What is the difference between the Upper Loop and the Lower Loop in Yellowstone?

The Upper Loop is the northern 142 mile/229 km long circular track and it's all about waterfalls, hot springs, and great viewpoints. The Lower Loop is slightly shorter at 96 miles/155 km and is home to the National Park system's most famous attraction, Old Faithful.



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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.

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However, the northern loop was our favorite. We started in West Yellowstone and headed North to Mammoth Springs then around to Canyon Village and back to West Yellowstone. We stopped many times for Elk, Bison and a Black Bear. Combine the animals stops with all of the scenic stops, our round trip took 11 hours.

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You could easily take two weeks to explore Yellowstone (and you might want to after you spend a day here). To truly experience the best aspects of the park, you'll want to plan at least three days. But if you only have one day to spend in the park, you want to get the most out of your time here.

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Entering Yellowstone from the west puts visitors in the very heart of Yellowstone's geyser country, meaning it's the quickest way to visit Old Faithful and a number of the park's best-known attractions. Roads are very well-maintained in this section of the park, providing comfortable driving conditions.

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The best entrances to stay if you will not be staying within Yellowstone National Park are the West and North Entrances. This is because these entrances are close to the Grand Loop within Yellowstone, as well as their gateway towns enabling visitors to get to the heart of Yellowstone with the least amount of driving.

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From Moose, drive up the inner park road to Jackson Lake Junction and follow the outer park road through Moran Junction back down to Moose. The loop is 42 miles long, and depending on how many points of interest you chose to explore, plan for at least a one to two hour drive.

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You must have a car to see Yellowstone; there aren't any shuttles. Yellowstone's Grand Loop Road can be looked at as a figure 8, or an Upper Loop and a Lower Loop. Each loop takes about 2.5 hours to drive without stopping. It's feasible to spend a day on each loop and skim the highlights of the park.

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The area of Yellowstone closest to the East Entrance is a lot quieter than other parts of the park. Once you pass through the entrance, you'll continue seeing gorgeous geology and foliage all the way to the lake.

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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.

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A Yellowstone vacation package costs from $1,000/person for four nights to $5,000 or more per person. Not including tax and tips. Check out my itineraries and guidebooks for planning your own trip.

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