You want to go to Yellowstone National Park for a couple of days but you aren’t sure how to plan a Yellowstone itinerary for that length of time. I know that it can seem daunting but you don’t have to worry since I have you covered.
This past summer my wife, Tonya, and I spent two action packed days in Yellowstone. This was my fifth time in the park and Tonya’s first. We saw and did many different things in those two days.
In this article, I am going to share with you what we did while we were in the park. I am also going to share different places to stay, places to fly into, as well as tips to help you make the most of your time in the park.
Following the Figure 8
Yellowstone is a huge national park with 2.2 million acres. You aren’t going to be able to see all that Yellowstone has to offer in just two days. My main objective was to make the most of our time and see as much as we could in the time we had in the park.
In the park, the Grand Loop Road and the Norris Canyon Road form a large figure 8. Most of the main attractions in Yellowstone are located on this figure 8. I planned our trip focusing on the sites on these two roads. It gave us the most bang for our buck while in the park.
Places to Stay
Since Yellowstone is so big, there are numerous cities and towns that you can stay in to enter one of the five entrances to the park. The following are some popular locations.
- West Yellowstone, MT– West Yellowstone is located right outside the west entrance of the park.
- Gardiner, MT– Gardiner is located right outside the north entrance of the park.
- Bozeman, MT– Bozeman is located about an hour and forty minutes from the north or west entrances.
- Jackson Hole, WY– Jackson Hole is located an hour and thirty minutes from the south entrance.
- Cody, WY– Cody is about an hour and a half from the east entrance.
- Silvergate/Cook City, WY– Both of these towns are located right outside of Northeast entrance.
Another popular option is staying inside of the park. There are 9 hotels (hotel and cabin style) that are located inside of Yellowstone. If you want to book a room inside of the park, you need to do so early.
If camping is more your thing, the park has 12 different campgrounds with more than 2,000 camp sites.
Where We Stayed
Going to Yellowstone was part of a larger trip that my wife and I were on for the summer. We went to Glacier National Park before we went to Yellowstone. You can see a 3 day itinerary and 10 hikes to do on my blog for Glacier.
We stayed in Belgrade, a suburb of Bozeman at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites the night before our first day in the park. We had credit card points which allowed us to stay for free. It was a 1.5 hour drive from our hotel to the North Entrance of the park.
The next night we stayed in West Yellowstone at the Holiday Inn on points again. The location was wonderful since it was just outside the west entrance of the park.
Places to Fly Into
If you are going to fly to Yellowstone, there are a number of different airports that you can select. The following airports are the best choices.
- North Entrance– Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is an hour and a half from the North Entrance.
- West Entrance– The best airports to fly into to enter the West Entrance include: Yellowstone Airport is 10 minutes away, Idaho Falls Regional Airport is 2.5 hours away and Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is 2 hours away.
- East Entrance– Yellowstone Regional Airport in Cody is an hour away from the East Entrance.
- South Entrance– Jackson Hole Airport is an hours drive to the South Entrance.
Helpful Tips
- The earlier you can get into the park the better. Crowds can be a real issue in certain areas of the park. Plus, bison jams are a real thing in the park.
- If you can visit a popular place early or late in the day, it can help you beat some of the crowds.
- We brought a collapsible cooler with us on the trip. We had lunch meat, bread and other snacks in it. It saved us money not having to buy food in the park and it saved us time.
- You want to make sure that you are all fueled up before going to the park. There are places to buy fuel in the park but it is going to be more pricey than outside of the park.
- Getting an America the Beautiful Pass can save you money if you plan on going to a few national parks, national monuments, or other sites that have fees in a given year.
- Bring a pair of binoculars with you for use in the park. There are times when they will come in handy.
- Doing some of the lesser popular things in the park can help you get away from the crowds. Plus, even the less popular things are still pretty cool to see,
Day 1 Route
The yellow is the route that we took on our first day in Yellowstone. We entered the park at 8:00 am through the North Entrance and we left the park just after 5:00 pm.
Day 1 Highlights
Roosevelt Arch
Mammoth Hot Springs
Wraith Falls
Blacktail Plateau Drive
Petrified Tree
Tower Falls
Mt. Washburn Hike
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
Lower Falls
Brink of Lower Falls
Lookout Point
Grand View
Inspiration Point
Canyon Village
Norris Geyser Basin and Museum
Roosevelt Arch
The Roosevelt Arch is located just outside the North Gate of the park. It is quite impressive and was built in 1903. It is worth a quick stop.
Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth Hot Springs is a very unique part of Yellowstone and is different from other areas. It is a 10 minute drive from the North Entrance to this area of the park. Mammoth Hot Springs has a lower and upper area that is connected by steps and boardwalks. The limestone layered terraces are pretty cool to see. Some of them are all white while others have a combination of numerous colors.
There is parking just below the hot springs, as well as 3 other lots as you head south on the Grand Loop Road. You can park in one area and walk everywhere. Another option is to park in different lots and walk to see some of the hot springs. The second strategy is dependent on how busy the area is when you are there.
Some other things in this area of the park to see include the Albright Visitor Center and Fort Yellowstone.
Wraith Falls
My wife and I didn’t want to do just all of the popular attractions in the park. We also wanted to do some lesser known things. Wraith Falls is one of those lesser known things. It is a 5-10 minute drive from the Mammoth Hot Springs to the small parking area for Wraith Falls.
The hike’s round trip distance is 1 mile in length. Most of the hike is through open fields. We crossed a small wooden bridge and then went up some steps to reach the falls. It is a nice little hike and wasn’t busy when we hiked it.
Blacktail Plateau Drive
Just over 5 minutes down the road from the Wraith Falls parking area is the one way dirt road Blacktail Plateau Drive. The road is 7 miles in length and travels through the woods and meadows of Blacktail Deer Plateau. The road reconnects back up with the Great Loop Road near the Petrified Tree.
It is a great road to travel if you are looking to get out of the traffic that you see in most of the park. We only saw 3 other cars while on the road. It took us around 20 minutes to drive the road. We were hoping to see some wildlife along the way but we had no luck.
Petrified Tree
The Petrified Tree is located a minute or two from the end of the Blacktail Plateau Drive. There is a quarter mile road that takes you back to the tree with a small parking area. Trailers and large vehicles aren’t allowed back to the parking area. There is a pullout area located at the start of the road leading back to the tree where trailers and large vehicles can park.
Once in the parking area, there is a short sidewalk that leads up to the tree. The tree was once a large redwood. It is something you don’t see everyday and worth a quick stop to enjoy.
Tower Fall
Tower Fall is a 5-10 minute drive from the Petrified Tree. The falls are located on Tower Creek and are 132 high. To see the falls, you pass the General Store and walk down the nice paved walkway 500 feet to the falls overlook. I am a sucker for waterfalls and it is well worth the stop.
If you are feeling a little more adventurous, you can take a short hike down to the creek. It is a pretty steep trail with numerous switchbacks. My wife and I didn’t do it but a friend and I did the hike the year before. The one disappointing part of the hike is that the views at the bottom aren’t that great.
Besides seeing Tower Fall, there is also a General Store at this stop. They have souvenirs, groceries, ice cream and apparel to purchase.
Mt. Washburn Hike
This particular location was a spur of the moment stop for us. We pulled into the nice sized parking area knowing we would figure out our plan once we parked. The trailhead for this hike was about a 15 minute drive from Tower Fall.
The trail at first has a gradual climb to it. We walked for about a third of a mile up the hill. There is a nice view of the valley below at this point. The whole hike is 6.4 miles round trip. We knew that we didn’t have the time for that length of hike. So, we took some pictures and headed back down to the car.
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone/Lower Falls
The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is my favorite part of the park. I love the look of the canyon with the Yellowstone River running through it along with the Lower and Upper Falls. The canyon is around 20 miles in length and ranges from 1,500 to 4,000 feet wide. It is also 800 to 1,200 feet deep. The Upper Falls is 109 feet high while the Lower Falls is a more impressive 308 feet high.
For day one, we concentrated on stops that had views of the Lower Falls. The best road to see views of the Lower Falls is the one way North Rim Road.
Brink of Lower Falls
After turning onto North Rim Road, it is a tenth of a mile to the parking area for the trails that lead to the Brink of Lower Falls and the Brink to Upper Falls. The two trails follow each other before they split off from one another.
The trail leading down to the Lower Falls is ⅜ of a mile one way with a drop of 600 feet. Tonya had knee replacement surgery eight weeks before our trip. She was able to do this hike. She was a beast. The trail has numerous switchbacks to help with the drop. There are also places to stop and sit down along the way.
The payoff is worth it once you get down to the overlook to the falls. It felt like we could touch them. We were so close that you can feel the true power of the falls as the water flows over the edge.
Lookout Point
Lookout Point is a half mile drive down the road from the Brink of Lower Falls. There is parking on the right side of the road and a pullout on the left side once you get to this area.
It is around 150 yards down to Lookout Point from the parking area. The path is paved with some steps leading down to the overlook. There are fantastic views of the falls and the canyon from this point.
If you want a closer vantage point, you can walk down to Red Rock Point. The trail is ⅜ of a mile long and kind of steep since it descends 500 feet. The trail also has numerous steps and is rough in areas. We didn’t go to this point since we did the Brink to Lower Falls.
Grand View
Two tenths of a mile from Lookout Point is the Grand View. It is a very short walk from the parking area to the overlook. You can’t see the falls from this vantage point because of some bends in the river.
Even though you can’t see the falls from the Grand View it is very much worth a stop. You have excellent views of the canyon along with the Yellowstone River running through it.
Inspiration Point
Inspiration Point is a little over a mile from Grand View. This is a very popular area so there is a nice sized parking lot. It is a short walk from the end of the parking area down to the 3 different viewing areas. The path leading down to the viewing areas is nicely paved.
You only get a slight view of the falls from Inspiration Point but you do get a great view of the canyon along with the Yellowstone River. I liked this viewpoint better than the Grand View. I liked the fact that you could see more of the canyon.
Canyon Village
We went to the Canyon Village to go to the education center. In the center, there is a bookstore, theater, gift shop, a help desk, restrooms, and a 3D model of the park. It was really nice. The Canyon Village also has a post office, sports store, restaurant, and a general store.
Norris Geyser Basin and Museum
The Norris Geyser Basin is one of the more popular geyser areas in Yellowstone. The two main areas in the basin are the Back Basin and Porcelain Basin. There are over 2 miles of boardwalk that you can walk to see the geysers.
It is a short walk from the parking area to get to the Norris Museum. The museum has an open air foyer that is different and I think is pretty cool looking. Tonya and I spent our time in the Porcelain Basin. Porcelain Basin is more open than the Back Basin area. It was a great last stop for the day.
You never know when you are going to see wildlife in Yellowstone. As we were driving to West Yellowstone, we stopped to see a couple elk that were grazing near the road.
Day 2 Route
The yellow is the route that we traveled on day two. We entered the park at 7:00 am through the West Entrance and left the park at 4:30 pm.
Day 2 Highlights
Firehole Falls
Fountain Paint Pot Trail
Firehole Lake Drive
Midway Geyser Basin
Black Sand Basin
Old Faithful
Grand Prismatic Overlook
Continental Divide
West Thumb Geyser Basin
Mud Volcano Area
Hayden Valley
Artist Point
Upper Falls View
Brink of Upper Falls
Firehole Falls
Firehole Falls is located on the 2 mile one way Firehole Canyon Drive which is right off the Grand Loop Road. Once you get to the 40 foot Firehole Falls, there is a small parking area. The nice thing about the falls is that you just have to cross the road to see them. I thought it was a nice waterfall and it was worth a stop.
During the summer months, there is an area on this road that you can pull off and take a dip in the water in a swimming hole.
Fountain Paint Pot Trail
The Fountain Paint Pot Trail is located in the Lower Geyser Basin right off of the Grand Loop Road. I like this area because along the .5 mile loop boardwalk you can see the four different hydrothermal features in the park, which are geysers, hot springs, mudpots, and fumaroles. There is a large parking lot at this location which makes it nice even during really busy times.
Firehole Lake Drive
A little over a mile south of Fountain Paint Pot Trail is the Firehole Lake Drive. This 3 mile one way road has numerous geysers and hot springs that you can view from the road. There is a boardwalk around Firehole Lake that you can walk around. This little drive was well worth a bit of our time.
Midway Geyser Basin
The Midway Geyser Basin is a very popular area in Yellowstone. It is home to the famous Grand Prismatic Spring, which is one of the largest hot springs in the world. You can also see the Excelsior Geyser, Opal Pool and Turquoise Pool at this location.
There is a .7 mile loop boardwalk that you can walk to see all the different features. If you go early in the day, many times you won’t be able to see the bodies of water very well because of the steam coming off of them.
The parking lot is not that big here. We didn’t have issues finding a parking spot since we were there early in the morning. The year before my friend and I had to wait a half an hour to get a parking spot since we were there later in the day. You can also park on the road and walk down to the basin when it is busy.
Black Sand Basin
Black Sand Basin is located a mile north of Old Faithful. In this area you can see the Emerald Pool, Rainbow Pool, Sunset Lake and Cliff Geyser. The Cliff Geyser is my favorite since it is located right on Iron Spring Creek and it erupts up to 40 feet in the air every few minutes.
Old Faithful
Old Faithful needs no introduction. The geyser erupts approximately every 90 minutes with eruptions reaching heights of 106 to 180 feet. Each eruption lasts from one to five minutes. There are benches all around the geyser on the boardwalk that you can sit down to watch the eruption. You can also go to the Old Faithful viewing area.
The Old Faithful area has a lot more going on then just Old Faithful. There are a number of hotels around Old Faithful with the most famous one being Old Faithful Inn. You can also find a really nice visitor center, eateries, a gas station, a post office and a medical clinic.
In this same area, there are many other geysers, springs and pools to see. It is very easy to walk the boardwalks to see the other features in this area. We did that while waiting for Old Faithful to erupt.
Grand Prismatic Overlook
This is the only thing that we backtracked on with the route we were taking. The overlook is just over 7 miles north of Old Faithful. We waited to do this hike later in the day so that the steam would be off of the Grand Prismatic.
This area can be really busy depending on what time of day you arrive. There is a small and large parking lot. You can also park on the side of the road which is what we did.
The hike to the overlook is 1.5 miles round trip. It is flat for the majority of it but the last part is uphill. You get great views of the Grand Prismatic once you get to the overlook. Expect to see a lot of people while you hike and at the overlook.
Continental Divide
The Continental Divide in Yellowstone has water on one side of the divide that flows to the Atlantic Ocean and on the other side of the divide to the Pacific Ocean. There are a couple of times that you cross the Continental Divide as you drive east on US-20. There is a sign with a small parking lot at the first place you cross the continental divide. We stopped to take a couple of pictures at the divide.
West Thumb Geyser Basin
What makes the West Thumb Geyser Basin unique from most of the other basins in the park is that it is located on Yellowstone Lake. From the parking lot, it’s a mile hike loop trail with much of it on the boardwalks to see the different geysers. The boardwalk has an upper area, as well as a lower area near the lake’s edge. I liked this stop since you had the lake as a nice backdrop with the different geysers.
Mud Volcano Area
If you want to smell some serious sulfur smells, then the Mud Volcano Area is the place for you. The boardwalk to see the different features is ⅔ of a mile long. It is a little less steep if you go in a clockwise motion on the boardwalk. My favorite feature at this stop was Dragon Mouth’s Spring.
Hayden Valley
The Hayden Valley is a nice open area in the park that is a great place to see bison, wolves, bears, moose, elk and many other animals. We saw a couple of herds of bison in this area. There also was a bison that was two cars in front of us that was looking into the car before moving out of the road.
Upper Falls View
The Upper Falls View is located off of South Rim Drive which is right off of the Grand Loop Road. It is a short tenth of a mile walk from the parking area to the viewpoint of the falls. The falls are smaller than the Lower Falls but nonetheless they are still impressive to see.
Artist Point
Artist Point is a little over a mile from Upper Falls View. At Artist Point, you get another great view of the Lower Falls. From the large parking lot, you will walk a tenth of a mile down a wide paved path to the overlook.
Brink of Upper Falls
It is a short .2 of a mile drive from the Grand Loop Road to the parking area for Brink of the Upper Falls. The trail from the parking lot down to the overlook has a gentle slope. It is also wide and paved. The total distance is only .3 of a mile round trip. Once on the overlook you get to experience the full power of the falls since you are so close.
After we left the Brink of the Upper Falls, we drove across Norris Canyon Road. Next, we drove up the west side of the park on the Grand Loop Road. We didn’t stop anywhere on this stretch of road leading up to the North Gate. There were a few different places we could have stopped to take a few pictures but we had a couple of long days and still had an hour and a half drive to Bozeman.
Final Thoughts
Tonya and I had a great time the two days that we were in the park. We never felt like we were rushed and we were able to see many different things throughout the park. From the Mammoth Hot Springs to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, we made many memories that will last a lifetime.
There were obviously things that we weren’t able to see. Lord willing when we get back to the park we can see those things. I hope that this itinerary gives you some direction on what you can do in the park.
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