5 Outstanding Days in Yellowstone National Park
Our 5 outstanding days in Yellowstone was done as part of a September trip that also included Jackson Hole, WY, Grand Teton National Park and Glacier National Park. For those interested in doing that full trip, I placed the itinerary at the bottom of the page. You should also read “5 Must Do Things in Jackson, WY and Grand Teton.” Our post about Glacier National Park can be found here. This post focuses on the Yellowstone portion of the trip.
Pre-park visit tips
Something to note is that having a rental car is a must even if only doing one park or area. Another tip is that you’ll need bear spray. Sometimes the hotels have a can they’ll let you borrow. We bought one for about $15. Lastly, there are plenty of places to stop for a picnic, so packing your lunch each day or buying a picnic box from your hotel or local deli is a great idea.
Most Importantly, be sure to download the GyPSy Guide App. It’s only $9.99 for just Yellowstone and $14.99 for both Yellowstone and Grand Teton. It’s the must have tool for your trip! It will give you all the must see sights and will also tell you what you can skip if you’re short on time. The map below will help you plan your course.
For free passes to the national parks, be sure to check out the US Park Pass webpage. I found out that U.S. citizens with a permanent disability, including military with disability rating (doesn’t have to be 100%) get a free lifetime pass. You must have documentation. Your VA letter or even showing them your rating on the VA profile page on your phone will work. Active-duty military, veterans and Gold Star Families can get a free annual pass by proof.
Lodging for the Yellowstone South Loop visit
After spending 3 nights in Jackson, WY, we drove to West Yellowstone, MT. It’s a quaint (somewhat touristy) little town just outside the West Entrance of Yellowstone. We stayed at the Three Bear Lodge, which was okay but don’t expect the Four Seasons. The hotel did have a breakfast included option which came in great as you could even get it to-go if you had an early morning.
First full day in the park
For our first day in the park, we opted for the to-go breakfast as the park can get crowded. Also, they will close entrances once they hit park capacity. It’s also better to go early so that you can see the sights with less people. Our first day we hit the Lower Geyser Basin (lots of bison to see), The Midway Geyser Basin (home to Grand Prismatic Spring) and the Upper Geyser Basin. Be sure to spend some time around the Grand Prismatic, and take the short 1.5 mile hike to the upper viewing area. This is where you’ll see the view you’re used to seeing in pictures.
After seeing Grand Prismatic, we did a 4-mile out and back hike to see Fairy Falls from there too. It’s worth it if you like hiking.
Second day in the park
The second full day in the park started with a stop to see Old Faithful. It’s amazing, and of course one you can’t miss. There is a countdown clock in the visitor’s center to let you know when the next eruption will be. Our second stop of the day took us to the West Thumb Geyser Basin. This was a cool area where you can kayak by the hot springs like Fishing Cone. Next, we stopped by Lake Village, which is a good place if you need a bathroom break or some snacks.
Third day in the park
Our third day was at the spectacular Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. What an amazing sight to behold. For more information on the canyon itself and things to do around the canyon, I suggest reading Earth Trekkers blog on it.
Fourth day in the park
On the fourth day in the park, we started on the northern loop. We stopped to see the Monument Geyser Basin, Norris Geyser Basin and Mammoth Hot Springs before driving to Gardiner, MT to check into the Yellowstone Gateway Inn. Each room is basically a 1- or 2-bedroom apartment with a full kitchen. It was also cool to see elk just hanging out in the parking lot! The town of Gardiner is a very cool little town and felt less touristy/more upscale than West Yellowstone.
Fifth day in the park
Our fifth day was a big one that started off early with a hike to the top of Bunsen Peak. Yes, it’s named after the Bunsen Burner guy from science class. The hike is only 2 miles, but it’s all uphill to the top. It’ll take you about 2-3 hours depending on how energetic you are. After a great hike and awesome views from the top, we had lunch at the Albright Visitor Center and headed to the Lamar Valley where we could see and hear the wolves playing in the distance.
The next day, we got up early and started our 6 hr. 30 min. drive to Glacier National Park.
For the full trip itinerary, see below:
Day 1- Arrive in Jackson, WY
Day 2- Hike Snow King
Day 3- Hike Grand Teton’s Jenny Lake and Teton Canyon
Day 4- Drive to town of West Yellowstone (West Entrance)
Day 5- Lower Geyser Basin, Midway Geyser Basin and Upper Geyser Basin
Day 6- West Thumb Geyser Basin, Lake Village, Fishing Bridge and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Day 7- Monument Geyser Basin, Norris Geyser Basin, Mammoth Hot Springs and drive to Gardiner, MT (North Entrance)
Day 8- Hike Bunsen Peak, lunch at Albright Visitor Center and Lamar Valley
Day 9- Drive to Glacier National Park (6hr. 30 min.)
Day 10- Glacier National Park
Day 11- Glacier National Park and Whitefish, MT
Day 12- Fly home from Kalispell, MT
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