getting to yellowstone
The closest airport to Yellowstone National Park is the Yellowstone Airport (WYS) which is approximately 2.5 miles away from West Yellowstone and the West Entrance of the park. There are only a few airlines that fly here and generally it is more expensive so most people fly in and out of the Bozeman International Airport (BZN) which is approximately a 1 hour and 45 minute drive to West Yellowstone or to Mammoth Springs at the North Entrance. The second major airport is Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) which is approximately 1 hour and 5 minute drive to the South Entrance of Yellowstone going through Grand Tetons National Park. During the summer you will likely rent your own car and have full access to the roads in the park. During the winter you must go on a tour and can enter from the West or North Entrance only.
There are five main entrances to Yellowstone National Park. The northern entrance goes to Mammoth Hot Springs off Route 89. The West Entrance is at West Yellowstone on Route 191. The southern entrance is north of Jackson Hole on Route 191. The east entrance is off route 14 in Wyoming. The northeast entrance is in Montana on Beartooth Highway route 212.
Getting around Yellowstone
During the summer, the best way to visit this national park is in your own private vehicle. You can drive through most of the park on paved roads. You can also elect to take tours that will drive you around and stop at the top spots.
During the winter, you cannot drive your own vehicle into the park. You can elect to do a snow bus tour or a snowmobile tour. During the winter you will not be able to visit certain spots due to the snow. You also cannot get from Grand Teton to Yellowstone through the park South Entrance so if you wish to visit both you will have to drive around on the outside.
where to stay
Most tourists elect to stay in West Yellowstone which is right outside the park and has a bunch of restaurants and bars. Also many people stay in Jackson Hole and come up through the South entrance to the park. You can also stay in the Mammoth Hot Springs area in the north.
Camping is available year-round. There are so many options in all different areas of the park. You can get tent sites, RV sites, hook ups, cabins, and stay at park lodges. Yellowstone is a very popular national park. It is highly recommended to book way in advance as it is incredibly popular. Of the twelve campsites, five of them you can book through Yellowstone National Park Lodges and four campsites you can make reservations on www.recreation.gov and three are first-come, first-serve. Campsites may be open or closed depending on the season and booking options may vary year to year.
when to visit
Summer is the most popular time to visit the park not only to see all the wildlife in full activity but also to have full access to all the geysers, thermal activities and roads. The winter is a whole different experience where you get to see the beauty of the snow and get the experience of seeing the park via snowmobile.
fees
Weekly passes are good for 7 consecutive days at Yellowstone National Park:
- Private/non-commercial vehicle: $35
- Snowmobile or Motorcycle pass $30
- Person/Individual (bicycle, on foot) $20
- Yellowstone Annual Pass: $75
- America the Beautiful Annual Pass: $80 interagency pass good for one year from month purchased- highly recommend this if visiting more than 3 parks in a year.
top things to do
Geysers
Of course, you have to see Old Faithful but that is just the beginning of some incredible geothermal activity. You can explore the Geyser Basin and spend as long as you would like catching these incredible shows.
Geothermal Pools
The colors of these geothermal pools is unworldly. Of course you should check out the Grand Prismatic Pool and Midway Geyser Basin. As well you can check out the Fountain and Artist Paintpots. Morning Glory Pool is also stunningly beautiful.
Mammoth Hot Springs
This geothermal area is very unique from the other locations with the terraces and colors. In the northern part of the park this is worth the stop.
Waterfalls
There is an abundance of waterfalls but you should definitely check out the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls, Tower Fall and Mystic Falls.
Wildlife
There is an abundance of wildlife throughout the park. You are bound to get in a traffic jam while driving through the park because of this. You never know where you will see bison, elk, bears, deer, wolf, coyotes, osprey, and eagles and more. Keep your eye out and bring your binoculars/telephoto lens. Some of the best places to definitely see wildlife include the Lamar and Hayden Valley or keeping warm near the geothermal geyser basins.
