How early should I arrive at Yellowstone?

Plan to Enter the Yellowstone Before 8 am. Most day visitors to Yellowstone arrive between about 8 am and 2 pm. So naturally, the longest lines at the entrance stations form then. The West Entrance is the busiest entrance and it isn't uncommon to hear of people waiting an hour or more to get into the park.



People Also Ask

The Grand Loop takes between 4 to 7 hours to drive in full. During the summer season, cars are the best option for taking a trip around Yellowstone unless you are riding with a bus tour or concessionaire that provides transportation.

MORE DETAILS

West Yellowstone Entrance The West Entrance is the park's busiest and most popular entrance, and it's also the second-closest to Bozeman International Airport, taking roughly two hours to drive to the West Entrance.

MORE DETAILS

Yellowstone's wildlife is most active in the early morning and evenings, away from the heat of the day.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Yellowstone has areas with winding roads and wildlife crossing can be a road hazard, especially for a speeding car. Beware of bear, buffalo, and traffic jams. Yellowstone's wildlife is certainly one of the things that make the park attractive to its visitors.

MORE DETAILS

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone The two most popular attractions here are the Upper Falls and the Lower Falls. The impressive Lower Falls drops approximately 300 feet, while the Upper Falls drops slightly over 100 feet. This picturesque area of Yellowstone is filled with alpine trees, hot springs, and steam vents.

MORE DETAILS

The West Entrance is an excellent jumping-off point for seeing some of the best geysers in the park! From here, you're close to Norris, Old Faithful, and Grand Prismatic just to name a few. Because of its location, this entrance is usually my preferred place to stay near the park.

MORE DETAILS

Our Locations. Yellowstone Park Service Stations has seven locations in the Park with over 80 seasonal employees. Yellowstone Park Service Stations, Inc. (YPSS) operates seven convenience store/fuel facilities, four automotive repair shops and a central office/warehouse in Yellowstone National Park.

MORE DETAILS

Food is cheaper there and they have more variety. You can keep the cooler in your hard-sided car, hotel room, or one of the bear boxes in the campgrounds. Yellowstone bears don't seem to break into cars like in Yosemite.

MORE DETAILS

The Park's Grand Loop Drive is shaped like a figure 8, divided into the Upper Loop and Lower Loop. We recommend driving the Lower Loop on Day 2, since it features Yellowstone's most famous attraction – Old Faithful, that way you are building up to a grand finale.

MORE DETAILS

The East Entrance to Yellowstone is one of the least-used entrances because of its remoteness, lack of hotels by the entrance gate, and distance from the Grand Loop Road (where most of the attractions are). However, it is one of the prettiest drives to enter the park.

MORE DETAILS