring the mountains, viewing the wildlife, and marveling at the wonders of our natural world – there are so many wonderful things to do in Yellowstone.

Pulling from our experience, we’ve put together a guide with helpful tips and details to help you best enjoy the top things to do in Yellowstone National Park. We’ll cover our favorites, like the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Old Faithful, Norris Geyser Basin, the Grand Prismatic, and so much more!

Best Things to Do in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone is a pretty big national park so you will want to strategically look at what you want to see along the way. We usually take a northern loop, a southern loop, and then spend a day in the middle. This will take you by most of the best things to do at Yellowstone National Park.

1. Grand Prismatic spring

If you have seen a postcard from Yellowstone, odds are it has the Grand Prismatic on it. The Grand Prismatic is best viewed from above but walking through the boardwalks is about as impressive.

The Grand Prismatic is one of the best things to see in the Midway Geyser Basin. It is the largest hot spring in the United States. Another interesting fact we learned is that it is deeper than a 10-story building and covers about 1.32 acres.

The blue and orange coloring of the thermal feature is mesmerizing and makes for some great pictures to remember your Yellowstone vacation. You can see the colors, caused by different species of bacteria. It is the best if you visit on a warm sunny day.

This is one of the most visited features in Yellowstone so you may have to be patient when finding a parking space and expect to share the boardwalk with others. There is overflow parking on the side of the road if the parking lot is full.

We visited late one evening as we were headed out of the park and it wasn’t as busy as when we drove by earlier in the day. However, if you visit later in the day, the colors won’t be as bright. Cooler temperatures cause steam to cover the Grand Prismatic, making it harder to see the colors.

The boardwalk going through the Grand Prismatic is stroller and wheelchair friendly. Taking a stroller is a great way to keep your little kids safe if you’re worried about them falling off of the boardwalk.

In this area, you can also see the Opal Pool, Turquoise Pool, and Excelsior Geyser. Another impressive geyser in Midway Geyser Basin is the Imperial Geyser. It is next to a beautiful, steaming blue pool.

2.  Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook at Fairy Falls Trail

• Length: 1.6 miles
• Elevation Gain: 135 feet
• Route Type: Out & Back
• Difficulty: Easy

As pretty as the Grand Prismatic Spring is from the boardwalk, seeing the whole thing from this trail is breathtaking. It is a relatively short and easy hike with a big payoff.

The hike to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook starts at the Fairy Falls Trailhead. This is one mile south of the Midway Geyser Basin.

Along the hike, you will cross an old historic steel truss bridge as well as the Firehole River. After about half a mile there is a turnoff that goes up about 130 feet to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook platform.

3. Old Faithful

Old Faithful is located in the southwest section of the park and is a Yellowstone must-see. There is a fantastic viewing area with benches to sit on while you wait. You can watch Old Faithful erupt about every 74 minutes, but intervals can range from 60-110 minutes. It is the most predictable geyser in Yellowstone so it isn’t too hard to time a visit to see the geyser go off.

The actual eruption lasts between 1.5 and 5 minutes with an average height of about 135 feet. If you want a front-row seat, you’ll need to be there early. The geyser is large enough that you can see it from anywhere in the surrounding viewing area.

If you want a unique perspective on the eruption of Old Faithful, you can hike up to Observation Point. We did this hike during our last visit and it was a lot of fun. The hike getting up there was a little harder than I anticipated but we made it. The hike is about 1.1 miles from Old Faithful.

You can also watch Old Faithful erupt from the viewing deck at the Old Faithful Inn.

You can check for the next eruption time in the Visitor Center. This is one of the must-see things to do around Yellowstone National Park.

If you get there and learn that the geyser isn’t going to be going off for a while, you can explore the Old Faithful Inn, and the Visitor Center, and walk through the Upper Geyser Basin.

The Old Faithful Inn is beautiful inside and has some restaurants and a gift shop. The Old Faithful Visitor Center is a great place to learn more about Old Faithful and Yellowstone. Also, if your kids enjoy participating in the Junior Ranger Program, you can work on the workbook while you wait.

4. Upper Geyser Basin

The Upper Geyser Basin has the largest density of geysers and geothermal features on the planet. Some of the geysers here are the biggest in the world including Old Faithful. There are about 140 geothermal features in a square mile.

Most of the geysers in this area aren’t predictable in their eruption time, there are a few in the area you can predictably see – Old Faithful Geyser, Riverside Geyser, Castle Geyser, Grand Geyser, and Daisy Geyser.

Even if you don’t get to see any of the big ones erupt, there are lots of smaller geysers erupting constantly and there are lots of colorful hotpots to look at.

There are really nice walking paths and boardwalks throughout the area which are stroller and wheelchair friendly. The Upper Geyser Basin Loop is just over 4.5 miles long but you can walk as far as you’d like before heading back to Old Faithful. The best part of the loop is from Old Faithful to Morning Glory Pool which is about 1.5 miles.

5. Morning Glory Pool

Our favorite thing to see in the Upper Geyser Basin is the Morning Glory Pool. The pool is about 23 feet deep with beautiful blue, green, brown, and yellow coloring. This pool is named after the Morning Glory flower. One thing to remember is that you should never throw anything into any of the pools or springs in Yellowstone.

This pool has had issues with vandalism in the past. People have thrown coins, sticks, trash, logs, and other debris into the pools. This has affected is temperature and its color. The orange and yellow color used to only on on the outside edge of the pool but vandalism of throwing objects into the pool has made the bacteria spread into the middle.

6. Lamar Valley

Lamar Valley is in the northeastern part of Yellowstone. It is a great place to see the wild animals in the park! There are a number of wolf packs that roam the area as well as bison, grizzly bears, bald eagles, deer, and coyotes.

Throughout the valley, there are lots of pullouts which are great places to view the wildlife. The wild animals are best seen early in the morning and later in the evening. It is a good idea to bring binoculars and a spotting scope here if you have one.

Lamar Valley is kind of off-the-beaten-path compared to some of the other attractions in Yellowstone so it will be quieter than the other parts of the park. It is about two hours away from Old Faithful.

7. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

This is one of our favorite things to do in Yellowstone National Park. The view of the canyon and the falls is beautiful. It is a great spot for hiking if you are looking to get some of that in during your visit. The canyon is about 25 miles long and a mile wide.

The most popular hiking trails are Artist and Lookout Points however there are lots of different lookouts and trails that go along the rim and down into the canyon. One of the best trails that goes down into the canyon is Uncle Tom’s Trail.

There are three waterfalls in the canyon. The Lower Falls is the tallest waterfall in the park and is about twice the size of Niagara Falls at 308 feet. Upper Falls is 109 feet tall. The best place to view the falls are the platform at the Brink of the Lower Falls, Red Rock Point, and Artist Point.

The Upper Falls is quite a bit smaller but is just as beautiful. Uncle Tom’s Trail is the best place to get a picture with the Upper Falls. The third waterfall is Crystal Falls which can be viewed from the South Rim Trail.

8. Artist Point

• Length: 0.2 miles
• Elevation Gain: 16 feet
• Route Type: Out & Back
• Difficulty: Easy

Artist Point is our favorite viewpoint of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It has beautiful views of the Lower Falls. This is one of the most photographed views in the park.

9. Hayden Valley

Hayden Valley is another great spot to view wildlife and is always part of what to do in Yellowstone. It is found between Yellowstone Falls and Yellowstone Lake and is about seven miles long.

Large herds of bison can be found here grazing. Traffic can get backed up due to wildlife on the road, so watch out as you are driving. Traffic jams caused by the bison here are pretty common. During our last visit to Yellowstone, we had about a 60-minute backup because of the bison.

10. Mammoth Hot Springs

Mammoth Hot Springs area is more north and a little ways away from most of the other hot spots of the park, but it is well worth your driving time. The drive to get there is absolutely beautiful and was actually where we saw the most wildlife with fewer crowds.

We even saw a bighorn sheep walking along the side of the road and a bear. Be sure to go into the town of Mammoth as well. We saw huge herds of elk just wandering around town.

Mammoth Hot Springs is a very unique feature in the park. The geothermal feature is just up the hill from downtown so you can easily walk between the two. The best features to see in this area are Minerva Terrace, Liberty Cap, and Canary Spring. The features here have been forming over thousands of years as water has deposited calcium carbonate.

11. The Old Faithful Inn

The Old Faithful Inn is one of the lodging options available in the park. Even if you aren’t staying at the lodge, it is fun to step inside to see the beautiful log building. It is the largest log structure in the world.

The Inn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There is a small gift shop and restaurant inside. You can also go on a free tour of the lodge. If you are hungry, you can grab some food at the Bear Pit Lounge.

12. Yellowstone Lake

Yellowstone Lake isn’t a place you want to plan on swimming and playing at because of the very cold water temperatures but it is very pretty and a great activity in Yellowstone! It is frozen for six months of the year.

If you want to spend more time than stopping by for a picnic at the beach, you can go on a boat tour, go fishing, or kayaking. If you do want to do some kayaking, you can book a kayak day paddle on Yellowstone Lake here.

There are lots of hiking trails around the lake. One of the most popular is Storm Point. This is a beautiful hike and a great activity for kids because it is pretty easy.

13. West Thumb Geyser Basin

If you are down by Yellowstone Lake or entering the park through the South Entrance, be sure to check out the West Thumb Geyser Basin. It is on the west side of the lake. It is one of the smallest geothermal areas in the park but is so pretty!

There is a short half-mile stroller-friendly trail that will take you through a bunch of the thermal features in the area. The Abyss Pool is a neat one to see!

There are also some pretty hiking trails in the area like Duck Lake and Lake Overlook.

14. Mount Washburn

• Length: 5.4 miles
• Elevation Gain: 1,490 feet
• Route Type: Out & Back
• Difficulty: Moderate

Mount Washburn is one of the highest points in Yellowstone at 10,200 feet and is one of the most popular day hikes in Yellowstone. The trailhead is at the top of Dunraven Pass on Grand Loop Road.

The shortest path to the top is from Chittenden Road. The trail has a gradual grade with no switchbacks. Along the trail, you will see wildflowers and bighorn sheep. Horses and cyclists are also able to use this gravel road trail.

At the top of Mount Washburn, there is a fire lookout with beautiful views of Yellowstone National Park.  It is also commonplace to see bighorn sheep and black bears.

The trail is usually open from June to September because of snow. It’s a good idea to bring a jacket when hiking to the top because there can be snow on the trail in the summer and it can be windy.

15. Norris Geyser Basin

If you’re wondering what to do at Yellowstone, Norris Geyser Basin is a must-see. We always stop at the Norris Geyser Basin because it is my favorite. It is the hottest and most interesting geyser basin to explore during your Yellowstone vacation.

There is a great 2-mile trail that guides you through the basin, but you can see a good part of it if you don’t want to hike that far.

Start at the Norris Museum and go from there. You can go as far as you would like. Our favorite part is the Porcelain Basin loop which is full of small geysers, bubbling geothermal features and turquoise hot springs.

This is another popular stop in the park so the parking area can fill up during the day. During our last visit to Yellowstone, we stopped around sunset and had no problems finding parking and it was a beautiful time to visit.

16. Boiling River

The Boiling River is a section of the Gardner River where a large hot springs enters making the water about bathtub temperature. This section of the river is about 2 miles north of Mammoth, just inside the park’s North Entrance.

Be sure to bring your water shoes and towel if you are planning on swimming. There are no lifeguards at the river so be careful. This is one of the best things to do in Yellowstone for kids.

The River is closed during the spring and early summer due to rising water levels. There are bathrooms near the parking lot where you can change.

17. Tower Fall

While you are up exploring Mammoth Hot Springs and the northern side of the park, hike Lamar Valley, be sure to stop by Tower Fall. This waterfall is about 132 feet tall and pours over unique rock columns. A painting of this waterfall played a critical role in establishing it as the first and oldest national park in 1872.

Erosion has made it so you can’t hike to the bottom of the falls but there is a nice overlook. The Tower Fall Overlook is where you can see the waterfall. Then you can continue on the trail for about ¾ of a mile to see where the waterfall feeds into the Yellowstone River.

18. Great Fountain Geyser

If you’re up for a little planning, you will be well rewarded at the Great Fountain Geyser. This geyser erupts once a day but lasts for about an hour.

You can find out when the Great Fountain Geyser will erupt next at the Visitor Center. Even with their best estimates, it is plus or minus a couple of hours so there is a four-hour window for it to erupt.

19.  Calcite Spring Overlook

Calcite Spring Overlook is a great stop if you’re looking for one of the unique things to do in Yellowstone. It is a quick and easy stop with magnificent views of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

There isn’t much of a hike to this beautiful view. Plan on spending about 30 minutes at this stop enjoying the views.

20. Mud Pots

Mud pots are found throughout the park. Most of the mud pots are found near the west entrance near West Yellowstone, Montana. You will know you have made it to one if it smells like rotten eggs. This is caused by hydrogen sulfide gas.

The best place to see the mud pots is found on a short loop past the Dragon’s Mouth and the Mud Volcano. These things are the real deal. In 1950, the Black Dragon’s Cauldron exploded ripping trees out by their roots and covering everything in mud. This trail is a 0.7-mile loop.

21. Gibbon Falls

As you are heading up to the Norris Geyser Basin, make a quick stop at Gibbon Fall. It is a beautiful waterfall on the side of the road. It is about an 84-foot waterfall but it is relatively wide. There is a quick walk from the waterfall to the viewing area.

Top Yellowstone National Park Tours

Rafting on the Yellowstone River: An exhilarating two-hour rafting trip down the beautiful Yellowstone River with beautiful scenery of Yellowstone National Park

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone Guided Hike: A highly recommended guided hiking trip through one of the prettiest parts of Yellowstone National Park

Guided Kayaking Tour on Yellowstone Lake: Escape the crowds and enjoy the beautiful nature found on Yellowstone Lake

Yellowstone Self Driving Audio Tour: Explore the park at your own pace with great stories and tips about the park

Yellowstone Tour Departing from Jackson, WY: Sit back and take in the views of Yellowstone while someone else does the driving and logistical work

Check Prices for Yellowstone Tours Here!

Map of Things to do in yellowstone

How to Use This Map: Click on the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest.

If you click the star next to the title of the map, this will be added to your Google Maps account. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps. Then click on the menu button, go to “Your Place” and click on Maps. You will see this map added to your list.

Where is Yellowstone National Park?

Yellowstone Park is in the northwest region of the United States. The majority of the 3,472 square miles of Yellowstone is in Wyoming but parts of the park go into Montana and Idaho. There are five entrances to the park – north, northeast, east, south, and west.

• South Entrance near Moran, Wyoming – entrance closest to Jackson Hole and the Tetons
• West Entrance in West Yellowstone, Montana – most popular entrance with lots of amenities nearby in West Yellowstone
• North Entrance in Gardiner, Montana – only entrance open year-round and the closest entrance to the airport in Bozeman
• Northeast Entrance in Cooke City, Montana – entrance closest to Lamar Valley
• East Entrance near Wapiti, Wyoming – closest entrance to the Cody, Wyoming airport

We usually use the west entrance which is just outside of West Yellowstone, Montana. If you are not staying in the park, West Yellowstone has grocery stores, restaurants, and lodging. It is also the entrance closest to many of the popular things to do in Yellowstone.

Quick Facts About Yellowstone

• Yellowstone National Park is the first national park in the United States as well as the world. It was created by President Grant in 1872.
• The park receives about 5 million visitors a year, making it the third most visited national park in the country. This makes it very crowded in the summer months.
• The park has the largest concentration of geothermal features on earth. It is a supervolcano, erupting about 635,000 years ago. The smoke and bubbles in the geothermal features are proof of the volcanic activity.

How to Get to Yellowstone

The closest airport is in West Yellowstone with flights from United and Delta. If you are looking for larger regional airports you can look at Jackson Hole (JAC) and Salt Lake City (SLC).

The best way to get to Yellowstone National Park is by car. There is no public transportation or shuttles in the park.

If you’re looking to camp, you can rent an RV through Outdoorsy or check prices for a rental car.

How many days do you need in Yellowstone?

If you want busy and long days in the park 3 days is enough time to see the highlights throughout the park and almost everything listed in this article.

If you want to go at a slower pace. go on more hikes and not be as busy, 5 days is a good amount of time to spend in the park. This will give you some downtime and enough days to see all of the activities in Yellowstone.

Yellowstone is a large park and between distance, traffic, and wildlife on the road, it can take a lot longer than you would think to get from one place to the other.

Yellowstone National Park Entrance Fees

There are five pay stations. One pay station at each of the entrances into Yellowstone National Park.

Private Vehicle: $35 per vehicle for 7 days
Hiking/Biking: $20 per person

You can get in for free with the America the Beautiful Pass!

If you are going to be visiting Teton National Park or up to Glacier National Park as well as Yellowstone, the America the Beautiful Pass is a great thing to utilize!

Tips for Yellowstone Safety

As always when in nature – be careful! Especially in Yellowstone. Remember the animals are wild and don’t try to get too close just to take a picture with them. Give them their space. People are killed every year because they try to get too close to the animals.

Also, stay on designated walkways and trails. The thermal features are very hot and dangerous. If you are traveling with pets or young kids pay extra close attention. Pets have been killed by accidentally jumping into the hot pots. They are very hot and pets are only allowed in developed areas such as parking lots, roads, and campgrounds. Please exercise caution when exploring the areas and always stay on a designated trail.

During our last visit to Yellowstone, we saw someone at Mammoth Hot Springs get off the boardwalk to take a picture. Not only is this extremely dangerous, but it also damages the geothermal features and is illigal.

How do you spend a day in Yellowstone?

If you only have a day to spend in Yellowstone, it is best to start with some planning. Yellowstone is a very large national park, and it is easy to spend all of your days driving. If you are able to start your day early, do it! It is a very popular national park and traffic can get backed up quickly! The morning is also one of the best times to see animals.

Here are the best things to do in Yellowstone in a day and the order to do them in. This is assuming you are entering and exiting the park from the west entrance. If you are driving through, you will want to modify this itinerary.

Must See Yellowstone Attractions

It is hard to come up with a list of what you should not miss in Yellowstone because the park is so diverse with so many fun things to do. If you are making a list of things you should not miss, here are some ideas to get you started:

• Grand Prismatic
• Morning Glory Pool
• Old Faithful
• Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
• Norris Geyser Basin
• Artist’s Paintpots Trail
• Gibbon Falls

What is the number one attraction in Yellowstone?

The most popular and number one attraction in Yellowstone is the Upper Geyser Basin. Here you can see a large number of thermal features close to each other, including Old Faithful. It is home to the largest concentration of hot springs in the world and contains about a quarter of all geysers in the world.

The thermal features have such bright colors here and are one of the best things to see in Yellowstone.

What activities are available at Yellowstone Park?

There are lots of great outdoor things to do in Yellowstone National Park. There are lots of attractions around the park to see like the Grand Prismatic and Old Faithful. If you are wanting to escape the crowds, there are lots of great physical activities like hiking, looking for wildlife, biking, fly fishing, and horseback riding.

Yellowstone Packing List

The weather in Yellowstone can change quickly and varies from one day to the next. One day we were wearing snow jackets and the next day we were in our t-shirts getting sunburned. It is a good idea to dress in layers and bring sun protection, especially during the summer.

Yellowstone National Park Packing List

Binoculars: There are so many opportunities to see wildlife in Yellowstone that having a good pair of compact binoculars is a must! It will give you an up-close view of the animals without getting too close. You can read more about our favorite binoculars for Yellowstone here.

Check Prices for Binoculars on Amazon Here!

Day Pack: Unless you are staying in the park, you will most likely be in the park all day. It is a good idea to have a good day pack to carry your gear and supplies with you into the park. This is also helpful if you are going to be doing any hiking activities at Yellowstone.

Check Prices for a Day Pack on Amazon Here!

Bear Spray: If you are just going to be visiting the hot spots and other major Yellowstone National Park attractions you most likely will not encounter a bear. If you are going to be doing any hiking it is a good idea to bring bear spray.

Check Prices for Bear Spray on Amazon Here!

Mosquito Repellent with Picaridin: If you are going to be in Yellowstone during June and July, mosquitos are especially prevalent near the lakes and streams. Make sure you bring a good mosquito repellent. From mid-March to mid-July, there are also ticks in grassy and low-elevation areas.

Check Prices for Mosquito Repellent on Amazon Here!

Sunscreen: The UV rays can be intense in the summer months. Remember to bring sunscreen and apply it every two hours as needed.  

Check Prices for Sunscreen on Amazon Here!

Yeti Backpack Cooler: The Yeti backpack cooler is one of our favorite pieces of travel gear. We use it everywhere and we even taken it on planes as a carry-on. It keeps our food for the day extremely cold and the cooler is very durable. It holds all the food our family of five needs for a day. Even on a hot day, it keeps our food cold.

Check Prices for the Yeti Cooler on Amazon Here!

Best Time to Visit Yellowstone National Park

If you are looking to avoid the infamous crowds in Yellowstone but still have good weather, we recommend visiting from late April to May or September through mid-October. There will not be many, if any, road closures due to snow and the crowds are not as large as during the summer. There are a lot of great activities in Yellowstone during this time.

The last time we visited was in mid-October. Overall, we had a great time. The weather was fairly unpredictable, and each day varied quite a bit but as long as you dress in layers you will be fine.

Summer is still a fun time to visit Yellowstone but expect much larger crowds.

The best time to visit Yellowstone to see wildlife is March and April for the bears. The winter is the best to see the wolves and bighorn sheep. During the summer months, you will see a plethora of bison, elk, and moose.

Read More: The Best Time to Visit Yellowstone National Park

Where to Stay in Yellowstone National Park

When planning your vacation to Yellowstone, you will find there are a number of lodging as well as camping accommodations. Availability in the park is limited and you need to make reservations well in advance. However, with some planning, it is totally doable.

Accommodations inside the park will be more expensive unless you are camping. However, staying in the park is so nice because it cuts out a lot of driving time. Staying in the park will make everything a lot closer which is a big deal in Yellowstone.

Staying Inside Yellowstone National Park

There are many places to stay within the park during your Yellowstone Park vacation. If you are looking for somewhere of historical significance, look into the Old Faithful Inn and Old Faithful Lodge Cabins. The Old Faithful Inn is arguably Yellowstone’s most iconic hotel.

If you want a contemporary Yellowstone hotel, consider the Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Grant Village.

Camping in Yellowstone

There are many options for camping in Yellowstone. Most campsites cost between $15 to $31 per night. There are 12 developed campgrounds with about 2,150 campsites.

Selecting a location will depend on the time of year you visit, the amenities you need, and whether you are using a tent or RV. You will need to make a reservation well in advance if you want to camp in the park. If you don’t camp in the park, there are lots of great RV parks near Yellowstone National Park.

Staying Near Yellowstone National Park

If everything in Yellowstone is full or you want to stay outside the park for more options there are two great choices. You can stay in West Yellowstone or Jackson, Wyoming.

West Yellowstone

West Yellowstone is just outside the west entrance but once you get into the park there is still a drive before you can see the top things to do in Yellowstone. This drive usually takes 20 or so minutes depending on traffic.

Here are some of the hotels in West Yellowstone to consider:

Elk Horn Cabins and Inn: Beautifully cared for cabins and Inn that are within 5 minutes of the West Entrance. It is close to the downtown attractions in West Yellowstone.

Holiday Inn West Yellowstone: After a day of hiking and touring the park, you can relax in the indoor pool and hot tub. There is also an on-site gym and restaurant. It is about 30 miles from Old Faithful.

Gray Wolf Inn & Suites: Located next to the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, this Inn is in the heart of West Yellowstone. It is just a few blocks away from the entrance to the park. There is complimentary breakfast as well as a heated pool, hot tub, and sauna.

Jackson, Wyoming

Jackson, Wyoming is about 1.25 hours away from Yellowstone. I would only recommend staying in Jackson if you are going to Yellowstone on a day trip. Otherwise, it is just a long drive.

More Yellowstone Resources

The Complete Guide: Yellowstone with Toddlers
What to Expect at Mesa Falls
Yellowstone National Park RV Length Restrictions

Pin for Later –