Last Updated on: 9th December 2024, 10:33 am
Yellowstone will forever be known as the United States’ (and the world’s) first-ever National Park. Designated in 1872, it remains one of the country’s largest and most unique parks to this day. But it can be hard to keep track of all there is to do and see when planning a trip. This guide to the top things to do in Yellowstone, then, is the perfect place to start.
At over two million acres, Yellowstone has a bit of everything – geysers, wildlife, a large lake, and a scenic 20-mile canyon. The park is so massive, in fact, that it would take at least several days to see all the highlights listed below.
This list merely gives you an idea of what you should be sure not to miss during your trip. But if you’re wondering about logistics and how to fit everything together, be sure to check our detailed Yellowstone Itinerary for more info.
For information on where to stay in Yellowstone and current park fees, also be sure to check the end of the article.
Explore The Geyser Basins
Yellowstone National Park is home to no less than 10,000 thermal features. And it’s widely regarded as having the highest concentration of geysers and hot springs in the world!
Many of these features are concentrated in what are known as ‘geyser basins.’ And conveniently, they all have extensive boardwalks from which you can safely admire the action.
While Yellowstone has a lot of amazing attractions, it’s its geysers and hot springs that truly set it apart from any other park in the country.
Yellowstone’s colorful hot springs are the result of hot water beneath the earth that found its way to the surface. But when the subterranean ‘plumbing system’ gets complex, pressure can build, resulting in what we call geysers.
Some geysers seem to constantly sputter water, while others remain perfectly calm until the occasional violent eruption. It’s almost like they all have their own individual personalities and temperaments.
What’s more, is that different geysers and springs contain different mineral compositions, sometimes resulting in drastically different appearances.
Additionally, microorganisms that can mysteriously survive in these extreme temperatures are also the cause of the springs’ vibrant and colorful hues.
After geysers and hot springs, mud pots are another major hydrothermal feature of Yellowstone. They behave similarly to geysers, but instead of regular water, the liquid is highly acidic.
So acidic, in fact, that it causes the ground to dissolve into clay. But as this acidic clay is constantly wet, it appears as what could best be described as explosive mud!
While hydrothermal activity is prevalent throughout the park, the highest concentration of geysers can be found in the southwest. The Upper Geyser Basin, for example, is home to the iconic Old Faithful and countless other features.
Also nearby is the Middle Geyser Basin, known for the colorful Grand Prismatic, not to mention the Lower Geyser Basin and Biscuit Basin. You could easily spend a full day in this area alone.
Elsewhere in the park, meanwhile, don’t miss Mud Volcano, Norris Geyser Basin and West Thumb Geyser Basin, situated along the shores of Lake Yellowstone.
Yellowstone Geyser Tours
Most standard tours of Yellowstone include a stop at Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin. This highly-rated tour takes you to various parts of the park, such as Norris Geyser Basin, Upper Geyser Basin and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It also takes you through Hayden Valley, one of the best places for spotting wildlife.
This is a similar tour for those based in Jackson, while it also includes parts of Grand Teton National Park.
See Wildlife
Aside from its geysers, if there’s one thing Yellowstone is known for, it’s wildlife. Even without trying, you’ll inevitably have a few chance encounters while exploring the park.
But it’s well worth making the effort to tour areas where animals are known to congregate. And the two most well-known areas for wildlife watching are Hayden Valley and Lamar Valley.
While both are located in the eastern part of the park, Hayden Valley is the much more accessible of the two, as it’s just south of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
One of the most abundant animals at Yellowstone is the bison. In fact, bison have lived on these lands without interruption for thousands of years. But there was a brief period when they nearly went extinct.
Fortunately, thanks to conservation efforts, there are a little under 5,000 bison at Yellowstone today.
Just be sure to keep your distance. While they often appear docile, male bison can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and can run as fast as 30 mph! Needless to say, these are certainly not animals you should ever mess with.
Another common animal at Yellowstone is the elk. There are about 10,000-20,000 elk in Yellowstone in the summertime. And if you get the chance to look at one closely, you’ll see how their antlers appear as if they’re covered in velvet, which is actually a fuzzy coating of skin.
While the full list of species that live in Yellowstone is too long to include here, bears are another famous inhabitant of the park – both grizzly bears and black bears.
Grizzly bears are also known as brown bears, but they can sometimes be black, while black bears can be brown. The main way to tell them apart, then, is that grizzly bears have a distinct hump that’s a result of the strong shoulder muscles they need for digging.
If possible, try to arrange for a drive through Hayden Valley at sunrise at least once during your trip. Not only are you more likely to see wildlife at this time, but the mist over the river in the morning creates a spectacular dream-like landscape.
Yellowstone Wildlife Tours
While there don’t seem to be any dedicated tours to Hayden Valley, many of the standard day tours of the park do include Hayden Valley as one of the destinations.
If your time in the park is limited, this highly-rated 12-hour tour will take you to some of the park’s important highlights, including Hayden Valley, Old Faithful and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It departs from Jackson and Teton Village.
If you’re interested in Lamar Valley, consider this Safari Hiking Tour, which even includes binoculars and a scope.
Overlook The Grand Canyon of The Yellowstone
A visit to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone should be considered essential during your trip to the park. The 20-mile-long canyon consists of two large waterfalls: the Upper Falls and Lower Falls, along with various overlooks from which to view them.
The different viewpoints and hiking trails can be experienced from either the canyon’s North Rim or South Rim. As such, there are plenty of ways to experience the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
Depending on your schedule, you can just check out a couple of viewpoints or visit all of them over the course of several hours.
If you’re short on time, Artist Point and the Brink of the Lower Falls should be considered must-visits. After that, if you still have a bit more time, go see the North Rim’s Red Rock Point.
Geologists believe that the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone took shape around 12,000 years ago. That was around the end of the last Ice Age, and large dams formed by ice were beginning to melt.
It’s probable that once the dam weakened, a sudden torrent of water shot through and shaped the canyon in a short amount of time. And the Yellowstone River has been further shaping it ever since.
The canyon is largely comprised of rhyolite and tuff (hardened ash), and its yellowish hues are the result of rhyolite’s high iron content. Notably, the Minnetaree Indians named the river after the rock (‘Mi tse a-da-zi,’ or Yellowstone River).
Grand Canyon of The Yellowstone Tours
If you’d like to experience the various hiking trails along the canyon in the company of an experienced guide, consider this popular hiking tour.
Alternatively, many of the standard day tours of the park include visits to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. For example, this highly-rated 12-hour tour (also mentioned above) will take you to the Grand Canyon, Hayden Valley, and Old Faithful. It departs from Jackson and Teton Village.
Tour Yellowstone Lake
For those with several days in the park, exploring Yellowstone Lake is one of the top things to do in Yellowstone. The lake covers 136 square miles, and with 110 miles (180 km) of shoreline, there’s plenty to do and see nearby.
Just near the lake is a geyser basin known as West Thumb. While, as mentioned above, geyser basins can be found all throughout the park, it’s a unique experience to see so much hydrothermal activity along (and even within!) a huge lake.
Another interesting way to appreciate views of the lake is to hike the 3.6-mile Elephant Back Trail. While there are no dedicated overlooks along the trail and you’ll have to peak through the trees, the lake still looks incredible from above.
Another great way to experience Yellowstone Lake is to take a boat tour. Most tours typically depart from the Bridge Bay Marina. And throughout the journey, a guide will explain things like the geography and ecology of the lake in addition to the history of Yellowstone National Park as a whole.
You’ll also get to observe Lake Yellowstone Hotel, which has been welcoming guests since 1891. It was established by the Northern Pacific Railway in the early days of tourism to the western United States.
Other highlights, meanwhile, include Dot Island, which was once home to a zoo in the park’s early days.
Those looking for a flat and easy trail with excellent views of the lake should consider the Storm Point Trail, a 2.3-mile (3.7 km) loop.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, one of the most challenging hikes in the area is Avalanche Peak, which is said to offer breathtaking views of the lake from above.
Yellowstone Lake Tours
Typical Yellowstone Lake boat tours can be arranged through Xanterra’s website.
But there are still other options for those looking for a more unique experience. Fans of kayaking should consider this Yellowstone Lake Twilight Tour which even allows you to see the West Thumb Geyser Basin from the water!
If you’re looking for an earlier start, this 4-Hour Morning Kayak Tour also takes you past the geysers. It even includes lunch.
Walk Across Mammoth Hot Springs
No visitor to Yellowstone should miss the Mammoth Hot Springs, a unique set of travertine pools located in the northern part of the park.
Here, hot water rises up through the limestone located below the surface of the earth, transporting calcite with it. Eventually, the calcite hardens, turning into a rock called travertine.
As can be seen here and elsewhere throughout the world, travertine often takes on the shape of stepped terraces as the mineral-rich water continually flows and hardens.
Mammoth Hot Springs consists of two main areas: the Upper Terraces and the Lower Terraces. A majority of both areas can be explored on foot via a complex network of boardwalks.
But given how big the overall area is, you’ll want to park in at least two different spots over the course of your visit.
Despite how many photos you’ve seen of Mammoth Hot Springs, you never know quite what to expect. Certain features can look different from year to year – or even week to week!
While the entire area is worth exploring over the course of a couple of hours, highlights include the Mound Terrace, the Minerva Terrace and Palette Spring.
Also, just across from the travertine is the historic Fort Yellowstone, built by the US Army in the 19th century. It was part of their effort to drive out poachers from Yellowstone, which was a huge problem in the early days of the park.
Mammoth Hot Springs Tours
Most Yellowstone day tours focus on the Lower Loop in the southern half of the park. But this popular tour, departing from West Yellowstone, is an exception. Not only does it take you to Mammoth Hot Springs, but also to Lamar Valley for wildlife spotting, among other interesting locations.
Additional Info
At around 2.2 million acres, Yellowstone National Park is absolutely massive, and there are few cities or towns right by the park. And even if there were, you’d still want to change locations at least once to easily make it to all the main areas.
Rather than present an exhaustive list of all the different options and variables, I’ll explain what my travel companions and I did. In the end, I’m very pleased with the way the trip worked out. What follows is a brief summary, but you can learn more details in our comprehensive Yellowstone Itinerary.
Yellowstone should be explored over the course of three or four days. Assuming you can spend four nights in the region, for easy access to the top things to do in Yellowstone, it’s best to camp within the park and to do so at two different locations.
Not only will this save you money, it will also save you a lot of driving time. It also makes it possible to observe wildlife at dusk and dawn.
Note that driving in Yellowstone in the dark is not advised due to the lack of lighting and presence of large animals on the road. As such, you can count out staying in a nearby town and getting a head start by departing before sunrise.
Coming immediately from Grand Teton National Park, I entered Yellowstone via the South Entrance and headed straight for the Grant Village Campground. The next day, after exploring the geysers of southwest Yellowstone, I spent another night at the same campsite.
The following morning, we packed up our things and explored Yellowstone Lake and nearby areas. That night was spent at the Canyon Village Campground, located in the east part of the park where the two main loop roads intersect.
Again, we spent two nights in total at the same campground, allowing easy access to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It was also within reasonable driving distance of Mammoth Hot Springs on the final day. (We’d then head north into Montana).
Yellowstone’s campgrounds are run by the Xanterra Corporation, and you can make reservations at this link.
Both campgrounds I stayed at had shower areas, though they unfortunately weren’t within walking distance of the campsite. There were plenty of bathrooms in the main camping areas, however.
Note that you can also find proper hotels/lodges at both Grant Village and Canyon Village. But not only can they get very pricey, you’d have to book many months in advance to secure a spot. On that note, even camping sites should be booked several months ahead of time.
At the time of writing, Yellowstone costs $35 to enter (learn more here).
If you’re visiting from abroad, note that in contrast to many other countries, US parks typically charge per vehicle rather than per person. However, if you’re traveling by bicycle instead, they’ll charge you for an individual pass which costs $20, while those on motorcycles will be charged $30.
Considering how many National Parks and National Monuments there are to see in the Southwest alone, the best option for most will be to buy an ‘America the Beautiful’ Annual National Parks Pass.
These cost $80 for the year. In most cases, you’re already saving money by just visiting four National Parks/Monuments anywhere in the country within a full year.
What’s more, is that only one person in your vehicle needs to have the pass. Additionally, seniors can buy the pass for just $20. So if you have someone over 62 in your party, just have them get the annual pass and everyone else will be set.
As for where to get the pass, you can purchase it in person at most National Parks or Monuments. But you can also order it in advance online.
Fortunately, a park pass/entry ticket is all you need to visit Yellowstone right now, as the park has not implemented any permit or timed entry systems like other popular parks have.