See an Old Faithful eruption
Use the current prediction, then spend time on the Upper Geyser Basin boardwalks instead of leaving as soon as the eruption ends.
Explore the planning guide →
Destination guide · Yellowstone
NPS / Diane Renkin
Yellowstone National Park from West Yellowstone
Steam rising from a geyser basin, a canyon cut through yellow rock and bison spread across a valley: Yellowstone rewards a few well-chosen days. West Yellowstone gives you a town base outside the West Entrance, with hotels, restaurants and guided departures.
Give each part of Yellowstone its own time
For a first visit, give the western geyser areas one day and the canyon another. Add a separate wildlife day if you have three full days. A Lower Loop tour is a good introduction when you prefer a guide to manage the driving.
- Best for
- Geysers, canyon scenery & wildlife
- Plan for
- 2–3 full sightseeing days for a first overview
- Start here
- West Entrance, outside West Yellowstone
Make these stops count.
Choose your Grand Prismatic view
The ground-level boardwalk and elevated overlook use different approaches. Choose the walking experience before you pick a tour.
Explore the planning guide →Give wildlife time
Hayden Valley fits a canyon-and-lake route. Lamar Valley is a separate northern wildlife day from this base.
Explore the planning guide →Build the visit around regions
Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic belong to a western geothermal day. Canyon viewpoints and Hayden Valley make another useful pairing. Mammoth and Lamar sit farther north, while West Thumb adds thermal pools beside Yellowstone Lake. Choose two or three areas that matter most, rather than treating the whole park as a single day’s checklist. The entrance is the beginning of the drive, not the end of it.
Choose a guided overview or your own pace
A classic Lower Loop tour connects several major sights with short walks, meals and a guide. The active option adds more time on foot, including the Grand Prismatic overlook. Self-drive suits a slower day in one basin or a specific hike. Combine the two if you want an introduction first, followed by time at your favorite place. Check the selected route rather than assuming all Lower Loop tours stop everywhere.
Book a hotel for the mornings you want
Stay in West Yellowstone for town dinners, multiple hotel choices and local tour departures. Kelly Inn and Desert Inn offer breakfast; Explorer Cabins offers a kitchenette for your own start. If the trip revolves around several northern wildlife mornings, compare Gardiner or a split stay before booking every night here. Hotels in town remain outside the park, so admission and daily driving are separate.
Match the plan to the season
These sightseeing ideas use ordinary summer-style road access. Spring openings and fall closures happen by road segment, and weather can change a route. Winter visits from the West Entrance need a different transport plan, typically an authorized snowcoach or snowmobile outing to the interior. Settle that excursion before the hotel. Use the current road map and opening dates close to departure, especially when the trip includes another national park.
Guided option · GetYourGuide
See the highlights with a guide
A full-day introduction from West Yellowstone, not a visit to every region of the park.
Yellowstone highlights day tour
See Old Faithful, canyon waterfalls, Hayden Valley and Yellowstone Lake in one guided day. Short boardwalk stops, picnic lunch and town-hotel pickup make this the straightforward first-visit option.
- 9 hours · pickup around 7:30 AM
- Short walks, typically 15–30 minutes
- Light breakfast, picnic lunch & binoculars
- US-resident park admission included; other admission charges may apply
Your West Entrance base
Compare all six town hotels →
A town stay before your park day
Choose Desert Inn for a hotel breakfast or Explorer Cabins for a kitchenette before a self-drive day.
Before you go
Your visit questions
Is West Yellowstone inside Yellowstone National Park?
No. The town is in Montana outside the West Entrance. The famous geysers, canyon and wildlife valleys require travel into the park.
How many days should I allow?
Two full days give you time for selected geothermal and canyon highlights. A third can add a dedicated wildlife outing. Arrival and departure are additional.
Do I need a tour?
No. Self-driving works when the relevant roads are open and you have suitable transport and admission. A tour adds a guide and takes the driving out of the day.
Can I use this plan in winter?
Use the winter guide instead. The West Entrance summer car route does not operate through winter.