Below is everything you'll need to start planning the trip of a lifetime.
This video has all of my insider tips on how to make the most of your Yellowstone trip.
Including sample itineraries, the most important things you need to know when planning a trip, and how to avoid common mistakes!
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Yellowstone has seasonal closures when access to the park is limited.
The road from Gardiner, MT to Mammoth Hot Springs and along the northern range to Cooke City, MT is open year-round. While the roads to the interior of the park i.e., Old Faithful and Canyon have seasonal closures in place.
I have provided examples below of the typical opening and closure dates...These are just examples — the actual dates vary slightly from year to year.
Be sure to check with the Park Service to confirm you can travel through the park during your desired dates.
Know where you are going to sleep before you get here. Many visitors just show up without a plan for where they will rest their head. But, hotels and campgrounds fill up fast in Yellowstone, with lodging inside of the park often filling up 6 months to a year in advance.
Pro-tip! Stay close to where you want to visit, or choose multiple basecamps to help lessen your travel time to major attractions during your stay.
The park is WAY bigger than you think; it’s impossible to see the whole park in a day, (and some will say even in a lifetime). There is so much to do in Yellowstone— wildlife watching, geyser gazing, hiking, biking, canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, or backcountry camping—it’s too easy to be tempted to pack it all in. Don’t do it! Some of your most memorable parts of the trip will be the little unexpected treasures you find along the way, so be sure to leave time for serendipity.
Pack your patience. The Grand Loop Road encompasses over 142 miles of winding and narrow roads. Long driving distances between each attraction, a slow speed limit, limited parking spaces and unexpected wildlife jams may slow your progress. Do not be fooled by Google Maps. The general rule of thumb is to double the driving miles to calculate your drive-time (20 miles = 40 minutes). So sit back and enjoy the ride.
Once you enter the park, cell service is often limited to developed areas, such as Mammoth Hot Springs, Canyon Village, Old Faithful, Grant Village, Lake Village, and Mount Washburn. Numerous users can strain the system so browsing is slow. Texting is often the most efficient means of communicating.
While it may seem old school, be sure to print a paper map, pick up one at a visitor center, or use the map given to you at the park entrance. They are very important for navigating the park when your phone doesn’t work.
Pro-tip! Load the Guide Along app and have a personal tour guide in your car at all times!
https://guidealong.com/album/yellowstone-grand-teton-audio-tour/
While most visitors come in the summer months, you can actually visit Yellowstone year-round. If you want to avoid the crowds (see #6) you might want to consider coming in another season.
Early spring is my favorite time of year in Yellowstone (Mid-May through early June), the park will be far less crowded, and if you can handle unpredictable weather, the spring babies will be arriving and the wildflowers will be pushing their way through the last of the winter snows.
But, if you really want to experience the quieter side of Yellowstone, consider coming to the park in the winter (mid December-early March).
With frost covered trees and plumes of steam coming off of the thermal areas, visiting Yellowstone in winter is like walking through a magical snow-globe!
Pro-tip! Don't forget to pack a pair of Yak Tracks or some type of ice cleats. The steam from the thermal features causes icy boardwalks in the winter.
No...really crowded. Most of Yellowstone’s over 4 million visits occur in the summer months. If you have to come in the summer, the keys to surviving the crowds are rise early, take hikes away from busy roadways, pack a picnic lunch, and take your time - don’t rush to get it all in.
Truthfully, you won’t be able to avoid Yellowstone’s summer crowds entirely. At some point in your day, you may have to wait for a parking spot at the major locations and you will likely encounter roadside wildlife causing a traffic jam. Just enjoy the ride!
Pro-tip! Hire a Guide. Our local Yellowstone experts will know how best to avoid the crowds and take you to some of the most amazing and off the beaten path locations!
Yellowstone rests on a high elevation plateau, which means that the weather can change quickly and drastically. Your days can be quite long and full of unexpected adventures, so you’ll need a few things with you each day to prepare you for Wonderland.
Prepare for all four seasons in a day. It can snow any month of the year here, even in July! You’ll need warm layers and rain gear. Pack your sunscreen, sunglasses and chapstick, no matter what time of year.
Pack your hiking boots or comfortable walking shoes. The best way to get away from the crowds and explore the secret side of the park is to go for a walk. You don’t need to go out and buy a brand new pair of boots, but bring something that is comfortable and can keep you dry.
You’ll need to carry bear spray. If you are going to hike in the park, don’t leave the car without it. If you are flying, you won’t be able to travel with bear spray, so you’ll need to purchase it in the park when you get here.
Bring a daypack. If you are going to walk the boardwalks or go for a hike, you’ll want to bring a day pack for carrying water, snacks, lunch, warm layers and rain gear. Look for one that has a waist strap or chest strap for carrying bear spray in an easily accessible location—carrying bear spray in a side pocket of a pack or a pants pocket is NOT recommended.
Don’t forget binoculars. Wildlife abounds in the park and many can be seen from the car, but to really experience this wild kingdom and do it safely, you will need a pair of binoculars. If you are really into the wildlife, you may also want to buy or rent a spotting scope to help you see those far-away animals up close in the safest way. You can even do a bit of stargazing with that spotting scope!
Hazards abound in the world’s first national park, requiring visitors have to take responsibility for their own safety. Don’t become a statistic! Be sure to read the park newspaper you get when you enter the park, and read and adhere to directions on all signs.
Here are a few specifics you’ll need to know to stay safe:
Yellowstone is a volcano. You will be traveling on top of the world’s largest active volcano. To stay safe and enjoy the thermal areas, you’ll want to stay on the boardwalks and trails at all times.
The wildlife are TRULY wild. The animals here are free-roaming and incredibly dangerous, even when they seem tame. The National Park Service asks that visitors maintain a minimum distance of 100 yards from bears or wolves and 25 yards from everything else. These rules protect both the animals and you.
Traffic is the biggest hazard to people and animals. Drive slow and use pullouts to let other cars pass so you may drive slower and enjoy the views without causing a potential hazard.
Remember that wildlife and people could be standing in the road just around the next bend.
If you are going to pull off the road, the Park Service asks that you have all four wheels off of the road.
Please plan ahead to avoid driving through the park at night, but if you do, take extra precautions.
Bison are nearly invisible in the dark, and even the locals avoid driving at night!
Be safe and have fun!
Throw away your check list! Stop rushing from place to place. Yellowstone has so much more to offer than a quick photo stop at Old Faithful. And above all, get off the roads. Less than one percent of visitors make it more than a mile from the road, so even a short stroll can land you a quieter Yellowstone.
If you're not that mobile, find a pullout with a beautiful view. Roll the windows down and sit quietly. You never know who may walk or fly by.
The park is so vast that anyone can find their own piece of wilderness, if you take the time to slow down.
P.S. Please be sure to take out what you bring in, or dispose of trash properly.
Why? There be bears out there!
Don't have time to do it all yourself and you just want someone to walk you through it?