A Beginner’s Guide to Yellowstone National Park

ByShannon K. Updated on

Yellowstone National Park is considered by many to also be the first national park in the world. This beginner’s guide provides information about of how to get to the park and the best things to do when you’re visiting. If you’re looking to extend your trip, check out my top five things to do in Grand Teton National Park.

Yellowstone National Park entrance sign with pine trees

How many days do you need in Yellowstone National Park?

Since Yellowstone is in the top ten largest National Parks in the United States, it is fair to say you could spend weeks at the park and still feel like you haven’t seen it all. Assuming you have your own rental car, I’d recommend at least 5 full days in the park.

This will give you enough time for a  few day hikes, enjoy dining in the park and of course explore all the natural beauty the park has to offer.

What is The Best Airport to Fly Into to Get to Yellowstone?

Unless you are a road warrior traveling across the country, the best way to get to Yellowstone National Park is via airplane. The park has a whopping five entrances that can be accessed from any of the three states (Wyoming, Montana and Idaho) it spans over. Here is a list of recommended airports:

  • Jackson Hole Airport – I’d recommend flying into Jackson Hole if you have a car that you can drive between both the Grand Teton and Yellowstone parks
  • Yellowstone Airport – the closest airport to any of the park entrances
  • Bozeman Yellowstone Airport – under two hours from the North entrance, this also offers one of the prettiest drives to and from the park 
  • Salt Lake City Airport – the airport furthest away from any of the park entrances but a great hub for multiple airlines
  • Cody Airport – probably the most remote airport  of all the options, Cody is worth a visit for a day or two if you are a fan of the Old West

Top Three Hikes to do in Yellowstone National Park

  • Hike to Mount Washburn for a morning hike
    • This trail has a watch tower that is still in use! Depending on the day, you can actually tour the tower. On a clear day, you can see the Teton range. 
  • Enjoy the colorful views on the Grand Prismatic hike
    • This trail is notorious for being crowded since it is very easy. If you’re going to do this hike, I would get to the park as early as possible OR time your hike when Old Faithful is close to erupting to avoid crowds.
  • Pretend you’re at the Grand Canyon while hiking to the South Rim 
    • The Artist Point is one of the most photographed spots in the park, which means the parking lot for this trailhead tends to fill up quickly.
Woman at the top of a peak with Mt.Washburn sign

Visit Old Faithful

Since the geyser was discovered, there have been over 1 million eruptions recorded. Before visiting the geyser, be sure to get online to check out the predicted eruption times for that day. 

Woman near sign for the Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park

Shan’s tip: determine which time you want to try and see Old Faithful and get to the space 90 minutes beforehand. This will give you plenty of time to park, grab a snack or bite to eat before finding a spot to watch the eruption. The visitor center near Old Faithful is fantastic and worth a visit before or after watching the geyser erupt.

Watch out for wildlife in the Lamar and Hayden Valleys

Yellowstone is home to one of the largest Bison herds in the world. I would recommend carving out 2-5 hours to drive through these valleys and enjoy the wildlife. Here are some things to keep in mind when exploring this part of the park. 

Bison walking through field in Yellowstone National park
  • Stay in your car!!
    • There will be plenty of photo opportunities when you’re driving through the park. The National Park Service (NPS) recommends staying at least 100 yards away from any wildlife. Don’t be that person walking towards a wild animal, it’s not cool. 
  • Don’t use your car to move an animal
    • When you are driving in the park, you are in the animal’s home. Therefore, if an animal is crossing the road, wait for them to move. It could be a few minutes or a few hours, but it is imperative that you let them move at their own pace. 
  • Be quiet and enjoy!
    • It sounds silly, but you’d be surprised to see how people react when seeing wild animals. Stay calm and quiet and enjoy watching the animals in their natural habitat.

Where to stay when visiting Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone offers plenty of lodging inside the park in addition to the lodging available in West Yellowstone (town outside of the west entrance). 

  • The park offers 12 campgrounds throughout the park. be sure to reserve your spot ahead of time. 
  • If you want to stay in the park at a hotel, I would encourage you to secure your reservation up to a year in advance here
  • The last time I went to Yellowstone, we stayed at an Airbnb in Island Park which  was lovely! 

Similar to the hotels in the park, the hotels in West Yellowstone do book quickly, so try and secure your reservation up to a year in advance

Final Thoughts

My recommendation for visiting Yellowstone is use my beginner’s guide to Yellowstone National Park and make a top five list of things you want to see and do and give yourself plenty of time to enjoy it all. The likelihood of you seeing wildlife during your visit is high. So be smart and kind when you see one of Mother Nature’s beautiful creations.

Bison budding heads in Yellowstone National Park

 Now it’s time to start planning your own adventure, Cheers!

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