Yellowstone National Park: 3-Day Itinerary
This Yellowstone 3-day itinerary includes all the must-visit places and top attractions the national park has to offer. Plan your Yellowstone trip carefully, make sure you have enough time for all the natural highlights, and spend three unforgettable days in one of the most beautiful destinations in the USA.
Is in the USA a more iconic national park than Yellowstone?
Well, for us, the famous Yellowstone National Park was the reason to rethink our originally planned Northwest USA road trip itinerary.
And in the end, we ended up driving over a thousand kilometers from the Canadian Rockies to spend some time surrounded by geothermal hot springs, geysers, colorful pools, fuming ground, rivers, mountains, and last but not least, wildlife.
How much time you need for visiting Yellowstone National Park, and how does the perfect itinerary look like?
It is highly individual, and there's for sure not a single correct answer.
As we traveled quite a long distance just to reach the oldest national park in the world, we have opted for the three-day alternative.
That's why, in this travel guide, we share with you our personally tried and tested 3-day Yellowstone itinerary, which includes all the top places we had a chance to visit during this time.
This three-day itinerary is for all travelers who want to visit the park on a long weekend, but also for all of you, who dream to explore Yellowstone more thoroughly.
Of course, you would have needed much longer to be able to say that you traveled Yellowstone through and through, but three days is, according to us, a perfect amount of time during which you can see the top attractions and most famous natural sights.
Even if you have less than three days, do not despair. Simply choose the must-visit places and visit them in the order that makes sense for you.
YELLOWSTONE 3-DAY ITINERARY
We visited Yellowstone National Park in mid-September, and in general, this itinerary is designed for a trip planned between May and mid-October.
This is the high season in the national park with the peak months of July and August, and these months have a few things in common.
First of all, the paths inside the park should be clear of snow, and that's why you should be able to visit all the places like we did.
Second of all, you will have a perfect amount of daylight that allows you to make the most of your day.
What else should you know when following this three-day itinerary?
We traveled by a rental campervan, so this itinerary is designed for those of you having own transport - a rental car or campervan is perfect for exploring Yellowstone.
We also decided to stay outside the park boundaries, and slept three nights on the same spot, as it seemed like the easiest option.
We did not mind that the travel time was a bit longer.
Every morning we could not wait to see the unusual landscape, and at the end of the day, when we were driving back to our accommodation, we had enough time to think about the wonderful places we saw that day, usually accompanied by an amazing sunset.
Before you start planning your three-day Yellowstone itinerary, it is worth it to learn more about the park and read the practical information, so you'll be ready to have the time of your life.
For that, we recommend you to read our comprehensive guide on everything you need to know before visiting Yellowstone.
Of course, we are fully aware that you might be traveling from a different direction than we did. In that case, use this itinerary as a rough plan, and adjust your days according to your starting point.
Yellowstone National Park has five official entrances, and we used the West Entrance because we decided to stay in a small town West Yellowstone that was our base for trips to the park.
At the end of our three-day visit, we left the park via South Entrance in the direction of Grand Teton National Park.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE CREATING YELLOWSTONE ITINERARY
Before you start creating your day by day travel itinerary, there are a few things to know about Yellowstone NP that will help you organize your time.
As we've already mentioned, to get around the park, it is necessary to have your own transport (car, hiking, biking), or you need to join a tour.
As most of the travelers opt for car transportation, especially in the summer, Yellowstone National Park is notorious for traffic jams.
That's why you should always make sure you have enough extra time in case you get stuck in a traffic jam, wildlife jam, or in case it takes longer to find a parking spot near the top attractions.
Yellowstone is renowned for wildlife, but to stay safe, you should never come too close.
Bison is a very rewarding photography object but always keep your distance. The same goes for elks.
And according to the National Park Service, you should keep the distance and stay at least 100 meters from bears and wolves (or remain in the car when watching a roadside bear).
For visiting the park, it is worth it to pack a telephoto lens or binoculars, and in case you plan on hiking, make sure you have a bear spray, just in case.
Last but not least, we recommend you buy the entrance ticket in advance online - this way you can skip the queue and drive directly into the park, which saves time.
WHERE TO STAY IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
There are plenty of options on where to stay when visiting the park.
You can stay outside or inside the park, sleep in a campervan, luxury hotel, or a budget-friendly hostel.
HOTELS
It is only up to you where you decide to spend the night, just make sure the place you opt for, will fit your travel itinerary.
We've handpicked the most convenient location where you can find accommodation, so search your options thoroughly.
Jackson | Jackson is one of the most well-known places where a traveler can spend the night when exploring the park. From the very first look, you can tell that it is not a cheap town, but if you make your reservation well in advance, you should be able to find a good deal as well.
West Yellowstone | We decided to base ourselves here. West Yellowstone offers great tourist infrastructure, and every type of traveler will find here accommodation.
Gardiner | For many, the most convenient place to stay is Gardiner. There's everything a traveler need, including campgrounds, cabins, hostels, and hotels. It is one of the most popular spots, so make sure to reserve your rooms as soon as you know the travel dates.
Cody | If you are traveling to the park from the East, it makes sense to stay in Cody. It is not that famous as other jumping-off points, but that's maybe the reason to give it a try.
Inside the Park
Lodges inside the park are a bit more expensive, but that's something that did not take us by surprise. If you are looking for a unique opportunity to wake up in the Yellowstone, definitely consider this option.
One of the top picks is Old Faithful Snow Lodge & Cabins or Lake Yellowstone Hotel & Cabins.
When traveling off-season, your best bet would be Mammoth Hot Springs & Cabins.
Campgrounds
Camping in the national park is certainly not for everyone, but you might be surprised how many options there are. Plus prices are very reasonable, which is another point for trying it.
You can find here 12 campgrounds, but only one - Mammoth Campground - is open even in the winter.
The season for other campsites is between May and September or October.
A few campsites take reservations, but the other seven work on a first-come-first-served basis.
OUR YELLOWSTONE ITINERARY
Yellowstone National Park is a large area, and therefore it is good to know that you will spend a lot of time in the car, driving.
Most of the top attractions are near the parking lots, where you just need to walk a few minutes to get the wonderful views.
Three days in the park gave us just enough time to explore Yellowstone this way.
But remember, that if you want to be more in nature and do more hikes, which is a great way for avoiding the crowds, feel free to adjust this suggested itinerary to make sure the result suits your needs and travel style.
It is, for sure, not possible to mention all the places you can see when driving around Yellowstone because the number of sights and viewpoints is incredible.
However, we did our best to outline all the most memorable stops in our travel itinerary.
DAY 1
Most of our travel days have something in common - they are pretty packed. That's why we encourage you to get up early on the first day of our Yellowstone itinerary.
Honestly, we were so excited that we could not sleep anyway.
As we've already mentioned, we stayed in West Yellowstone, so we were headed to the West Entrance Gate.
Madison Information Station
Even though it was really early, we had to queue in the line of cars, but it was not that bad, and soon we were driving in the park - believe it or not, the scenery was incredible from the very first moments.
Our first stop on our itinerary was Madison Information Station.
The building dates back to 1930 and it is a National Historic Landmark, but you can visit it as the house also works as an information center.
Even though this place is not that outstanding when compared with other sights in the national park, we saw here a ranger hoisting an American flag, and it was a very strong moment.
It felt like a perfect welcome to Yellowstone National Park.
We continued, but it did not take long, and we spotted the first wildlife in the park.
First, it was a herd of deers, and later we spotted the first bison in our lives.
These huge animals are very photogenic, and it is probably possible to say that no visit to Yellowstone National Park is complete without seeing bison.
If you encounter a traffic jam in the park, you are likely going to see wildlife anytime soon.
Some people find it tempting to get out of the car and get closer, do not be one of them if the wildlife is close to you.
Terrace Spring
Yellowstone is famous for many hot springs and geothermal areas, and one of the examples of what we could expect later was Terrace Spring.
This easy walk that leads via boardwalks will show you a few bubbling hot springs and several larger pools.
Even though it is not so obvious here, the water in the stream is super-hot, so from now on make sure to keep your distance from all the pools in the park.
Gibbon Falls
Continue for a while, and your next stop is Gibbon Falls.
This wonderful waterfall will be on your right-hand side - drive slowly as during peak hours it might be difficult to find a parking spot.
Gibbon River
There's a narrow path along the road that basically follows the Gibbon River, and you'll have many options to see this 25-meter high waterfall from a different perspective.
Once you are done with sightseeing, continue driving. But do not forget to look back, as the road, later on, reveals a wonderful view of the narrow canyon with the blue river sneaking through it.
Beryl Spring
A small hot pool Beryl Spring just off the road is definitely worth your time.
The convenient location, strikingly blue color and the fact that it is one of the hottest springs in the park should convince you to stretch your legs here.
Artist Paint Pots
The first day of this travel itinerary has a lot to offer, and another worthwhile stop just before you reach the true shining stars of Yellowstone is Artist Paint Pots.
This area is home to tens of mud pots, geysers, vents, and colorful pools.
As the name suggests, the place resembles an artist's pallet.
Two connected trails will take you around the place.
The main one is almost 1 kilometer long, and the series of the boardwalk will take you around all the must-see features.
Do not miss the short uphill section that will take you to a small platform overlooking the basin.
The other trail is shorter, only 0.5 kilometers, but it is also interesting, as it will take you to a burn area from 1988. Here you can see dry tree trunks standing in the mud pool; a truly unusual scenery.
Finally, we are slowly getting to one of the top sights in the Yellowstone National Park.
Norris Geyser Basin
We are not afraid to say that every Yellowstone itinerary, even the one-day one, includes Norris Geyser Basin, one of the most beautiful places in the park.
Norris Geyser Basin is a place where you can see the Yellowstone's extreme environment up close.
When walking on the boardwalks (the area is quite large), you feel that the place is very much alive.
Steam blows out of vents, water bubbles, geysers erupt - the place simply attacks all your senses, but for us, the visual part was the most attractive side of our visit.
Porcelain Basin
The area consists of two parts, Porcelain Basin and the Back Basin, make sure to visit them both.
Anything else you should know about Norris Geyser Basin?
Steamboat Geyser
It is the hottest geothermal area in the park, the highest measured temperature here was 237°C, which is pretty impressive. And who knows, you might be lucky to see the Steamboat Geyser in action.
Once you feel you have enough photos of colorful pools and there are no more trails to be explored, it is time to carry on.
The road between Norris Geyser Basin and another highlight Mammoth Hot Springs is very scenic and dotted with many wonderful spots.
Luckily, the infrastructure in the park is great, and there are many small parking lots next to the road, so you can always stop when a photo opportunity emerges.
Golden Gate Canyon
Nymph Lake and Golden Gate Canyon are two of the several notable spots, just to name a few.
If you plan on hiking, this area is also home to a couple of trailheads.
Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth Hot Springs is a very unique place in the Yellowstone, and it is another place you should not miss on our today's itinerary.
You've probably already seen these white and yellow terraces filled with water.
This place is one of the most photographed ones from the US parks, so take your time.
There are several parking lots from where you can enter the area - the upper and lower one.
We stopped on both of them as we were not able to say goodbye to this site so soon.
When exploring the upper part, you have more options.
Upper Terrace Loop Drive
Walk the hiking paths on foot, but also do not miss Upper Terrace Loop Drive that is also lined with several interesting points, such as the most famous White Elephant Back Terrace.
At the foot of Mammoth Hot Springs is the same name small town, that mostly lives out of tourism.
Expect to find here hotels and restaurants, that's why is Mammoth a great place to take a break.
Undine Falls
Only a short drive from Mammoth terraces is Undine Falls, a very photogenic waterfall that does not require much effort.
When we think about it, the visit to Yellowstone National Park was very similar to our Iceland road trip, because nature was so stunning, and amazing views were revealed behind every corner.
Tower Junction
Continue to Tower Junction, and carry on along Grand Loop Road.
Calcite Springs Overlook
This stretch of the road will take you to Calcite Springs Overlook that will reward you with an amazing view of Yellowstone River.
Tower Fall
Do not get too comfortable, because before you do, there's another stop, Tower Fall.
This 40-meter high waterfall plunges to the Tower Creek - bring your tripod to create silky smooth water effect.
We know this day is long and tiring, but we hope you'll have such a great time as we did.
Moreover, day one in Yellowstone is slowly coming to an end.
Mt. Washburn
You'll drive past Mt. Washburn, one of the highest mountains in the park, then enjoy the spectacular drive via Dunraven Pass, which is the highest road pass in this national park.
Washburn Hot Springs Overlook
Another perfect spot from where you can appreciate the scenery is Washburn Hot Springs Overlook.
Then it is time to drive back to your accommodation, in our case it was back to West Yellowstone.
When we thought this day could not get any better, we had to stop, because we spotted black bears climbing the trees next to the road.
Canyon Junction
Then we reached Canyon Junction and accompanied by otherworldly sunset and a coyote that could be seen in the distance, we could not wait to return to the park the next day.
Driving distance: 200 km | Driving time: 4 hours.
DAY 2
Day two of this Yellowstone itinerary will take us to many colorful ponds, geysers, and bubbling pools.
Even though it might seem that the best features in the park are a bit repetitive, we never got tired of seeing another pool, and hope you have the same approach when it comes to geothermal areas.
Today, we are again going to visit some of the best-known places in the whole park, so make sure you start early in the morning, so you can later spend near the top attractions as long as you want.
The worst thing that can happen to you in Yellowstone (except for the bad weather) is when you are pressed for time.
Madison Junction
From West Yellowstone, we drove past the entrance gate (we already purchased the ticket the day before), and soon we reached Madison Junction once again.
This time, we turned right, and after approximately one kilometer, we turned onto a short, but worthwhile detour.
Firehole Canyon Drive
The one-way road is called Firehole Canyon Drive, and as the name suggests, you can expect driving along a wonderful canyon, river, and several small falls.
The drive offers several stops, we even saw a few people swimming in the river, so pack a swimsuit, in case the weather is hot.
Fountain Flat Drive
As we felt we have time for more scenic drives, shortly after driving Firehole Canyon Road, we turned from the Grand Loop Road onto another sideroad, Fountain Flat Drive.
It is a great way to escape crowds, and the views of the Firehole River are splendid.
This road has a dead end, so you need to turn around at the end, but this detour is totally worth it.
Except for exceptional flora, you will very likely see bison in the area as well.
Fountain Paint Pots
Once you return to the main driveway, the next destination on our travel schedule is Fountain Paint Pots.
What can you expect?
Smoke coming from the ground, colorful ponds, fumaroles, geysers, and many runoffs that color the ground around in yellow, orange, or brown.
The trail is a loop, so you won't miss any of the must-visit places, so follow the well-accessible boardwalks, and enjoy sights such as Silex Spring, Fountain Paint Pots that actually named the whole area, photogenic Celestine Pool, or Fountain Geyser.
Firehole Lake Drive
On the opposite side of Fountain Paint Pots parking lot is Firehole Lake Drive, but as it is only a one-way road, you need to drive approximately 1.5 kilometers, to reach the entry point.
This short road, even though it seems like a detour that can be skipped, actually offers a large number of highlights.
Great Fountain Geyser
The drive is lined with geysers - the most famous one is Great Fountain Geyser, that is for many the most beautiful geyser in Yellowstone.
You must be quite lucky to see this geyser in action because the eruption window is pretty long (nine to fifteen hours), but once it erupts, it usually lasts an hour or two.
Drive slowly, and pull your car over whenever you feel the spot deserves a photo.
White Dome Geyser, the walk around Warrior Lake, or Hot Lake are other top sights on this driveway.
Grand Prismatic
The next stop on our itinerary is the iconic Grand Prismatic. It is important to say that no matter how many geothermal areas you'd visited, you surely do not want to miss this one out.
One of the most visually stimulating spots in the area is Grand Prismatic Spring itself, and we are pretty sure you've already seen the bird's eye photo of this colorful pool before your visit - it is hard to escape it.
The third-largest hot spring in the world has a strikingly blue color in the middle, but the edges are colorful because of the presence of microbial mats.
The boardwalk encircles the whole Grand Prismatic Spring, and we must admit, that we walked around it twice, to savor the moment.
It is true, that the view is always better from above, and at the time of our visit, a new platform was being built on the top of the hill, to provide visitors with an even better experience.
But the whole area has much more to offer.
Excelsior Geyser
It all starts with crossing the bridge over Firehole River, where you can see runoff from Excelsior Geyser that reaches the dark blue water of the river.
Another two points of interest are Turquois Pool and Opal Pool.
Given the fact this place is one of the most famous ones in the national park, allow yourself to spend here at least one hour, two hours will give the place justice.
When leaving Grand Prismatic, you can make a quick stop at Fairy Falls from where you can access another two pools.
Biscuit Geyser Basin
Biscuit Geyser Basin is another spot that groups together several pools - Sapphire Pool for instance - or geysers.
The contrast of colors is stunning, and a large number of trails give you an opportunity to wander around without any particular plan in mind.
Upper Geyser Basin
Now our itinerary led us to Upper Geyser Basin, which is home to probably the most famous geyser in the world, Old Faithful.
As the name suggests, eruptions are guaranteed, and they happen every 45 to 90 minutes.
It is a huge attraction, so expect crowds, benches around the geyser filled with people, waiting for the eruption.
Honestly, we found this site a bit overrated, but it is for sure one of the things no traveler can miss when in Yellowstone. We are simply not fans of attractions that feel too staged.
Old Faithful
Facilities around Old Faithful are great - there's a large parking lot, souvenir shops, restaurant, visitors center, and even accommodation options.
Once we saw the eruption (we had to wait approximately 20 minutes), we started exploring the basin.
The area is pretty large, and it is only up to you how far you want to walk.
We spent here a few hours as it never gets old to see places such as Blue Star Spring, Castle Geyser, or Grotto Geyser.
Artemisia Trail
In case you are into hiking, it is possible to walk all the way from Biscuit Basin to Old Faithful via Artemisia Trail, but you have to return the same way, so you won’t save any time.
As it was getting late, we decided to turn around and drive back to West Yellowstone.
You might find it better to spend the night in the park, but at the time of our visit we were worried that campsites would be full, so we rather retraced our steps and spent the night in our booked accommodation.
Driving distance: 120 km | Driving time: 2.5 hours.
DAY 3
The last day out of three spent in Yellowstone National Park will take us to the splendid Grand Canyon of Yellowstone National Park, we will see a few more geothermal areas, and our journey will end in Grand Teton National Park.
Or you can extend your stay in the park, in case your plans are a bit different.
Madison Junction
The third day starts with the obligatory drive to the Madison Junction.
Norris Canyon Road
Here turn left, and after approximately 22 kilometers, turn onto Norris Canyon Road.
Virginia Cascade Drive
After another 2.5 kilometers, turn onto Virginia Cascade Drive, which is a one-way scenic detour that will take you via a narrow road through the forest along Gibbon River.
One of the highlights is Virginia Cascade, but even though the drive is narrow, there are several spots where it is possible to pull over and enjoy wonderful nature.
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
Now it is time to explore the highlight of the day, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.
North Rim Drive
We drove past Canyon Junction, and took the North Rim Drive, that, as the name suggests, took us first to the north edge of the canyon.
There are several lookouts on both sides of the canyon, connected by hiking trails.
It only depends on you whether you prefer to hike from one viewpoint to another, or if you prefer to drive between spots.
We combined these two options. It is hard to say which viewpoint is the best, but you should definitely not miss Inspiration Point, Grand View, or Lookout Point.
Lower Falls of the Yellowstone
From these platforms, you can see the canyon together with Lower Falls of the Yellowstone, which is a 94-meter high waterfall, which is one of the most photographed features in the park.
We can add that it is very well-deserved.
When you reach Lookout Point, it is possible to walk to Lower Lookout Point, from where you'll see the falls from a different angle - some people even prefer this lookout over the upper one.
Upper Falls of the Yellowstone
Just before we left the north rim, we drove to another parking lot, that took us to the viewpoint of Upper Falls of the Yellowstone.
If you are short on time, it is good to know that Lower Falls is much better.
South Rim Drive
Then we joined South Rim Drive and drove across the Yellowstone River.
The south rim of the canyon, unsurprisingly, offers plenty of viewpoints as well.
Uncle Tom's Trail
We really enjoyed a short hike down the stairs, that led us to another viewpoint of Lower Falls, Uncle Tom's Trail.
Artist Point
One of the most classic viewpoints of the entire area is Artist Point, where the entire canyon opens up in front of you, and the wonderful vista is accompanied by the falls in the far end and the blue river running through the canyon.
The only downside is the popularity of this place - we arrived at the same time as a few tour buses, and it was insane.
Fortunately, we had more time than them, so we could wait a bit.
Sublime Point
If there's one more place we can recommend you, it is Sublime Point.
After exploring the canyon, we returned to Grand Loop Road, where we turned left, and continued in direction of Yellowstone Lake.
Mud Volcano and Sulfur Calderone
Just before we reached it, we stopped at Mud Volcano and Sulfur Calderone.
Dragon's Mouth Spring
This area is famous for volcanoes made of mud and also volcanoes spitting mud, but by far the most famous feature is Dragon's Mouth Spring, which steams and roars.
Together with the omnipresent sulfur smell, it is the best thing you can experience here.
Yellowstone Lake
Then we finally reached the largest lake in the national park, aptly named Yellowstone Lake.
West Thumb Geyser Basin
It is a large recreational area, but we were straight away headed to West Thumb, where can be found the West Thumb Geyser Basin.
We are very well aware that by now you've seen an incredible number of geothermal areas, but this one is again very special.
Fishing Cone
As it is sitting on the edge of the lake, you will walk on the boardwalk, and soon you will see that some of the features such as Fishing Cone are actually right in the lake.
Grand Teton National Park
For us, seeing this geothermal area was a proper goodbye to the national park, because after this visit, we continued to Grand Teton National Park, where we spent the first night by Jackson Lake.
Driving distance: 200 km | Driving time: 4 hours.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
YELLOWSTONE TOURS
Yellowstone National Park is perfect for independent travelers because it offers so many road trips and so many things to see and do, that there is an endless number of possible itineraries.
In case you are the type of traveler who prefers to skip the planning part or you just do not feel comfortable creating your own itinerary in a foreign country, no worries.
Fortunately, there is a large number of one-day Yellowstone Tours or multi-day Yellowstone Tours.
These tours, except for the transport and fixed itinerary, also offer a knowledgeable guide, which is a true added value.
You might consider this way of traveling in case you are short on time as the tour will take you to the top places and you won't miss anything.
Or it is a great alternative, in case you plan on visiting the park in the winter.
Yellowstone winter tours are comprehensive, you will explore all the must-visit sites that are accessible in this time of the year.
Plus it is much safer to travel in the park with a guide when the weather is challenging.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
