Visiting Yellowstone: A Complete Guide to What to See, Costs, and How Long to Stay

By Victoria Boissonade · ~9 min read · Data: National Park Service

Yellowstone is a nearly 3,500-square-mile volcanic plateau spread across three states, sitting above one of the largest magma chambers on the planet. People come for geysers sending steam skyward, hot springs in improbable colors, and wildlife that crosses the road without warning. The world's first national park, established in 1872, is still vast and takes time: plan on at least three full days to see the highlights without spending your whole trip behind the wheel.

Here's the big picture to sort out before you leave: where the park is, how to get in, what to see in each area, how long to plan for, and where to stay. Each question has its own detailed guide, so follow the links as you read.

Yellowstone at a Glance: Where the Park Is and How to Get There

The park occupies the northwest corner of Wyoming, which contains the vast majority of it. Another 3% extends into Montana and 1% into Idaho. You'll be in the mountains, more than 6,600 feet above sea level across much of the plateau, far from any major city.

Yellowstone has five entrances, and not all of them stay open to regular vehicles year-round. The West Entrance, next to the small town of West Yellowstone, Montana, is generally open to cars from the third Friday in April through early November. From December 15 through March 15, it is open only to tracked vehicles such as snowmobiles and snowcoaches. Dates vary each year with the weather and road conditions. In the shoulder season, one entrance may still be closed while another has already reopened. Always check the status of your entrance before setting out.

Which entrance you choose depends mainly on your arrival airport and regional itinerary. To compare the five entrances, the nearest airports, and winter access, see our complete guide to getting to Yellowstone. If you're planning a longer road trip, our itinerary ideas and regional guides can help you combine Yellowstone with Grand Teton and the Rocky Mountains.

Entrance Fees, Passes, and Reservations

The entrance fee is $35 per vehicle for seven days. Unlike some parks, Yellowstone doesn't require a timed entry reservation. For detailed fees, family passes, and money-saving tips, see our guide to national park fees and passes.

Reservations, Permits, and Rules to Follow

Reservations

During peak season, lodges and campgrounds fill up months in advance, so book as early as possible. You don't need a reservation to enter the park. For lodging details, see our Where to Stay, Hotels & Lodges, and Camping pages.

Permits

Day hikes don't require a permit. Any overnight stay in the backcountry, including camping outside official campgrounds, requires a Backcountry Use Permit. You can get one online through recreation.gov starting March 15 for the season, or directly from ranger offices inside the park.

Rules to Follow

Yellowstone's rules come with substantial fines and may lead to criminal prosecution:

• Wildlife distances: stay at least 80 feet from bison, elk, and deer, and at least 330 feet from grizzly bears and wolves. If an animal changes its behavior because of your presence, you're already too close.
• Thermal areas: always stay on marked boardwalks. Some springs reach temperatures above 194°F. Visitors have suffered severe, sometimes fatal, burns after leaving the boardwalks.
• Feeding animals: strictly prohibited. A bison or bear that becomes conditioned to human food eventually has to be euthanized.
• Drones: prohibited throughout the park.
• Pets: allowed in vehicles and on paved roads, but not on trails or in thermal areas.
• Collecting: rocks, plants, minerals, and natural objects may not be taken.

How to Get Around Yellowstone

You visit Yellowstone by car. Its roads form a large figure-eight loop connecting all the park's areas. Distances are long, drive times are unpredictable, and bison jams are part of the experience. Our Getting Around page covers distances between areas, the best order for visiting, and parking tips.

How Long Do You Need to Visit Yellowstone?

Plan on at least three full days to drive the loop and see the highlights without rushing. That gives you one day for the southwest geyser basins, one for the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the wildlife-filled valleys, and one for the north, including Mammoth and its terraces.

With four to five days, you can add hikes, sunrise visits in the valleys, and some breathing room for the weather. In two days, you'll see Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon, but you'll spend too much time in the car. Many visitors combine Yellowstone with Grand Teton just to the south. If you do, add two or three more days.

For a day-by-day plan tailored to the number of nights you're staying and your entrance, our Yellowstone itinerary guide offers ready-to-use schedules.

What to See and Do in Yellowstone

The visit naturally breaks down by geographic area. Each has its own character. Here's what not to miss in each one.

Yellowstone's Best Hikes

Beyond the boardwalks through the geothermal basins, Yellowstone has trails for every ability level: easy loops around lakes, climbs to canyon viewpoints, and wildlife-watching walks through the valleys. Hiking here requires two practical precautions: stay on marked trails because thermal-area ground can be unstable and water can be boiling, and carry bear spray on remote routes.

Distances, elevation gain, difficulty, and bear safety are all covered in our Yellowstone hiking guide.

Wildlife and Plants to Look For

Yellowstone is one of the few places in the United States where you can see bison, elk, bears including grizzlies and black bears, and sometimes wolves during the same trip. Wolves were reintroduced to the park in 1995, a return that rebalanced the entire ecosystem. Lamar Valley and Hayden Valley are the best wildlife-watching areas. Binoculars or a spotting scope are recommended.

For required distances, the best times of day, and species-specific spots, see our Wildlife page.

When to Visit Yellowstone

Summer, from June through August, remains the easiest season for visiting. All roads are open, the days are long, and high temperatures can climb above 70°F. But the weather can turn quickly. A thunderstorm can drop temperatures by about 20 degrees in a few minutes, and it can snow in any month of the year. In winter, lows regularly fall below 0°F, especially at night, and most of the park is accessible only by snowmobile or snowcoach.

The free advice: even in midsummer, bring a warm jacket and a waterproof windbreaker. We've seen the weather go from T-shirt to fleece in the same afternoon.

Our When to Visit page covers the month-by-month details, crowds, and snow on the mountain passes. Our Weather page has seasonal forecasts and temperatures.

Where to Stay in Yellowstone

There are two main approaches. Staying inside the park, at historic lodges or campgrounds, saves valuable time in the morning and around sunset, but these accommodations book up months in advance. Staying in gateway towns such as West Yellowstone, Gardiner, or Cody gives you more flexibility and options, at the cost of a daily drive.

For camping, the park operates several campgrounds. Some accept reservations, while others are first come, first served. If you're traveling by RV, check maximum vehicle lengths and sites with hookups before booking.

Around Yellowstone: Things to Do Nearby

Almost no one visits Yellowstone by itself. Just to the south, Grand Teton's sharp peaks rise above lakes less than an hour away by car. Combining the two parks is the region's classic itinerary. To the east, the town of Cody leans into its Wild West heritage. To the west, West Yellowstone concentrates services and activities. Farther out, the region opens onto the Rocky Mountains and other parks of the American West.

To build a well-planned route beyond the park, use our regional guides and road trip ideas.

Our Take: Is Yellowstone Worth the Trip?

Yes, absolutely, as long as you're willing to follow its rules. Yellowstone is vast, wild, and crowded in summer. You'll drive a lot, sometimes wait behind a herd, and let nature set the pace. In return, it offers a concentration of geothermal features and wildlife found nowhere else in quite the same combination. Our advice is to plan at least three days, book early, start early, and leave room for the unexpected. The park rewards patient visitors.

Before you leave, reread the Reservations, Permits, and Rules section earlier in this guide, including the wildlife distances, thermal ground, and altitude advice. If you're traveling with kids, our Family page sorts the areas and distances that work best for younger visitors.

Frequently Asked Questions