Brilliant blues and greens of a hot spring ringed by oranges, yellows, reds, and browns.

National Park · ID, MT, WY

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone is the original — the world's first national park and still the strangest. Geysers, boiling mud, a supervolcano caldera, and the densest concentration of large wildlife in the lower 48, spread across 2.2 million acres straddling three states. It is also enormous, crowded in summer, and demands a real plan.

Best time to visit

Late May through early June, or September. July and August are peak chaos in the Old Faithful corridor — go in shoulder season for thermal steam in cold air, baby bison, and parking that exists.

How long you need

Four full days minimum. Two days if you treat it as a sampler and skip the Lamar Valley.

Don't miss

  • Grand Prismatic Spring from the Fairy Falls overlook trail (the boardwalk view is bad — the hill above it is the postcard)
  • Lamar Valley at dawn or dusk for wolves, bison herds, and bears
  • Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone from Artist Point
  • Norris Geyser Basin — weirder and less crowded than Old Faithful
  • A backcountry thermal area like Mystic Falls or Lone Star Geyser

What people get wrong

Treating Old Faithful as the main event. It's one geyser on a schedule. The real Yellowstone is the Lamar Valley wildlife corridor, the technicolor thermals at Grand Prismatic and Norris, and the canyon. Also: people consistently underestimate drive times between zones. It's two hours between major basins.

Entrance fees

  • Entrance - Private Vehicle

    Unlimited entry for one vehicle and all passengers for seven consecutive days, beginning on the day of purchase. Vehicles must be private, non-commercial, and with a seating capacity of 15 or less.

    $35.00

  • Entrance - Non-commercial Groups

    Non-commercial group (e.g. church groups, scouts) traveling in a vehicle with a capacity of 16 or more people. Cost is per person. Unlimited entry for one vehicle and all passengers for seven consecutive days, beginning on the day of purchase.

    $20.00

  • Entrance - Motorcycle

    Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers.

    $30.00

  • Entrance - Snowmobile

    Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 snowmobiles with up to 4 total passengers.

    $30.00

  • Entrance - Per Person

    Entry for visitors on foot, bicycle, ski, etc., when 16 years of age or older.

    $20.00

  • Commercial Entrance - Sedan

    A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. The cost is $25 + $20 per person. Pass is good for seven days as long as it's the same passenger group.

    $20.00

  • Commercial Entrance - Van

    Based upon the total capacity of a vehicle that can carry 7-15 passengers, regardless of the actual number of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. Pass is good for seven days as long as it's the same passenger group.

    $125.00

  • Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus

    Based upon the total capacity of a vehicle that can carry 16-25 passengers, regardless of the actual number of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. Pass is good for seven days as long as it's the same passenger group.

    $200.00

  • Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach

    Based upon the total capacity of a vehicle that can carry 26 or more passengers, regardless of the actual number of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. Pass is good for seven days as long as it's the same passenger group.

    $300.00

  • Nonresident

    Each non-US resident aged 16 and older visiting Yellowstone National Park must pay a $100 nonresident fee (in addition to the standard entrance fee), unless admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful Pass. This includes nonresidents entering as part of a commercial tour group, commercial use authorization (CUA) group, or concessioner tour group.

    $100.00

Operating hours

All Park Hours

Yellowstone is open daily, year-round, although activities and services are limited at night and certain times of year. The park has five entrance stations, but not all entrance stations are open year-round. Make sure to carefully read about access at each station at different times of year. And remember, all dates are weather-dependent. Please note that camping is possible only in designated campgrounds.

West Entrance

Adjacent to the town of West Yellowstone, Montana, the West Entrance is usually open (weather-dependent) to wheeled vehicles from the third Friday in April through early November, and to tracked-oversnow (snowmobiles and snowcoaches) vehicles from December 15 to March 15.

North Entrance

Near the gateway community of Gardiner, Montana, the North Entrance is the only park entrance open to wheeled vehicles all year. November through April, the North Entrance provides the only access to Cooke City, Montana. US Highway 212 east of Cooke City is closed to wheeled vehicles November through April. The road from Mammoth to Norris opens to wheeled vehicles the third Friday in April through early November, and to tracked-oversnow vehicles, conditions permitting, from December 15 to early March.

East Entrance

Depending on the weather and conditions, this entrance usually opens to wheeled vehicles the first Friday in May and to tracked-oversnow vehicles December 22 through March 15.

South Entrance

Open (weather-dependent) to wheeled vehicles from the second Friday in May through early November and to tracked-oversnow vehicles from December 15 to March 15. Limited services are available near the South Entrance.

Northeast Entrance

Near the gateway communities of Silver Gate and Cooke City, Montana, this entrance is open year around for wheeled vehicle access to Cooke City through Gardiner, Montana. US Highway 212 east of Cooke City is closed to wheeled vehicles November through April. Opening dates for roads east of Cooke City vary from year to year, depending on the weather. The Beartooth Highway is open from late May/early June (weather dependent) to mid October.

Campgrounds

FAQ

Do I need reservations to enter?
No — Yellowstone has no timed entry. But lodging inside the park books out 12+ months ahead, and campgrounds fill by 7am in summer.
Where should I stay?
Inside the park if you can: Old Faithful Inn, Lake Yellowstone Hotel, or Roosevelt Lodge. Outside, West Yellowstone is closest to geysers; Gardiner is closest to wildlife.
Is it safe to get close to bison?
No. Stay 25 yards from bison and elk, 100 yards from bears and wolves. People get gored here every year — it's almost always because they wanted a selfie.