Yellowstone is an amazing park full of natural wonders! You won’t drive far without “oohing and ahhing” at all the sights. From colorful hot springs to magical waterfalls to sky-high geysers, you will definitely not want to leave. BUT these once-in-a-lifetime natural wonders bring large crowds and a bit of confusion on what to see. Before visiting, I was overwhelmed at how I would fit everything in only one day. WELL, after hours of research, I created a perfect…in my opinion 🙂 … Yellowstone West Entrance Loop Itinerary. So, if you only have one day AND are traveling with kids be sure to keep reading this One Day in Yellowstone National Park with kids itinerary!
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Table of Contents
How to get to Yellowstone National Park
Closest Airports to the West Entrance of Yellowstone National Park:
- Yellowstone Aiport: 3 miles
- Bozeman Yellowstone: 91 miles
- Jackson Hole: 117 miles
- Salt Lake City: 324 miles
Important! After arriving, there are 5 entrances to choose from. Each entrance is hours from the others so it’s important to plan your route carefully. The following One Day in Yellowstone itinerary starts and ends from the West Entrance.
Best Time to Visit
Peak season for Yellowstone ranges from Memorial Day to Labor day drawing in over 3 million visitors. If hoping to avoid some of the crowds, but still get some nice weather, I would suggest visiting in early June or September.
I visited in July and it did lead to full parking lots, but we never had to wait too long before snagging a spot!
Most of the roads close in late October and remain closed to regular cars until late spring. Some roads remain open for snowmobiles and snow coach access. Find more information about Yellowstone road closures here.
Average Temperatures in Yellowstone:
- May: 52/25
- June: 62/31
- July: 72/36
- August: 71/33
- Septemeber: 61/25
- October: 47/19
- Winter: 32/0
Where to Stay near Yellowstone National Park
It is no secret that lodging in Yellowstone is EXPENSIVE. If you have it in the budget, it’s definitely worth it to stay close, BUT if not, you can find some budget-friendly stays about 1.5 hours outside the west entrance in Idaho Falls.
- Luxury Stay: Old Faithful Inn: Located RIGHT inside of the park and RIGHT next to Old Faithful, this will surely be a stay to remember inside this beautiful lodge.
- Unique Stay: Buffalo Valley Ranch: Choose from covered wagons, tipis, or historic cabins at Buffalo Valley Ranch. The stays do not have private bathrooms, but there is a nice shared bathhouse onsite as well as a restuarant, bar, and wifi thorughout the camp.
- Budget Pick (where we stayed): Le Ritz Hotel and Suites– Although it was about 1 hour and 40 minutes away from the West Entrance of Yellowstone, it was great for our needs. It was halfway between Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, had a 24/7 pool (the kids appreciate that on the late nights), and free breakfast. It’s definitley an older hotel, but was a great place to sleep and grab breakfast!
Hint: Be sure to use HotelsCombined Search engine as it will find the best price throughout the various search engines!
West Yellowstone Loop Map
Click HERE to use this map on your next trip! Or sign up for ROADTRIPPERS to find even more amazing stops right along the route! Use this code (BTR5QTP) to save 5 dollars off your yearly subscription (ONLY 20 DOLLARS!!).
Want to track your travels? Check out this COMPLETELY CUSTOMIZABLE push-pin map (made by yours truly:)! Add your title, names, and important date!
One day in Yellowstone with Kids Itinerary (West Entrance Loop)
Stop 1: Gibbon Falls
This is a quick, but beautiful stop to make from the West Entrance. After finding a parking spot, you can take the short .5 mile (round-trip) paved trail to get the best views of the 84-foot waterfall.
Stop 2: Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
I have a strange obsession with waterfalls so clearly, this was one of my favorite stops. There are several different trails and viewpoints to marvel at the falls. Due to traveling with kids, we choose to complete a short hike, Brink of Lower Falls. This was a .07-mile trail with a 265 ft elevation gain. After a steep trek down, you will end up right at the top of the falls!
After your hike, continue along the North Rim Drive (one-way road) to several more viewpoints including Lookout Point, Grand View, and Artist Point.
Stop 3: Hayden Valley
After your short detour along the North Rim, you will find yourself back on Grand Loop Road. After a quick 10ish miles, you will enter Hayden Valley. Bison, Elk, and Bears, oh my! But seriously, if you are traveling with kids they will LOVE this section. We got stuck in a Bison traffic jam, spotted elk on the side of the road, and took several stretch breaks to marvel at the river and valley. After making it through the valley, you will then take a beautiful drive next to Yellowstone Lake to your next stop!
Have additional time?
On your way into Hayden Valley, you will pass the Canyon Horse Corral where you can book a one or two-hour horseback ride through the valley!
Tip! There is no service in most of Yellowstone National Park so be sure to download Gypsy Guides before leaving! This guided tour will point out when and where to stop + give you entertaining and educational facts about the park!
Stop 4: West Thumb
Another amazing stop that we almost skipped. Before visiting, I remember reading that West Thumb was a “spot you could skip if you were short on time”. After walking the 1-mile boardwalk trail, I was obsessed. SO, in short, DO NOT skip this stop. You will pass many different colored thermal pools, bubbling water, a beautiful lake, AND we even saw trout swimming along the shore.
Tip: Stop in the small visitor’s center here and check out the time of Old Faithful’s next eruption. That way, you can time your visit appropriately.
Stop 5: Old Faithful Geyser
This stop is of course not a secret (as you will soon find out after arriving by the massive crowds), but it’s definitely cool to see. The parking lot is huge, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding parking. After parking, head toward the geyser (towards the lodge) and squeeze your way through the crowds for a view.
The geyser erupts every 60-90 minutes so you may find yourself waiting a bit. There is a cafeteria-style restaurant and ice cream shop located in the lodge to help pass the time. We were lucky and arrived within 5 minutes of the eruption!
Old Faithful Fun Facts:
- Eruptions can last anywhere from 1.5 minutes to 5 minutes.
- Old Faithful typically reaches anywhere between 130 and 140 ft, but has gone as high as 180 feet!
- The lenght of the eruption helps rangers and scientist predict the next eruption (between 50 to 110 minutes on average)
Have more time?
I actually didn’t know about all the different hikes from the Old Faithful parking lot when visiting, but it is the perfect excuse to return someday! Anyways, if you have extra time at this spot, you can hike to Morning Glory Pool, Geyser Loop Trail (1.3 miles to two more geysers!), or Observation Point to get a view of Old Faithful from above (1.1 miles). There are so many amazing hikes throughout Yellowstone, that you could spend days exploring!
Stop 6: Grand Prismatic Spring
Our last stop of the day led to a line to get into the parking lot. Although it looked scary (the long line…), it did not take long and is worth the short wait. (I’m assuming our wait was shorter as well due to visiting in the late afternoon though).
After grabbing a parking spot, you can head on the short walk along the wooden boardwalk. The colors are even more amazing up close!
Have more time?
If you have time for one more stop, make sure to stop at the Fairy Falls Trailhead to hike the Grand Prismatic Overlook trail to see the amazing pool from above. It’s a 1 mile hike that climbs over 105 ft. This stop would come before the lower trail.
Optional: Wolf and Grizzly Discovery Center
Right outside of the West Entrance of Yellowstone you will find the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center. Here you can watch wolf packs interact, learn about the famous Yellowstone grizzlies, and see other exhibits including otters, raptors, and other creatures. They are open 365 days a year from 9 am to 7 pm and it cost 15 dollars for adults and 10 dollars for children. If traveling with young kids, they will love to see the animals up close! A perfect way to close out your family trip to Yellowstone.
Hint!! Combine this trip with ONE DAY IN GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK (only 1.5 hours away!)
Other things to do in Yellowstone National Park
Although you are able to squeeze a lot of Yellowstone into one day, you will surely want to explore more. Below are some additional stops you can add to a longer itinerary!
- Take a dip in the Boiling River: Yellowstone has very limited spots for swimming due to harmful organisms, and temperatures. Ocasionally the Boiling River is safe for a swim (it does close when conditions are not safe so be sure to check here before adding this to your itinerary). From the parking lot it is about a .5 mile hike to the designated swimming spot.
- Marvel at Mammoth Hot Springs: Located in North Yellowstone, Mammoth Hot Springs offers unique views that you likeley cannot see anywhere else. If you have an extra day in Yellowstone, be sure to add this to your list!
- Spot Wildlife Lamar Valley: Similar to Hayden Valley, Lamar Valley is a great spot to look for wildlife with less traffic than Hayden Valley.
- Take an Adventurous Tour: Check out the Yellowstone Raft Company for whitewater rafting tours, fly-fishing, horseback riding, scenic raft tours, and more! We saw so many fly-fishers during our trip and I think that will be first on my list for my return!
KEEP READING::: South Dakota Road Trip with Kids
Things to know before visiting Yellowstone:
- Make sure to pack snacks and your hydration pack so you do not run out of water! It is a long day of driving with not a lot of spots to fill up or grab snacks.
- If planning on visiting more than 3 natinal parks in the year, buy the America the Beautiful Pass. For only 80 dollars, you get unlimited visits to all national parks (compared to 35 dollar entrance fee).
- Make sure to have a plan beforehand to make the most of your Yellowstone time!
- If visiting off-season, be sure to check road conditions and closures before visiting.
- Make sure to wear comfy shoes for the various hikes. My favorites are keens!
- The West Yellowstone Visitor Center is located directly out of the park in West Yellowstone. In the summer months, it is open daily from 8am-5pm
- The park is extremely busy (but still 100% worth it). To avoid some of the crowds, make sure to get an early morning start.
- There is no service in most of Yellowstone National Park so be sure to download Gypsy Guides before leaving! This guided tour will point out when and where to stop + give you entertaining and educational facts about the park!
Yellowstone Fun Facts:
- It was the first National Park in the world (1872)
- The last volcanic eruption occurred 631,000 years ago.
- Bison, elk, grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, swans, and trout call Yellowstone home.
- Throughout the park, you will find hot springs, geysers, travertine terraces. fumaroles, and mud pots.
One Day in Yellowstone with Kids Recap:
- Stop 1: Gibbon Falls
- Stop 2: Brink of the Lower Falls (Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone)
- Stop 3: Hayden Valley
- Stop 4: West Thumb
- Stop 5: Old Faithful
- Stop 6: Grand Prismatic
- Stop 7: Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center
Did you find this “One-day in Yellowstone Itinerary” helpful? Make sure to SAVE for later to have the best Yellowstone vacation from the west entrance with (or without) kids!
AND be sure to follow along on Instagram for more United States road trip stops, itineraries, and bucket list ideas!
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