The Ultimate First Timer’s Guide to Yellowstone National Park

First Timer's Guide, US National Parks

The Ultimate First Timer’s Guide to Yellowstone National Park

October 16, 2022

The vast array of geysers, hot springs, steamvents and mudpots that form a fantastic landscape of wonders led to the creation of Yellowstone as the world’s first National Park. With a sheer size of 2.2 million acres, Yellowstone National Park is the largest National Park in the contiguous United States and is home to over 10,000 geothermal features, extraordinary volcanic landscapes, and numerous wild animal species.

From geysers that erupt unexpectedly, to colorful hot springs that sit along the wooden boardwalk, to hidden waterfalls that drop from mountain tops, to wild bison and elk that occasionally share the road with you, Yellowstone never fails to delight any avid traveler.

Yellowstone National Park attracts millions of visitors every year and is one of the Top 10 most visited National Parks in the United States. A trip to Yellowstone is a unique experience that you cannot get anywhere else. It should definitely be on your bucket list.

If this is your first time visiting Yellowstone, below is the information you need to prepare for your trip and have the best experience.

When is the best time to visit Yellowstone National Park?

From late June to early October is the best time to visit Yellowstone National Park. Weather is hospitable, and roads are open without snow covering them.

July and August have warm weather and are the driest time of the year. However, summer months are also the busiest time. You might spend a lot of time waiting for parking spots, restaurants, and traffic.

September to early October is a wonderful time to visit Yellowstone. The weather is still warm, though a little wetter than summer, but you can avoid the crowds. In late September, as temperature is cooler and air is crisper, Yellowstone will dress up with a brilliant fall color.

How to Get to Yellowstone National Park?

Yellowstone is located in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, but the majority of the park is in Wyoming. If you are flying to Yellowstone from most cities in the United States or internationally, the three most convenient airports you can fly into are:

Jackson Hole Airport, Wyoming

Jackson Hole Airport is 45 miles away or a 1-hour drive from the South Entrance of Yellowstone. As many travelers usually visit Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park in one trip, flying in Jackson Hole Airport is very convenient.

Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah

Salt Lake City International Airport is 325 miles from the South Entrance of Yellowstone. It is an international airport and serves as an international transport hub as well. For international travelers, you may find a lot of more options flying into Salt Lake City Airport. For adventurers who plan to visit Zion National Park on the same trip, flying into Salt Lake City Airport is a very convenient choice. For budget travelers, flight tickets going to Salt Lake City are usually cheaper than to other airports.

Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, Montana

Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is an 88 mile, about 1 hour and 30-minute drive, to the North Entrance of Yellowstone. For tourists who visit Glacier National Park and Yellowstone together, flying into Montana is a great choice.

If you plan to fly domestically, other regional airports that you can check out are:

Yellowstone Airport: 3 miles, a 10 minute drive to the West Entrance of Yellowstone
Yellowstone Regional Airport: 55 miles, a 1 hour 15 minute drive to the East Entrance of Yellowstone
Idaho Falls Regional Airport: 110 miles, a 2 hour drive to the West Entrance of Yellowstone
Rapid City Regional Airport: 440 miles or a 7 hour 30 minute drive to the North Entrance of Yellowstone

How many days do you need to visit Yellowstone?

Travelers usually spend 1-4 days in Yellowstone. In one day, you can visit some of the most popular attractions: Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. If you have more time, besides touring more geysers, hot springs, and basins, you can go hiking and wildlife watching. In general, 4 days will give you plenty of time to have the best experience, but if you plan to stay longer, I guarantee you can find more fun and unique things to enjoy.

Where to stay when you visit Yellowstone?

When choosing hotels for visiting Yellowstone, a few things you need to consider before you make a reservation are: how many days you plan to stay, what your itinerary looks like, and what your budget is. As Yellowstone National Park is massive, staying somewhere close to the attractions can save you a lot of hassle.

First, you need to decide whether to stay inside or outside of the park. Both choices have pros and cons. Staying within the park is very convenient to get to the attractions which is a huge advantage, especially during peak season. However, the lodging in the park is usually pricy, and you need to make reservations far ahead of time, usually 12 to 15 months before your visit.

If you only have one or two days to tour Yellowstone, staying inside the park is a great choice. For people who plan to stay in the park, Old Faithful area and Canyon Village are the two most convenient areas to find accommodation.

Camping is another option for staying in the park. There are a few campgrounds in the park, and you can reserve spots ahead of time (you also need to reserve a spot very early). You can find more information about campgrounds in Yellowstone on recreation.gov and nps.gov.

If you decide to stay outside the park, you will have more options to choose from. Yellowstone has five entrances connecting to the figure-eight Grand Loop Road. Theoretically, you can stay someplace close to any one of the five entrances. However, most attractions are concentrated on the west side of the loop and in the middle of eastern side of the loop.

West Yellowstone, which is close to West Entrance of Yellowstone, is the most popular location outside the park. You can easily find hotels, and there are plenty of restaurants and shops when you want to unwind after a whole day of touring. But there are other options that can be convenient to connect to your next destination.

Places to stay outside Yellowstone National Park:

West Yellowstone, Montana: a convenient distance from the West Entrance, and you can find some reasonably priced hotels
Cody, Wyoming: I would recommend staying in Cody only after you finish visiting Yellowstone. Cody is one hour and 10 minutes from the East Entrance, but for visiting Yellowstone you are still far away – an hour drive – from any major attractions.
Gardiner or Mammoth, Montana: less than 10 minutes from the North Entrance. When you plan to visit Yellowstone for multiple days, you can choose to stay in north around the time you plan to visit Mammoth Hot Springs area. If you plan to continue your road trip to Glacier National Park, staying in north Yellowstone can also save you some driving time.
Cooke City, Montana: less than 10 minutes from the Northeast Entrance. If you plan to drive the Beartooth Highway or visit Beartooth Mountain, you can stay in Cooke City after touring Yellowstone.

We stayed in West Yellowstone for four nights and in Cody for one night. Our original plan was to stay two nights in West Yellowstone and two nights in Gardiner, and from there we would travel to Glacier National Park. However, due to the unexpected closure of North Entrance this year, we had to change our plans, and, fortunately for us, it worked out fine.

We stayed at two hotels: Yellowstone Lodge and Crosswinds Inn. Both are in very convenient locations: walking distance to restaurants, stores, and gift shops in the downtown area of West Yellowstone.