Yellowstone National Park continues to be a top location on many bucket lists around the globe. And with good reason! It is filled with geologic wonders, iconic wildlife, and so much more. As a geologist myself, I have been excited to explore this great national park for quite some time now. But once I entered the park, I was surprised by just how blown away I truly was by its beauty. However, I know what you’re thinking! Yellowstone’s reputation has been recently declining due to the crazy crowds and insane traffic congestion. I had those same thoughts before my trip as well! Don’t worry, before my trip, I researched what is worth seeing, how to avoid the crowds, and the best ways to truly see the park. I have put together all of my tips below to make sure you make the most out of your Yellowstone trip too!

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy for more information. 

An Introduction to Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park spans 3,472 square miles, through three different states (Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming). The park opened on March 1, 1872, and was the world’s first national park. Because the park is so large, it is split up into eight main areas: Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower-Roosevelt, Canyon Village, Fishing Bridge/Lake Village, West Thumb/Grant Village, Old Faithful, Madison, and Norris. Each of these eight areas features many different unique hikes, sites, visitor centers, and more (all listed below). 

The park is also located at higher elevations than most people are used to. The lowest point is 5,282 ft and the highest is 11,358 ft. Because of this, be sure to take it slow your first day or so!

Check out more Yellowstone National Park facts here!

Lodging and Camping

There are several different options for overnight stays. They have nine lodges and twelve campgrounds. These areas fill up quite quickly, so make sure to book your stay months in advance. They will open for availability 6 months in advance. We booked ours roughly 5 months prior to our trip and two of our top choice campgrounds were already booked solid. 

Check out Yellowstone National Park’s operating hours and seasons here! 

Lodging Options:

• Canyon Lodge & Cabins: Open mid-May to mid-October
• Grant Village: Open late May to late September
• Lake Lodge Cabins: Open mid-June to mid-September
• Lake Yellowstone Hotel & Cabins: Open mid-May to mid-October (Pictured below)
• Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabins: Hotel is open late April to early September and Cabins are open late April to mid-October and mid-December to early March
• Old Faithful Inn: Open early May to early October
• Old Faithful Lodge Cabins: Open mid-May to late September
• Old Faithful Snow Lodge & Cabins: Open late April to late October and mid-December to early March
• Roosevelt Lodge & Cabins: Open early June to early September

Campgrounds:

• Reservation Sites (visit HERE for reservations): 
  • Bridge Bay Campground: Located near Lake Village, open mid-May to mid-September, 432 sites
  • Canyon Campground: Located in Canyon Village, open late May to mid-September, 273 sites
  • Fishing Bridge RV Park: Located at Fishing Bridge, open mid-May to early September, 340 sites
  • Grant Village Campground: Located in Grant Village, open early June to mid-September, 430 sites
  • Madison Campground: Located in Madison, open late April to mid-October, 278 sties
• First-Come, First-Served:
  • Indian Creek Campground: Located in Mammoth, open early June to early September, 70 sites
  • Lewis Lake Campground: Located near Grant Village, open mid-June to early November, 85 sites
  • Mammoth Campground: Located in Mammoth, open year-round, 85 sites
  • Norris Campground: Located in Norris, open late May to late September, 111 sites
  • Pebble Creek Campground: Located near North-East Entrance, outside of Tower-Roosevelt, open mid-June to late September, 27 sites
  • Slough Creek Campground: Located in Tower-Roosevelt, open mid-June to early October, 16 sites
  • Tower Fall Campground: Located in Tower-Roosevelt, open late May to late September, 31 sites

Yellowstone National Park is the ultimate bucket list destination. Check out this ultimate guide to learn everything you need to know before visiting!Click To Tweet

Tips and What to Expect When Staying in Yellowstone

• Try to stay at a campground or hotel that is more centrally located to many of the areas such as Madison, Norris, Canyon Village, or Lake Village. This will drastically decrease your drive time each day and/or ensure you don’t need to switch locations every couple of days.
• Make reservations 5-6 months in advance, trust me!
• Not all campgrounds have showers. However, you can shower at other campgrounds. Double check if there are showers near your location before you book your stay.
• Even in the summer, temperatures can be below freezing. Make sure to pack appropriately, especially if you will be tent camping. Here is more information about the weather in Yellowstone.
• Various animals are well known for hanging around both inside of campgrounds and outside of hotels. Always be sure you pack your food in an animal-safe container (approved bear canisters are great for this!) and away from your sleeping area. Also, educate yourself in Yellowstone wildlife safety rules.
• The hotels will be incredibly busy in the mid-summer seasons, but the crowds here are not terrible! But come expecting to see a lot of guests.
• Likewise, the campgrounds are incredibly busy as well. However, the spacing of the campgrounds is actually quite comfortable.
• Firewood and ice can be purchased at nearly all general stores and campground check-in desks.
• You can also purchase gas at many different locations around Yellowstone as well, but keep track of your gas while adventuring.

Yellowstone Map

When you enter the park, you will receive a park map. HERE is a link to the official Yellowstone National Park map you can print beforehand to help you plan. This, of course, will be your life-line to all activity. 

Crowds and Traffic

Although many say that crowds in Yellowstone are a serious problem, we barely encountered any major issues. If you follow these tips (listed below), you will have an amazing time!

• Come expecting Disneyland-like crowds. Then, you will be pleasantly surprised. 😉
• If you can, visit Yellowstone National Park during the “off” season, or non-busy times. This is best done in the late spring or early autumn. 
• For car traffic, try to avoid the roads around 11:00 am and 3:00 pm. These are the peak times. For more information for car traffic and specific traffic areas, check out the Yellowstone National Park Traffic Study.
• Another quick trick for traffic is to do a U-turn! Pretty simple. If there is traffic due to animals in the roadway (where traffic is stopped), just do a quick U-turn and drive the opposite direction of the loop. Nearly no one does this! I have heard of many people who had one car stay behind the animals and one do a U-turn and the U-turned vehicle reached their destination first!
• Visit the most popular sites before 8:00 am or after 5:00 pm. The earlier or later (respectively), the better! We got up at or before 6:00 am each day, stopped in the afternoon, and went back in the evenings and were able to see the entire park with very little crowds. It was incredible!
• For most of the thermal areas, wait until it is warmer out. The cold temperatures will create steam over the entire area making almost nothing visible. This is the only time I would visit in the afternoon!

Related: Discover How to Create a Motivational Bucket List (+50 Ideas to Get You Started!)

Animal Safety

Before you travel to Yellowstone National Park, please educate yourself on animal safety (and common courtesy). First, all animals in Yellowstone are wild. None are trained (despite what some people seem to believe) and none are nice cartoon characters you can walk up to and pet. If you seem threatening to the animals, they will defend themselves. You must stand at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves and 25 yards away from all other animals (including bison, elk, deer, and pronghorn). Please follow these rules! I’ll be honest, I don’t think I saw one individual follow these rules. 

Furthermore, the National Park Service recommends that you carry bear spray while walking around the park. You can purchase this online for fairly cheap. Please read the instructions before going on any outdoor adventures!

Finally, I would like to add that if you stop on the side of the road to view wildlife, please pull onto the shoulder. Better yet, pull into the nearest parking lot or turn out and walk to where the wildlife is (but be far enough away for safety). Do not stop in the middle of the road! Furthermore, please do not pull onto any large areas of vegetation.

Get your bear spray here!

Yellowstone National Park Geology

As a geologist, I, of course, think the geology of the area is the most interesting. So, below I have outlined a few fun geologic facts you might want to know before heading out! I also tried to make them as simple, or non-sciencey as possible…

• Yellowstone National Park is located over a volcanic hotspot, or plume of hot magma that derives from the mantle (deep inside the earth). This is what causes volcanos on Hawaii!
• Because the park is located on top of a hotspot, this means it is sitting on an active volcano! Read more about that HERE.
• In fact, a large area of the park sits inside of one of the worlds largest calderas measuring to be about 45 x 34 miles (a caldera is, in the simplest of terms, a large volcanic crater, usually formed by a major eruption).
• As this giant volcano is still active, there are many different amazing geologic features we can see and feel in the environment today (think geysers, volcanically-derived earthquakes, hot springs…).
• There are five main types of hydrothermal features located in Yellowstone: hot springs, geysers, mudpots, fumaroles, and travertine terraces. Read more about them before you head out! 
• There are over 10,000 hydrothermal features within Yellowstone National Park. In fact, it contains the worlds largest concentration of hydrothermal features and the worlds largest concentration of geysers!
• Currently, Yellowstone makes up over half of the world’s active geysers (over 500!).
• In addition to volcanically related geology, there are also 290 waterfalls in the park, and 1,000-3,000 annual earthquakes (both volcanic and non-volcanic).

Read more about Yellowstone National Park geology here! 

What You Can’t Forget On Your Trip

Because everyone’s needs are unique and different, I won’t give you an entire list of things to pack. Instead, I have created a list of things you absolutely can not forget on your trip! Trust me!

• The Ten Hiking Essentials: 10 items you need to have with you at all times during any outdoor adventure
• Bear Spray
• Binoculars
• Approved Bear Canister (or similar, if camping…)
• BUG SPRAY
• A good camera
• Your own firewood (firewood at the campsites can be pricey)
• S’more ingredients… always a must!

Related: The Ten Hiking Essentials – What You Can’t Forget On Your Next Hike

Related: The Ultimate Road Trip Packing List

Park Itinerary

Yellowstone National Park cannot just be seen in one or two days. If you want to do it right, you should, at the very least, plan for 3 days. We were there for nearly 7 days and still didn’t see everything on our list. However, use the attractions I have listed below (in each park area) along with my full Yellowstone Itinerary to create your dream vacation!

Related: The Ultimate Yellowstone Itinerary – Everything That Is Worth Seeing!

What to See and Do In Yellowstone

As I’ve mentioned before, Yellowstone is broken down into eight sperate areas. Listing attractions by area an easy way to create a fun itinerary to explore the park. Each day, you could explore a different area or two! Let’s start with Old Faithful and work our way clockwise…

*Note, all sites that are italicized are stops you will not want to miss!

Old Faithful Area

Old Faithful is, hands down, the most popular spot in Yellowstone. However, if you are limited on time, make this area a priority! It is well worth your time. Try to see Upper Geyser Basin first, and wait to see Midway Geyser Basin when the weather warms up. This will ensure the steam from the hot spring subsides and clear visibility.

What to See:

• Upper Geyser Basin: The most popular and well-known geyser basin in Yellowstone.
  • Black Sand Basin: A quick stop on the side of the road, includes two large hot springs that are famous for their beautiful colors.
  • Geyser Hill and Upper Geyser Basin: Area surrounding Old Faithful which covers roughly one square mile and contains about 60% of the world’s geysers! You can take an online tour here. This easy hike is 4.5 miles long with 242 ft elevation gain (more information on this hike).
  • Old Faithful Geyser: The most popular geyser in the park, erupts roughly every 90 minutes. You can check out its live stream here. (Pictured below)
  • Old Faithful Inn: This famous hotel is a log-cabin-castle! You can take free tours, grab some food, and even watch Old Faithful erupt from the balcony!
  • Old Faithful Visitor Education Center: One of the greatest, yet most crowded visitor centers in the park. Learn about hydrothermal features and predicted eruption times of Old Faithful.
• Midway Geyser Basin: An incredibly popular area in the park, try to visit during the off times but when it is warm (late afternoon).
  • Biscuit Basin: A smaller geyser basin, another quick stop, between Old Faithful and Midway Geyser Basin.
  • Grand Prismatic Spring: Yellowstone’s largest hot spring (and most beautiful in my opinion!). It is 370 ft wide and incredibly colorful. You can park in the main parking lot to walk around the spring or hike up to the overlook hike at the Fairy Falls trailhead. The boardwalk trail is only 0.8 miles, 55 ft elevation gain, and easy and the overlook hike is 1.2 miles and moderate in difficulty. (Pictured above under “Crowds and Traffic”)
• Lower Geyser Basin: This is the most underrated stop in Yellowstone. We loved it here! You can see mudpots, geysers, hot springs, and can drive a small loop around other various features. Make sure you see the Great Fountain Geyser and Fountain Paint Pot.

Hikes in the Area:

• Fairy Falls/Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Hike: 4.9 miles, 219 ft elevation gain, out and back, easy hike. The overlook is only 0.6 miles up the trail. (Pictured above under “Crowds and Traffic”)
• Lone Star Geyser: 5.3 miles, 121 ft elevation gain, out and back, moderate hike. Eruptions are about every 3 hours and can get up to 45 feet high.
• Mallard Lake: 7.3 miles, 892 ft elevation gain, out and back, moderate hike. Features a small lake and very little crowds. Please bring bear spray!
• Mystic Falls Hike: 3.5 miles, 606 ft elevation gain, loop, and moderate climb to a beautiful viewpoint of the Old Faithful area.

Places to Stay:

• Lodges: Old Faithful Inn, Old Faithful Lodge Cabins, Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Cabins

Facilities and Services:

• Gas Station
• Restaurants
• General Store
• Recycling
• Picnic Area
• Medical Clinic

Read more about the Old Faithful Area here!

Madison Area

The Madison Area was my least favorite stop. If you’re limited on time, just skip this area. There is plenty more to see elsewhere!

What to See:

• Artists Paintpots: In my opinion, the most overrated site in Yellowstone. You can see better paint pots at West Thumb or Lower Geyser Basin. However, it is only a quick and easy one-mile loop trail. (Pictured below)
• Firehole Canyon Drive/Firehole Falls/Firehole Swimming Hole: This is a quick, one-way drive through a lovely canyon. Ends near a great swimming location just below the Firehole Falls.
• Gibbon Falls: An 84-foot waterfall that you can nearly see just from the road. A very quick and easy stop!
• Madison Information Station: A small national historic landmark. Great to stop in if you’re staying at a nearby campground. Also includes a bookstore.
• Madison River Fishing: This is a popular fly-fishing stream. Learn more about the Madison River here.
• Monument Geyser Basin: This is a steep, one-mile hike to a nearly dormant geyser. Not really worth the trip but I wanted to be complete on my list of things to do here…
• Terrace Springs: A short boardwalk through a small thermal area.

Hikes in the Area:

• Harlequin Lake: A short, easy, 1.0 mile out and back hike with 137 ft elevation gain.
• Purple Mountain: 6.5 miles, 2,129 ft elevation, out and back, moderate trail featuring views of the area.

Places to Stay:

• Campgrounds: Madison Campground

Services and Facilities:

• Picnic Areas
• Recycling

Read more about the Madison Area here! 

Norris Area

Norris is a great little area to explore. There are plenty of places to see! However, I wouldn’t waste an entire day in this area. Try to pair it with a larger nearby destination, such as Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful, or Canyon Village.

What to See:

• Museum of the National Park Ranger: Manned by retired park rangers. Learn about the history of the park ranger profession!
• Norris Geyser Basin Museum and Information Center: One of the park’s original museums and offers information on hydrothermal activity. Near the information center, there are two main areas to explore:
  • Back Basin: Home to Steamboat Geyer, the worlds largest geyser (300-400 ft tall during eruption). The trail is 1.7 miles, 95 ft elevation gain, looped, and easy.
  • Porcelain Basin: A smaller hydrothermal basin known for having very high acidity. This trail is 0.9 miles, 118 ft elevation gain, looped, and easy. (Pictured below)
• Roaring Mountain: A mountain full of steam vents, known for its loud hissing sounds. Learn more about Roaring Mountain here.
• Virginia Cascade Drive: A short drive between Norris and Canyon Village that passes a large waterfall.

Places to Stay:

• Campgrounds: Norris Campground

Services and Facilities:

• Picnic Areas
• Recycling

Read more about the Norris Area here!

Mammoth Hot Springs

Another must-see location. Check out the lower terraces area and visitor center for sure!

What to See:

• Albright (Mammoth) Visitor Center: Contains park history exhibits, a bookstore, wildlife exhibits, and ranger program information.
• Heritage and Research Center: Located in Gardiner, Montana and serves as Yellowstone’s current archives, museum collection, research library and more.
• Historic Fort Yellowstone: You can complete a 30-minute self-guided tour of this historic village. It served as the first occupants home for the US Army in 1886. Now serves as housing for Yellowstone employees and administrative offices.
• Mammoth Lower Terraces: These cascading travertine terraces are completely worth your time! Be sure to get out and walk around all of the boardwalks. (Pictured below)
• Mammoth Upper Terrace Drive: This is a quick drive that is great to do right after you walk the boardwalks.
• Old Gardiner Road: A gravel road popular for bicyclists, known for great views of the Yellowstone River.

Hikes in the Area:

• Beaver Ponds Trail Hike: 5 mile, 350 ft elevation gain, loop, moderate trail featuring beaver ponds (I know, big surprise).
• Blacktail Deer Creek to Yellowstone River Hike: 7.4 mile, 1,246 ft elevation gain, out and back, moderate trail featuring a lake and views.
• Bunsen Peak Hike: 4.4 miles, 1,282 ft elevation gain, out and back, hard trail featuring sweeping views of the area.
• Lava Creek Trail: 8.3 miles, 1,164 ft elevation, out and back, moderate trail featuring Undine Falls.
• Osprey Falls Trail: 7.4 miles, 1,811 ft elevation, out and back, moderate trail featuring a waterfall.
• Rescue Creek Trail: 8 miles through to the other trailhead (or 16 miles out and back), 2,178 ft elevation, moderate trail featuring a lake.
• Sepulcher Mountain Trail: 11.2 miles, 3,517 ft elevation gain, loop, hard trail featuring hot springs.
• Wraith Falls Trail: 0.8 miles, 59 ft elevation gain, out and back, easy trail featuring a waterfall.

Places to Stay:

• Lodging: Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabins
• Campgrounds: Indian Creek Campground and Mammoth Campground

Services and Facilities:

• Gas Station
• General Store
• Restaurant
• Recycling
• Picnic Areas

Read more about Mammoth Hot Springs here!

Tower-Roosevelt Area

The Tower-Roosevelt area can actually be just a quick stop on your itinerary, if not be left out. The only one stop I would highly suggest is seeing Lamar Valley at twilight, gorgeous views with so much wildlife to be seen!

What to See:

• Blacktail Plateau Drive: This 6-mile scenic drive is a one-way road that is popular for spotting black bears.
• Lamar Buffalo Ranch: A small ranch located in Lamar Valley.
• Lamar Valley: A beautiful wildlife viewing area. You won’t even need to leave your vehicle to see everything! Popular animals here are wolves, grizzlies, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, mule deer, elk, and black bears. (Pictured below)
• Petrified Tree: The largest concentration of petrified trees in the world. It is a quick 2-mile hike with 16 ft elevation, out and back, easy.
• Roosevelt Lodge: A small historic district known for its various log cabins. A quick stop!
• Tower Falls: This is a 132-foot famous waterfall. It is a 0.9 miles hike with 295 ft elevation gain and is rated easy.

Hikes in the Area:

• Garnet Hill Trail: 8.7 miles, 754 ft elevation, loop, moderate trail featuring a river.
• Hellroaring Trail: 6.2 miles, out and back, easy to moderate trail featuring a plateau, a popular fishing area, and wildlife.
• Lost Lake Trail: 3.0 miles, 669 ft elevation, loop, moderate trail featuring a lake.
• Slough Creek Trail: 3.4 miles, out and back, easy to moderate trail featuring wildlife, a creek, and meadows.
• Specimen Ridge Trail: 3 miles, out and back, moderate trail featuring beautiful views.
• Trout Lake: 1.2 miles, 229 ft elevation, loop, easy trail featuring a lake.
• Yellowstone River Picnic Trail: 3.7 miles, 456 ft elevation, loop, easy trail featuring the Yellowstone River.

Places to Stay:

• Lodging: Roosevelt Lodge & Cabins
• Campgrounds: Pebble Creek Campground, Slough Creek Campground, and Tower Fall Campground

Services and Facilities:

• Gas Station
• General Store
• Restaurant
• Horseback Riding
• Recycling
• Picnic Areas

Read more about the Tower-Roosevelt Area here!

Canyon Village Area

Canyon Village is another must-see area. However, it does get quite busy in the afternoon! Be sure to check out the nice visitor center and Artist’s Point!

What to See:

• Artist’s Point: A quick stop and walk to a spectacular viewpoint of the lower falls and Yellowstone Grand Canyon. (Pictured below)
• Canyon Visitor Education Center: The visitor center for the Canyon Village area was by far my favorite. They have exhibits on the Yellowstone Hotspot, nearby wildlife, and other various geologic displays.
• Hayden Valley: A beautiful valley where wildlife watching and viewing is quite popular. You can easily just drive through this area and see dozens of bison at any given time.
• North Rim Drive: This is a nice scenic drive with plenty of pull-outs to view Yellowstone’s grand canyon. You can hike it as well!
• South Rim Drive: Another scenic drive, you will use this road to get to Artist’s Point.
• Uncle Tom’s Trail: This is a short and easy out and back trail that brings you up close and personal to the lower falls. It is 0.6 miles with 377 ft elevation gain.

Hikes in the Area:

• Cascade Lake Trail: 4.4 miles, 183 ft elevation gain, out and back, moderate trail featuring a lake.
• Grebe Lake Trail: 6.2 miles, 157 ft elevation, out and back, easy trail featuring a lake.
• Howard Eaton Trail: 21.4 miles, out and back, moderate trail. You can turn around at Cascade Lake (2.6 miles), Grebe Lake (4.5 miles), Wolf Lake (6.3 miles), or Ice Lake (10.7 miles).
• Mount Washburn: There are three main trails that will lead you up Mount Washburn. This hike features some of the best views in the entire park!
  • Chittenden Road: 5.6 miles, 1,482 ft elevation, out and back, moderate trail.
  • Dunraven Pass: 6.8 miles, 1,394 ft elevation, out and back, hard trail.
  • Spur Trail: 17.0 miles, 4,179 ft elevation, out and back, moderate trail.
• Observation Peak: 9.6 miles, 2,057 ft elevation, out and back, hard trail featuring views of the area.
• Ribbon Lake: 5.8 miles, 577 ft elevation, out and back, easy trail featuring a lake.
• Seven Mile Hole Trail: 9.7 miles, 2,043 ft elevation, out and back, hard trail featuring hot springs.

Places to Stay:

• Lodging: Canyon Lodge & Cabins
• Campgrounds: Canyon Campground

Services and Facilities:

• Gas Station
• General Store
• Restaurant
• Picnic Areas
• Horseback Riding
• Recycling Area

Read more about the Canyon Village Area here!

Fishing Bridge/Lake Village Area

The Fishing Bridge and Lake Village Area is a great place to fuel up, stock up on food, and check out Yellowstone Lake. It is not as crowded as the other areas in the park so it makes a great afternoon stop.

What to See:

• Fishing Bridge: A famous bridge you can both walk and drive over. However, fishing is no longer allowed but you can still see them jump in the water and there are informational signs at the parking lot.
• Fishing Bridge Museum and Visitor Center: This is a nice center near the lake, where you can learn about the different birds in the park.
• Mud Volcano: A quick stop near the road, where you can see the famous Mud Volcano and Sulphur Caldron, where numerous steam vents, mudpots, and other thermal features can be viewed. Be careful, bison like to walk around the footpaths in this area.
• Yellowstone Lake: Walk along the shores of the largest lake in Yellowstone.

 Hikes in the Area:

• Avalanche Peak Trail: 4.1 miles, 2,060 ft elevation, out and back, hard trail featuring great views of the area including Yellowstone Lake.
• Elephant Back Mountain: 3.6 miles, 793 ft elevation, loop, moderate trail featuring wildflowers and views of Yellowstone Lake.
• Natural Bridge: 2.9 miles, 127 ft elevation, out and back, moderate trail featuring a natural rock bridge.
• Pelican Creek Nature Trail: 0.7 miles, 16 ft elevation, loop, easy trail featuring a lake that is great for bird watching.
• Pelican Valley Trail: 6.2 miles, out and back, moderate trail that is incredibly popular for wildlife viewing. The trail goes as far back as 15.7 miles but you won’t need to go that far to see wildlife. Please bring bear spray!
• Storm Point Trail: 2.3 miles, 82 ft elevation, loop, easy trail featuring views of the lake.

Places to Stay:

• Lodging: Lake Yellowstone Hotel & Cabins and Lake Lodge Cabins
• Campgrounds: Bridge Bay Campground and Fishing Bridge RV Park

Services and Facilities:

• Laundry and Shower Facilities
• Gas Station
• General Stores
• Recycling Center
• Restaurants
• Picnic Areas
• Medical Clinic
• Boat Launch

 Read more about the Fishing Bridge area!

West Thumb/Grant Village Area

West Thumb is a great place to see nearly all of the hydrothermal features in one area. Another must-see!

What to See:

• Grant Village Visitor Center: This center focuses on the wildfires of Yellowstone and has a great informational video.
• Native American Hearth Sites: Learn about the early people who lived in Yellowstone along the shores of Yellowstone Lake.
• Shoshone Lake: This is the second largest lake in Yellowstone.
• West Thumb Geyser Basin: This is the largest geyser basin on the shores of Yellowstone Lake. You will find geysers, hot springs, mudpots, and steam vents here. You won’t find this great and diverse of a collection of hydrothermal features in all of Yellowstone.

Hikes in the Area:

• DeLacy Creek Trail: 5.8 miles, 275 ft elevation, out and back, moderate trail featuring a lake and frequent moose sightings.
• Duck Lake Trail: 0.8 miles, 154 ft elevation, out and back, moderate trail featuring a lake.
• Lewis River Channel/Dogshead Trail: 10.8 miles, 567 ft elevation, loop, moderate trail featuring a lake.
• Riddle Lake: 4.8 miles, 137 ft elevation, out and back, easy trail featuring a large meadow, small lake, the continental divide, and wildlife.
• Yellowstone Lake Overlook: 1.7 miles, 200 ft elevation, loop, moderate trail featuring a viewpoint of Yellowstone Lake.

Places to Stay:

• Lodging: Grant Village
• Campgrounds: Grant Village Campground and Lewis Lake Campground

Services and Facilities:

• Gas Station
• General Store
• Restaurant
• Boat Launch
• Recycling
• Picnic Areas

Read more about the West Thumb Area here! 

What’s Nearby?

There are so many great areas outside of Yellowstone to visit while you are in the area. If you can, try to add one or multiple great destinations to your itinerary.

• Grand Teton National Park
• Salt Lake City, Utah
• Jackson Hole, Wyoming
• Devil’s Tower National Monument
• Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Check out other US national parks here!

Resources to Check Out:

• Yellowstone Main Webpage
• Yellowstone Map
• Sample Itinerary
• The Hiking Ten Essentials: What to Pack on your Hike
• Yellowstone Safety Tips
• Grand Teton Main Webpage
• Vehicle Traffic Study Overview
• Published Findings of Traffic Study
• Tips to Avoid the Crowds

Well, is your brain full? I am sure it is,  I just threw a TON at you! Have fun on your Yellowstone adventure and I hope this was helpful, happy adventuring!

Looking for the best Yellowstone Itinerary around? Check out my ultimate 7-day Yellowstone Itinerary and what you can not miss on your trip!