Yellowstone National Park Travel Guide

Written: 6/2/23
Brandon Renbaum

Table of Contents

Overview

My notion of Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding area was mostly influenced by TV, so I was eager to see what the area was really like. In some ways Montana and Yellowstone Park were exactly as I imagined, yet in other ways it was the polar opposite.

I will do my best to describe and guide you through this massive park so you can have a more streamlined and enjoyable experiece.

Navigating Yellowstone National Park

So the first thing you need to know about getting around this park is what entrance you want to arrive at. Most people will come through the North and West entrances as these are easily accessible from small towns like Gardiner (north) and West Yellowstone. This can have a great impact on your drive time and what you can see in one day. Like many people will tell you, this park is huge…it could take several hours to  travel from the north loop to the south loop given the amount of construction and traffic from bison you will surely encounter.

I came in through the north entrance, which I highly recommend because going through the town of Gardiner is like going back in time to the 1880’s where saloons and brothels were the norm. I believe you go through Paradise Valley getting to this location if you are coming from Bozeman. This area of the country is nothing short of spectacular. I have never enjoyed a drive to a park more than coming from Bozeman (southwest Montana) and arriving at the north west section of the park. 

If you are trying to reach all the touristy attractions like Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic, and Artists Point you might want to come in through the west entrance as you are closer to these high traffic areas. The park consists of a figure eight  with two big loops, which is highlighted in the map above. The lower loop is where most of the big geysers are located. 

Grand Prismatic is located in the Midway Geyser Basin, which is just north of Old Faithful on the south loop. Parking in the actual lot for this geyser will probably be a no go, so just park on the side of the road that leads into the the parking lot for Grand Prismatic. This is a high traffic area and one of the most photographed geysers in the park. The boardwalk features others geysers such as Excelsior and Turquoise Pool.

Key Attractions & Locations

• Artist Point (Grand Canyon of The Yellowstone): Canyon Village Area, southeast part of northern loop
• Old Faithful: west end of southern loop
• Mammoth Hot Springs: Northeast loop near army barracks and north entrance
• Yellowstone Lake: south eastern part of southern loop
• Old Faithful Lodge: right next to Old Faithful (southern loop, west side)
• Grand Prismatic: southern loop Mid Geyser basin area
• Hayden Valley: southern loop, north east end

Expect Delays:

I arrived at the park one week before Memorial Day in the spring of 2023. There was traffic in just about every loop I traveled. This was mostly due to widespread flooding from last year. Buffalo crossing are frequent and cause traffic to come to a complete standstill for up to 23 minutes in some cases. What happens in long traffic jams is that a park ranger will have to guide the buffalo off the road from the adjacent side. It’s basically like herding cows with a car.

This is a very big park and it can literally take hours to travel from one section to the next, so you will have to learn patience. I’m very bad in this regard as my patience runs thin pretty fast. You need to slow down and just take in the experience of Yellowstone rather than rush from one area to the next. This is not the type of park where you walk or hike everywhere. Some section of roads will be destroyed so having a four wheel drive vehicle is recommended.

How To Avoid Headaches In Yellowstone National Park

I believe the key to having an enjoyable experience in Yellowstone is to first start early. I wouldn’t be at any entrance later than 8am. You should know exactly what you want to see for the day so you can streamline the experience. I would say the west entrance is your best bet for hitting most of the iconic spots. Keep in mind this is a very busy entry point so get there early to avoid waiting in line.

Key Take Aways:

• Know which entrance you want to arrive at
• Start early: get to your entry point no later than 8am
• Have a map with you (rangers hand you one when you enter)
• Be Patient with wildlife, especially Buffalo crossing the road
• Be prepared to sit in your car for long periods of time as construction is everywhere in the park
• Bring some layers as mornings will be cold, but temps will rise fast as the day progresses – remember Yellowstone is in the mountains with an average elevation of 8,000 feet

Old Faithful

Old Faithful is surely on your list of sights to see as it is an icon of the park. However, this geyser may not be as amazing as you think. The eruption itself is not all that amazing and requires waiting up to an hour or more to see it erupt. I recommend you just hang out at The Old Faithful Lodge and walk around. This lodge is an architectual masterpiece and is full of history. You can usually catch a narrotor in the lobby who will discuss the history of the lodge to visitors. You can grab someting to eat upstairs and just hang out on one of the many wooden benches overlooking the main lobby.

Grand Prismatic Geyser

Grand Prismatic was perhaps my favorite geyser to witness. This geyser is huge, about 200-300 feet in diameter and 121 feet deep. You won’t really seee all the cool colors walking the boardwalk because it’s so big. You need to take to the air to really see how magnificent this spectacle is. The Yellowstone River runs through this area and makes for a very picturesque backdrop. 

Artist Point: Yellowstone National Park

So what you need to know about finding Artist Point is that it is very isolated compared to other main attractions in the park. It is located on the south east corner of the northern loop. Follow signs for Canyon Village and you will eventually find it. What I did was just enter the address on my GPS (44.7210° N, 110.4794° W). 

This is where you will find The Grand Canyon of The Yellowstone. You basically park your car about fifty feet from the overlook and walk up to the balcony which surrounds the canyon. The area is not that big and you take a couple of pictures, walk around the stone rim and head back to your car. I did see some hiking trails that went off into the mountains so perhaps you can explore the area in more detail. 

Artist Point: The Most Photographed Place in Yellowstone National Park

North Entrance Attractions

When you first enter the park from the north entrance you immediately start driving up a steep mountain road. This lasts for about twenty minutes until you reach the first main attractions. You will start to see the army barracks emerge coming into the park. Yellowstone was originally governed by the military because people didn’t respect the land or wildlife until the Park Service was created. 

Mammoth Hot Springs is the other main attraction worth checking out once you enter the park via the north entrance. This is a very long and complex boardwalk system that really takes at least an hour to navigate. Some of the most impressive geo-thermal activity is found in this area. 

Where to Stay

There are a couple of options when it comes to finding a place to stay near the park. People complain about all the driving that is required when visiting the park, yet I enjoyed every minute of my drives. If you want to stay in Gardiner, which is near the north entrance, places like Yellowstone Riverside Cottages and Park Hotel Yellowstone will be safe bets. These hotels generally charge somehwere in the ballpark of $215 a night to upwards of  $372 depending on the time of year. 

If you want to be near the west entrance you will want to stay in West Yellowstone. Places like Three Bear Lodge roughly run $239 a night and give you that rustic Montana feel you might be looking for. I stayed in Bozeman and enjoyed my morning drives through Paradise Valley and into the north entrance. The further away you are from the park, generally hotels become a little more wallet friendly. Don’t be afraid to stay several hours away from the park, this area of the country is meant to be seen from your car. 

Closing Thoughts

For many people Yellowstone National Park is a once in a lifetime trip. Afterall Theodore Roosevelt said every American should visit this park at least once in their lives. However, Yellowstone is just one awesome attraction in this magical area. I highly recommend visiting The Grand Tetons, which is roughly three and a half hours from Bozeman and about two and a half hours from Yellowstone depending on your location. All of these areas are magnificent and requires atleast a one day visit. 

I would plan your trip to Yellowstone National Park atleast six months in advance for the best housing options. Camping in the park will require atleast eight months of pre-planning as everyone wants to camp in the park. 

Visiting this part of the country requires you to slow down and take in the sights, so don’t be in a rush to get anywhere. Look at a map of the park and surrounding areas before heading out so you can navigate accordingly and save time.  Yellowstone National Park is the first national park and holds a rich history of how America came to be.