Can you swim at Yellowstone?

Yellowstone National Park isn't exactly known for its swimming holes. Due to the thermal activity in the park, most rivers and lakes in Yellowstone are closed to swimmers. However, if you're up for an adventure, the park has opened up a few alluring areas to the public.



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As one of the few places in Yellowstone where you can actually enjoy a swim in the warm water, the Boiling River is ideal for an afternoon soak. Trailhead: Just north of the Montana border at the 45th Parallel Sign.

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A. No swimming is allowed in any of the park's thermal features because it is unsafe for visitors, as well as damaging to the resource. You are permitted to swim in waters that are fed by the runoff from the thermal features. One place you can swim is at the Boiling River at certain times of year.

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However, Yellowstone is also an active geothermal area with hot springs emerging at ~92°C (~198°F) (the boiling point of water at Yellowstone's mean altitude) and steam vents reported as high as 135°C (275°F).

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Yellowstone National Park strictly prohibits visitors from touching, swimming, or soaking in hot springs.

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Its temperature is near boiling, ranging in different spots from 63 to 87 degrees Celsius (145.4 to 188.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The dramatic colors are an interplay of physics, chemistry and biology. The blue color is an optical effect and the orange and brown colors are bacteria that live at temperatures near boiling.

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The Boiling River should be on your “Yellowstone must see” list along with the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Old Faithful Geyser. It's not as dramatic as either of these, but it is one of two front country places to swim in Yellowstone in a hot spring.

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Hot-spring water is usually fairly safe from the standpoint of carrying disease-causing organisms, but some is not (see below under Stay healthy), and the surface water that cools a scalding spring to usable temperatures will be prone to the same bugs and pathogens as any other surface water.

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The best months to visit Yellowstone are April, September, and October. These “off season” months provide more chances to catch a glimpse of the local wildlife and enjoy thinner crowds. Bears emerge from hibernation between March and April, migrating birds arrive just before May, and the elk rut begins mid-September.

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Don't touch any water in or around thermal features. Never swim, soak, or wade in thermal features. More than 20 people have died from intentionally entering or falling into hot springs.

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If you plan to do any water activities while at your stay water shoes are a must. Activities could include swimming in the Boiling River in Yellowstone, rafting in Glacier, or kayaking on the many lakes in the area. Make sure your water shoes are secure and won't fall off (flip-flops are not recommended).

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Abyss Pool, deepest hot spring in Yellowstone. Abyss Pool • Abyss Pool is in the West Thumb Geyser Basin and that is Yellowstone Lake in the background. It is 53-feet deep, this is the deepest pool in Yellowstone National Park.

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Flights to the nearest major airport — that of Jackson Hole, Wyoming — are typically cheapest between November and March, which is the park's low season. Prices for lodging begin to drop after Labor Day, once the summer crowds have diminished and children are back in school.

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Generally speaking, April, May and June have the most rain, or even snow; July and August are the driest and warmest months, with temperatures typically rising into the 70s and 80s.

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Next to Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Springs is arguably the top thing to see during your first-time visiting Yellowstone. A vibrant showcase of reds and blues bubble in this magnificent thermal pool from the bacteria residing in the area.

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They will list the current temperature of the water as well as the maximum amount of minutes to stay in at a time. For the most part, almost all commercial hot springs in North America require swimsuits so always err on the side of caution and keep that suit on. Even if you see someone remove their suit – wait.

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The only campgrounds inside Yellowstone Park that have shower facilities on-site are Grant, Fishing Bridge, and Canyon. Anyone can pay to utilize them. Last year, I believe the cost of about $3.75 per shower. You can also purchase showers at Mammoth Hotel, Old Faithful Inn, and Roosevelt Lodge.

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Then, with the work of Mother Nature, the Boiling River ceased to exist as we know it as historic flooding in 2022 destroyed the area. Before and after photos show the area where the Boiling River sat is now a rocky area as the floods changed the river channel.

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The Boiling River is one of very few legal swimming and soaking locations in Yellowstone National Park- but it still requires plenty of caution and care. Located where the Gardner River meets the Boiling River Hot Spring, the Boiling River is safe enough to swim in.

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