17 Best Things to Do in Yellowstone with Kids + Essential Tips For Visiting [2024]

LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO IN YELLOWSTONE WITH KIDS?

You’re in the right place! We’ve been traveling with kids since 2015, and one of the vacations my kids talk about the most is Yellowstone National Park. They love talking about watching the geysers and all the wildlife we saw in the park. They are constantly planning our next trip back.

There are so many fun things to do in Yellowstone with kids, and we’re happy to share them with you here. We’ve also thrown in some helpful tips when preparing to visit Yellowstone to make your vacation go as smoothly as possible.

It is important to consider when the best time to visit Yellowstone is for your family based on vacation availability and weather. The best weather in the park is from May through early fall. Outside of these months, there is lots of precipitation and cold temperatures.

May through September is when most people visit the park, so you need to be prepared for crowds and traffic jams. However, you can help avoid the crowds by visiting popular attractions first thing in the early morning and later in the evening.  

 Wildlife Viewing in Yellowstone with Kids

My kids love seeing the different wildlife in the park. Yellowstone has more than 200 species of animals. We have seen bald eagles, bison, black bears, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, and more. Keep an eye out for wildlife – it is everywhere. 

As you are driving, always keep an eye out for wildlife, especially around the creeks and waterways. It is common to see elk, deer, and bison grazing. The city of Mammoth is a great place to see lots of large elk. 

Earlier in the morning and at dusk are the best time to see the animals besides the bison. We have had some of our best animal sightings as we are leaving the park for the day. 

Sometimes the animals are off in the distance so it’s a good idea to bring a good pair of binoculars. If you are bringing a camera, you will want to bring a zoom lens. 

1. Lamar Valley

One of the best places to see wildlife in the park in Lamar Valley. Lamar Valley is in the northeastern section of the park. It is off the main tourist route so it will most likely require a detour unless you are coming into the park from the North-East entrance. This detour means it is a lot less crowded which is a huge perk.

Here it is common to see large herds of bison, bears, deer, and coyotes. It is one of the best places in the United States to see bears and wolves. The wild animals are most active here during the mornings and at dusk, but it is great to visit anytime. 

2. Hayden Valley

Hayden Valley is another great place to see the wildlife in Yellowstone. It is a little closer to the other attractions in the park, but it will be congested with more traffic. It is between Yellowstone Falls and Yellowstone Lake. 

You will often find large herds of bison here. 

3. Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center 

One of the highlights of our last trip to Yellowstone National Park was the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center. It is a fantastic activity in Yellowstone for kids.

It is located in West Yellowstone and is a facility for grizzly bears and gray wolves who are no longer able to live in the wild. There are also other animals in the facility like river otters, raptors, and reptiles. 

There are great presentations and ranger talks throughout the day as well as an activity booklet kids can fill out to earn an animal badge. 

My kids also participated in the keeper program. They got to go into the bear habitat with the animal caretakers and hide food for the grizzly bears to find. We then got to watch the bears come in and find the food that they hid. They loved it and it was a great learning opportunity. 

Other Fun Things to do in Yellowstone with Kids 

Aside from seeing wildlife, there are lots of great hikes, waterfalls, and geothermal features to see. Yellowstone covers a large geographical area so it is a good idea to map out everything you want to see to minimize your driving time as much as possible. 

4. Old Faithful 

Old Faithful and the surrounding Upper Geyser Basin are always a hit for our family. This famous geyser and the Upper Geyser Basin is one place I would say you definitely shouldn’t miss. The geyser can reach a height of up to 135 feet.

Upon getting to the Old Faithful area, check what time the next predicted eruption time is if you haven’t already looked in the Yellowstone app. On average, it erupts every 90 minutes. If it isn’t for a while, you can spend time at the Visitor Center, grab a bite to eat at the lodge and visit the gift shop, explore the Upper Geyser Basin, or you can work on your Junior Ranger booklets. 

During the busier times of the years, the front row seats to watch Old Faithful Geyser erupt do start filling up 20-30 minutes before the eruption. You can still see it awesome sitting from anywhere, but you’ll need to be there early if you want to sit on the front row. 

Another fun option for watching Old Faithful erupt if you don’t want to share it with hundreds of other people is hiking up to the Observation Point. It is about a mile-long hike, but it is a bit of a harder hike. My six-year-old twins made it to the top but were pretty tired by the end. Make sure to leave plenty of time to make sure you don’t miss the eruption while you are hiking. 

5. Upper Geyser Basin 

The Upper Geyser Basin contains about 25% of the geysers in the world and it is such a family-friendly area. There are really nice boardwalks going through the area and is close to the amenities and facilities at Old Faithful. 

The Upper Geyser Basin Loop trail is a great way to explore this area. The entire loop is about four miles, but you can explore for as long as you’d like before turning around. This trail is stroller-friendly so if your kids can’t walk that far, make sure to bring your stroller. 

One of the best things to see on the Upper Geyser Basin Loop Trail is the Morning Glory Pool which is about 1.5 miles into the boardwalk. Some of the other notable features are Castle Geyser, Daisy Geyser, and Grotto Geyser. 

This is a great place to explore to get away from the crowds at Old Faithful. You will find the boardwalk trail to be pretty empty after walking about a half-mile from the Old Faithful area. 

6. Old Faithful Visitor Education Center 

The Visitor’s Center was a great place to enjoy some air conditioning and let our kids explore independently. 

If your kids enjoy participating in the Junior Ranger program, you can pick up your booklet here. There was a small charge for the booklet and badge here unlike the other national parks we have been to. It is a fancy patch which is why there is a $3 charge so make sure to bring some cash. 

The program has a bunch of really fun activities that teach kids about the history of the park,  as well as the plants and animals in the park.

You can also check the schedule for the free ranger-led programs offered by the national park service. 

In the Visitor’s Center, there are also some great educational exhibits about the interesting geology in Yellowstone and the massive caldera or supervolcano. This is why there are so many geysers and hot springs in the park. There are also some exhibits about the wildlife in the park. 

You can also rent bikes in this area to explore the road following the Upper Geyser Basin if you’d like to. 

7. Old Faithful Inn

If you are looking for a place to stay in the park, the Old Faithful Inn is a great place. You will need to make your reservations about a year in advance but it is well worth the planning. It is so fun to have Old Faithful and all of the geysers in the Upper Geyser Basin right out your door. 

Even if you don’t end up staying at the Old Faithful Inn, it is well worth a few minutes to explore inside. It is a beautiful log building. You can even watch Old Faithful erupt from the outdoor patio. You don’t need to be staying at the inn to use the outside terrace area. 

8. Grand Prismatic Spring 

One of our favorite geothermal features and the largest hot springs in Yellowstone is the Grand Prismatic Hot Spring. It is one of the most popular places to visit in the park and is one of the iconic pictures of the park that is used. 

Parking here can be tricky because this is such a popular stop. If you visit first thing in the morning or in the evening, you will have a better chance of finding a parking spot. There is overflow parking on the road but this can add up to a mile walk to the boardwalk area. 

Make sure to keep a close eye on kids because the boardwalk goes not have any sort of guardrails. 

Another great option for seeing the Grand Prismatic is hiking to the Grand Prismatic Overlook. It is my favorite view of the spring because you can see all of the colors and how big the spring is. It is over 330 feet in diameter. This overlook is accessible via the Fairy Falls Trail which is just down the road from the Midway Geyser Basin. 

The colors in the Grand Prismatic will be more vibrant on a warm and sunny day. If it is cooler, steam and clouds can block some of the colors. 

9. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone 

One of my personal favorite things to do in the park is visiting the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. It is a beautiful canyon with great hiking trails, waterfalls, and viewpoints. 

Your activities at the canyon will largely be based on the ages of your kids and how much you want to hike. If you don’t want to hike, there are some great viewpoints of some of the waterfalls and canyon close to the parking area. 

The canyon has two roads you can use to explore the area. South Rim Drive is an out and back drive with beautiful overlooks and hikes along the route. North Rim Drive is a one-way drive with more hikes and viewpoints. 

Two of the best viewpoints that are really easy to get to are Artist Point and Brink of the Upper Falls. The viewpoints are really close to the parking lot and most of the path is paved. 

If you are visiting the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone in the morning around 10 am, keep an eye out for the rainbow that appears at the Lower Falls. 

If you want to do more hiking at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Uncle Tom’s Trail is a fun hike. It is a 300-step staircase that goes down into the canyon for beautiful views of the Lower Falls. 

Hiking down into the canyon to Red Rock Point is another great hike for beautiful views of Lower Falls however this is a little farther away. 

Another great trail is down to the Brink of the Lower Falls Trail. This will take you right to the point where the waterfall starts. It is really cool to see. However, the trail here is very steep and has lots of switchbacks.  We hiked this on our last visit to Yellowstone and my six-year-old twins hiked it but we did have to take some breaks hiking out of the canyon. 

There is a fantastic guided tour that will take you down into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The guides are always so knowledgeable and have such amazing stories to share about this part of the park.

Check Prices for Canyon Hiking Tours Here!

10. Swim in the Boiling River

A great place to take a break from driving around the park is the Boiling River. This section of the river has a hot springs feeding into it making the water warm like a bath. It is the perfect temperature for swimming and relaxing. 

The Boiling River is about two miles north of Mammoth Hot Springs. You can easily combine a visit to the river with seeing the elk and geothermal features in Mammoth. 

Sometimes the Boiling River does shut down to swimmers because of water levels. During the spring run-off in May and early June, it can be closed. It is a good idea to check the current conditions before visiting. 

Just keep in mind that the river is not controlled so there can be strong currents and water temperatures can vary depending on where you are in the river. The closer you are to where the spring comes into the river, the warmer the water will be. 

11. Mammoth Hot Springs 

Although it is towards the northern section of the park, Mammoth Hot Springs is one of the great things to do in Yellowstone National Park for kids. We love getting to see the elk in town and the geothermal features at Mammoth are so different than the rest of the park. 

The Mammoth Hot Springs area isn’t overly large and there are really nice boardwalks that make it easy for young explorers to navigate. There are some stairs here, so you’ll want to leave the strollers in the car. 

Some of the most notable features at Mammoth Hot Springs are Canary Spring, Liberty Cap, and Minerva Terrace. 

12. Yellowstone Lake 

A great place to let your kids explore as a break from driving in the car and hot pots is Yellowstone Lake. While Yellowstone Lake isn’t a great place for swimming because it is so cold, it is fun to play on the shore. 

My kids loved exploring the shoreline and throwing rocks into Yellowstone Lake. It gave them a chance to stretch their legs and we had a nice picnic there. There are also some nice and easy hiking trails around the lake to enjoy.

If you are wanting to spend more time at the lake, you can kayak. A kayaking tour is a great activity for families wanting to explore the quiet nature in Yellowstone National Park. A great hike in this area is the Storm Point Trail.

There are no kayak rentals in the park so you will either need to bring your own or join the kayaking tour. 

Check Prices for Kayaking Tours Here!

If you want to go boating out on the lake, you can rent a boat at the Bridge Bay Marina. They do not accept boat reservations here and it is first-come-first-served

Sand Point is a great place to enjoy the lake. There are really nice picnic areas and a short walk through the forest to get to the beach. All garbage needs to be packed out. 

13. West Thumb Geyser Basin 

Another one of my favorite things to do in Yellowstone National Park with kids near Yellowstone Lake is to visit the West Thumb Geyser Basin. If you are coming in from the South Entrance, this will be your introduction to Yellowstone. 

This one is unique as it sits on the banks of Yellowstone Lake. There is a very nice one-mile boardwalk around the blue hot springs, making it easy to explore the West Thumb Geyser Basin. 

14. Enjoy the Drive Around Yellowstone with Kids

Yellowstone is so beautiful and one of the best ways to see all of the natural beauty and wonders along the scenic roads in Yellowstone.

The Grand Loop Road is about 140 miles and will take you by most of the things to do in Yellowstone with toddlers. You can make this drive in a day but you can easily spend more time depending on traffic and how many things you stop to see along the way. You can easily break the loop up to see it in multiple days. 

Here are some of our favorite and most scenic drives in the park: 

• Lamar Valley to the Northeast Entrance 
• Hayden Valley 
• Dunraven Pass and Mount Washburn 

15. White Water Rafting 

A great adventurous activity to do in Yellowstone with kids is a rafting trip down the Yellowstone River. The tours leave from Gardiner, near the North Entrance of the park. 

River guides will take you down the scenic Yellowstone River over rapids which is a ton of fun. We always have a great time when we go river rafting. You can also get out to swim in the calmer sections of the river. 

Check Prices for Rafting Trips Here! 

16. Norris Geyser Basin 

Another one of my personal favorites that we always include in our Yellowstone family vacation is the Norris Geyser Basin and Steamboat Geyser. It is a wide-open area so it is easy to look out and see all of the geothermal features. Trees cannot grow here because of the acidic soil. 

It is the hottest of the Yellowstone geyser basins and it is estimated that it has been active for over 100,000 years. The highlight of this area is the Steamboat Geyser. The geyser does not erupt very predictably but it is still worth visiting Norris Geyser Basin even if you don’t see the eruption. 

The Porcelain Basin is our favorite loop at this stop. It will take you through some beautiful blue and milky-white geothermal features. You can also go through the Back Basin portion which is where Steamboat Geyser is. 

Map of the Best Things to Do in Yellowstone with Kids 

17. Hikes in Yellowstone with Kids

No matter the hiking skill level of your family, you will find some beautiful hikes suitable for your family. There are so many great Yellowstone hikes with toddlers and kids covering about 900 miles of trails. Just remember to keep an eye out for wildlife and bring plenty of water. In the summer it can be warm, so it is a good idea to bring sunscreen and hats.

Here are some of the best family-friendly hikes in Yellowstone:

• Grand Prismatic Overlook
• Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace
• Upper Geyser Basin Trail
• Wraith Falls
• Trout Lake
• West Thumb Geyser Basin
• Undine Falls
• Geyser Hill Loop Trail
• Mystic Falls Trail
• Storm Point

There are bears in Yellowstone National Park so be cautious when you are hiking outside of the main tourist areas. It is a good idea to bring bear spray with you.

You should also make a lot of noise when you are hiking so you don’t scare a bear that isn’t expecting you. If your kids are anything like ours, they will naturally make enough noise that if there are bears in the area they will hear you.

Yellowstone with Toddlers

Yellowstone is one of the best national parks to travel to with toddlers. There is so much to see within walking distance of the car. You don’t have to pack your toddler in 5 miles to see an amazing waterfall or geothermal feature. Plus, so many things to see have great boardwalks and pathways that are stroller friendly!

We loved having the backpack carriers at some of the stops when we visited Yellowstone with toddlers. We didn’t have to worry about them falling into the geothermal features. They are also very nice to have if you do any hiking, especially down in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

 Strollers are also great to use on the boardwalks and around Old Faithful. Umbrella strollers work there just fine. We also tried the wagon approach and that worked as well. We did prefer the strollers though so we could strap the girls in and not worry about them getting out.

Yellowstone with young kids can be a great vacation as long as you are prepared with plenty of snacks and have a high level of flexibility.

Is Yellowstone child friendly?

Yellowstone is a very child-friendly vacation destination. There are plenty of things to do and see in the park as well as nearby in West Yellowstone. A lot of the highlights of the parks have stroller-friendly boardwalks and kids will love seeing all the wild animals in the park.

Best Time to Go to Yellowstone with Kids

The most popular time for families to visit Yellowstone is in the summer months, specifically July and August. Kids are out of school and this time of year has the best weather by far. However, this is when the park is the busiest. Accommodations can be expensive and hard to come by. There will also be long traffic lines and full parking lots.

If you have some flexibility in when you visit, you may consider visiting in early June or September after Labor Day. You will still have great weather most days, the animals will be out, and the crowds will be smaller. All the roads in the park should be open as well.

Read More: The Best Time to Visit Yellowstone National Park

How to Get to Yellowstone National Park

Flying Into Yellowstone

The two closest airports are the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport and the Yellowstone Airport. The Yellowstone Airport is very small and does not have a lot of flight options available.

The Bozeman airport is bigger than Yellowstone but is still pretty small. Bozeman is about 2 hours north of West Yellowstone.

If flights into Bozeman are very expensive or you do not like the connecting flight times, you can look at the Salt Lake International Airport. This is a very large airport and will have the most flight options and can potentially be the cheapest option. It is about 4.5 hours from West Yellowstone.

Check Yellowstone Flight Prices Here!

Getting Around Yellowstone National Park with Kids

There is not any public transportation in Yellowstone. The park is very very large so the best way to get around is with a rental car if you are flying. Having a rental car allows you to explore the park on your own schedule and gives you a ton of flexibility.

You may have some trouble with a rental car if you are flying into the West Yellowstone airport. There are some cars available but the selection is pretty small. The international airports in Salt Lake and Bozeman have a great selection of rental cars and if you book ahead of time, you should not have any troubles getting a car.

Check Rental Car Prices Here!

Things to Know Before Visiting Yellowstone with Kids & Important Tips

☑️ We packed our lunch each day and lots and lots of snacks! Pack those, and then add some more snacks! There are lots of places to stop and eat lunch and it gives everyone a break from the car. Snacks are also great to have in the car as you are driving. Bring a cooler to store cold drinks and food in. Store it somewhere that it is easily accessible.

☑️ Bring a way to capture your family memories! If you have a camera with a zoom lens, make sure to bring it! Looking back at pictures from our trip makes all the extra prep work worth it! Yellowstone is full of beautiful things to take pictures of. Don’t forget to take photos of your kids and toddlers too! 

☑️ Bring a lot of car activities for your kids. Driving in the park can be time-consuming. It is almost comparable to an all-day road trip with stops along the way. 

Read More: The Best Road Trip Activities for Kids

☑️ You will spend a lot of time driving and it can take a lot longer than you plan. Speed limits, single-lane roads, slow RVs, animal traffic jams, and scenic viewpoints all add time to the drive. Plus, Yellowstone is huge! Driving from point to point can take a while. It is not common for it to take an extra hour to get out of the park at night.

☑️ The West Yellowstone entrance can back up through town and can take a long time to get in. Typically, you want to avoid entering the park between 8 am and 10 am. During our last visit to Yellowstone, it was a holiday weekend and traffic was still backed up through town around 11 am. We went in to the park after lunch and didn’t have a wait to get in.  

☑️ There is little cell service in the park. Plan what you would like to see ahead of time. When you enter the park, you will be given a park map you can use to navigate. You can also download the Yellowstone National Park app ahead of time so you can use the maps offline. This is very helpful in navigating to trailheads and parking areas. It also has estimated geyser eruption times. 

☑️ If you are going into the park with multiple vehicles, you should bring some two-way radios to communicate because your phones won’t work. You can let the other vehicle know of wildlife sightings and where you want to stop. We always bring a pair of walkie-talkies and it is so helpful!

Check Prices for Two-Way Radios Here 

☑️ The weather in Yellowstone can change drastically change throughout the day. On the first day of our last trip to Yellowstone, we were bundled in winter coats. The next day, we were getting sunburnt in our t-shirts. High altitudes make it a lot easier to get sunburnt and there isn’t a lot of shade around the geysers. Make sure you pack clothes for all weather conditions and lots of sunscreen.

☑️ Try to avoid driving all day. If you cram too much into one day, the kids and toddlers will be tired of being in the car all day. Pack a lunch and have a picnic at one of the stops. Spend some extra time exploring Old Faithful. There are lots of spots in Yellowstone that you can use as longer stops to give everyone some time out of the car.

☑️ Keep a close eye (or hand) on little ones. The geyser basins and geothermal features have great boardwalks for you to use, but make sure to keep everyone on them. Yellowstone can be very dangerous off the designated pathways.

Where to Stay in Yellowstone with Kids

The most important thing to know about booking accommodations in Yellowstone is to book as early as you can! Lodging inside the park is available a year in advance and fills very quickly. Accommodations outside the park should be booked up to six months in advance if you are visiting during the summer. The earlier you book, the more options you will have. 

I would recommend staying in the park if you can. There are campgrounds as well as hotels and cabins you can reserve. These spots do fill up fast but will save you a ton of driving time if you can get a spot. If you do have the gear to camp, camping in Yellowstone with kids is a ton of fun and a very unique experience. 

It is good to know though that a lot of the accommodations inside the park do not have things that typical hotels have like Wi-Fi, outdoor activities, and swimming pools. If you do want some of these amenities and want to save some money, staying in West Yellowstone is still a great option. 

Canyon Lodge is the best place to stay if you are looking for a central location. If you cannot book a year in advance, check back daily for cancellations and you may be able to find an opening. 

Check Prices for Canyon Lodge Accomodations Here!

Staying Outside Yellowstone with Kids

If the accommodations in the park are full or it is too expensive, the next best place is in West Yellowstone near the West Entrance or Gardiner near the North Entrance. 

We have stayed in short-term rentals in West Yellowstone as well as the Lionshead RV Park and Campground. Lionshead was a great campground and had very nice facilities. There are also lots of great hotel options in West Yellowstone. If you do want to stay in a hotel in West Yellowstone, it is best to make those reservations four to six months ahead of time.

In most cases, we enjoy staying in VRBOs or short-term rentals over hotels. We usually have way more room for relaxing, we can cook food a lot easier in the full kitchens, and we like having multiple bedrooms. Some of the rentals in the area have extra amenities like community pools and hot tubs. Short-term rentals can also be cheaper if you have a large family or you are splitting the cost with another family.

Check Prices for a Short Term Rental in West Yellowstone Here
Check Prices for a Short Term Rental in Gardiner Here

If you are visiting during peak times, you will want to make your reservations early! Yellowstone is very popular during the summer.

How to Spend 3 Days in Yellowstone with Kids

We spent about three days in Yellowstone and West Yellowstone. Plan on spending about a half-day in West Yellowstone. There are yummy places to eat as well as great shopping. The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center is also in West Yellowstone.

On our first day in Yellowstone, we explored the northern half of the park. We entered the park through the West Entrance. At the first turnoff, we turned left and explored from there. We covered Gibbon Falls, Norris Geyser Basin, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Tower Fall, and Mammoth Hot Springs.  This will take you in a loop that leads back to the West Entrance. We saw the best wildlife in the northern part of the park.

On our second day, we explored the southern part of the park. This included the Mud Volcanoes, the Fishing Bridge, Yellowstone Lake, West Thumb, Old Faithful, Upper Geyser Basin, Fountain Paint Pots, and the Lower Geyser Basin.

Conclusion: Yellowstone with Kids

We hope you have found this guide helpful in planning a visit to Yellowstone with kids. It is such an amazing national park with so much to see and do. Our entire family loves when we visit Yellowstone. The area is so beautiful and we can’t recommend visiting enough.

If you have any questions about Yellowstone, please feel free to drop them in the comments below or you can always message us on Instagram.

More Yellowstone Resources

21 Best Activities in Yellowstone National Park
17 Best RV Parks Close to Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park RV Length Restrictions