Things to Do in Yellowstone

Short answer

• The best things to do in Yellowstone are: watch geysers and hot springs from boardwalks, look for wildlife in open valleys, walk canyon rim viewpoints, spend time beside Yellowstone Lake, hike or plan a permitted backcountry trip, join a ranger program, and visit historic places such as the Old Faithful Inn area and Mammoth Hot Springs. The National Park Service lists the same broad menu on its Things to Do page, including hiking, wildlife watching, biking, horseback riding, backcountry camping, ranger programs, boating, fishing, skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Start with the geothermal areas, because they are what make Yellowstone different from other large parks. Yellowstone holds more than 10,000 hydrothermal features, including more than 500 geysers, according to the National Park Service. Old Faithful is the famous, regularly predicted geyser, but it is only one stop. The Upper Geyser Basin, Midway Geyser Basin, Norris Geyser Basin, Fountain Paint Pot, West Thumb Geyser Basin, and the Mammoth Hot Springs terraces each show a different kind of thermal ground. For wildlife, use open country and patience rather than a checklist. The park is home to 67 species of mammals and nearly 300 species of birds, according to the National Park Service. Lamar Valley in the north and Hayden Valley in the central park are widely used viewing areas, especially at dawn and dusk, but no sighting can be promised on a given day. Season changes what is possible. In summer, most roads, boardwalks and visitor services are open. In winter, most park roads close to regular vehicles, and the interior is reached mainly by guided snowcoach or snowmobile, while the road from Gardiner to Cooke City through Mammoth Hot Springs and Lamar Valley stays open year round, weather permitting. Checked on 28 October 2026, the National Park Service announced that most roads and the West, South and East entrances would close to regular vehicle traffic on 1 November 2026, with oversnow travel starting on 15 December 2026. Recheck those dates for any later year. Safety rules shape the whole visit. Stay on boardwalks and marked trails in thermal areas, because thin ground can hide scalding water. Stay at least 100 yards, or 91 meters, from bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards, or 23 meters, from all other wildlife. Use roadside pullouts, do not block traffic, and do not approach or feed animals.

How to Plan a Day Around Activities, Not Just Places

Yellowstone is large, and driving between areas takes time even when roads are clear. Group activities by area and by time of day, rather than crossing the park several times for single stops. One day can combine Old Faithful, Midway Geyser Basin and the Lower Geyser Basin, along the same western corridor. Another day can combine the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone with Hayden Valley. A third day can combine Mammoth Hot Springs with Lamar Valley, both on the northern road.

Early mornings and late evenings are often better for wildlife viewing. Midday is often better for boardwalk walks and canyon viewpoints. Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring and Artist Point are busiest at midday in summer, so arriving early or later can make parking easier. Check current conditions each morning, and leave one flexible block in each day, for a second geyser walk, a longer valley stop or a ranger program.

This guide covers activities only. It does not cover park size, boundaries or dimensions in detail. A companion article on how big Yellowstone National Park is covers that separate question.

Watch Geysers and Hot Springs from Boardwalks

Boardwalks are the main way to see thermal features safely. The National Park Service directs visitors to boardwalks and maintained trails in geyser basins, and it warns that ground in thermal areas can be thin and fragile, with boiling water or mud close below the surface. Do not step off a boardwalk for a photograph, do not touch thermal water, and do not throw objects into a spring or geyser.

Old Faithful is the natural starting point. The National Park Service says Old Faithful is one of nearly 500 geysers in Yellowstone and one of six that rangers currently predict, and its visitor education center posts prediction times during operating hours. As of January 2025, the park gave a median interval of 102 minutes, plus or minus 10 minutes, with intervals ranging from 54 to 118 minutes, heights from 106 to more than 180 feet, or about 32 to 55 meters, and eruptions lasting from 1.5 to 5 minutes. Those figures describe recent behavior, not a promise for a future visit, and intervals have lengthened over time, in part because of earthquakes. Arrive before the predicted window, and allow time to walk part of the Upper Geyser Basin after the eruption.

The Upper Geyser Basin rewards a longer walk. Within one square mile there are at least 150 hydrothermal features, according to the National Park Service, and five major geysers are predicted regularly: Castle, Grand, Daisy, Riverside and Old Faithful. Boardwalk loops let visitors compare cone geysers, which jet water in a narrow column from a cone, with fountain geysers, which spray in several directions from a pool. Grand Geyser erupts in powerful bursts, while Riverside Geyser shoots at an angle across the Firehole River.

Midway Geyser Basin, a short drive north of Old Faithful, holds Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest hot spring in Yellowstone. The National Park Service gives its size as 370 feet, or 113 meters, in diameter in one place and 200 to 330 feet, or 61 to 101 meters, in diameter in another, with a depth of more than 121 feet, or 37 meters. The difference reflects measurement choices for an irregular spring, so this article gives the range rather than a single figure. Its color comes from heat loving microorganisms, called thermophiles, which live at different temperatures and form bands of color around a deep blue center. From boardwalk level the spring looks vast and steamy. From an elevated overlook reached by a separate trail, the full ring pattern is clearer.

Farther north, Fountain Paint Pot in the Lower Geyser Basin shows all four thermal feature types in one compact area: geysers, hot springs, fumaroles and mudpots. Mudpots are acidic features with limited water, where gases bubble through wet clay. Fountain Paint Pots are tinted pink, beige and gray by iron oxides.

Norris Geyser Basin, north of the Lower Geyser Basin, is known for features that shift, appear and disappear. The National Park Service describes fumaroles, or steam vents, as the hottest hydrothermal features, with steam and gases emerging where water boils away before reaching the surface. Because Norris changes often, follow any posted closures.

Mammoth Hot Springs, in the north of the park, shows a different geology. Its travertine terraces form when thermal water rises through limestone, carrying dissolved calcium carbonate, which is deposited at the surface as travertine. The result is a set of white, yellow and brown terraces that look like frozen waterfalls. The National Park Service notes that soaking in the hot springs at Mammoth is prohibited.

West Thumb Geyser Basin, on the shore of Yellowstone Lake, combines lake views with thermal features at the water edge. The National Park Service describes a 0.6 mile, or 1 kilometer, boardwalk loop through colorful hot springs and dormant lakeshore geysers. It is the largest geyser basin on the shore of Yellowstone Lake, and some of its features lie under the lake itself.

A short explanation makes the boardwalk walks more interesting. Hot springs are the most common hydrothermal feature in Yellowstone. Rain and snowmelt seep through bedrock, are heated by the magmatic system below the park, and rise back to the surface. In a hot spring, an open plumbing system lets water circulate freely, so heat escapes and no eruption builds up. In a geyser, a constriction traps water and pressure until steam forces water out in an eruption. Colors in hot springs come largely from living organisms, not from dye. Thermophiles live at specific temperatures, and different groups form mats of different colors at different distances from the hottest water. In Grand Prismatic, the center is hottest and clearest, so deep blue water dominates, and yellow, orange, brown and green mats appear farther out as water cools.

The United States Geological Survey adds a caution about counts. Yellowstone is often described as holding more than 10,000 thermal features, clustered into about 120 distinct thermal areas, with about half of the active geysers on Earth. The Geological Survey notes that a perfectly accurate count is nearly impossible, because features die out, new ones appear, and some lie under lakes and are not included in inventories. At least 700 geysers are recorded in Yellowstone, with at least 500 that actively erupt and the rest dormant, according to a 2008 book cited by the Geological Survey. This article therefore uses “more than 10,000” and “more than 500” as rounded figures, not as an exact census. Thermal areas also cover only about 70 square kilometers, or 17,300 acres, less than 1 percent of the park area, according to the Geological Survey.

Look for Wildlife in Valleys and Along Roads

Wildlife watching in Yellowstone is an activity in its own right, not just something that happens while driving between geysers. Choose an open area, park fully in a pullout, turn off the engine, and watch quietly with binoculars or a telephoto lens. The National Park Service advises using pullouts, not blocking traffic, and staying in or next to a car when watching bears. If an animal moves because of a visitor, that visitor is too close.

Lamar Valley, on the northern road between Tower Junction and the Northeast Entrance, is one of the most used wildlife viewing areas. Its open grassland makes animals visible at distance, and bison, pronghorn, elk, coyotes and wolves are among the species visitors look for there. Hayden Valley, along the Yellowstone River between Canyon and Yellowstone Lake, is another open valley where bison, elk, pelicans, bears and wolves may be seen. Both valleys are best at dawn and dusk in general, but midday sightings also happen, especially for bison near roads.

Bison deserve special care. They look slow and calm, but they are large, wild animals that can move quickly and unpredictably. The required distance for bison, like all wildlife other than bears and wolves, is at least 25 yards, or 23 meters. That distance is a minimum, not a target for a photograph. A telephoto lens or binoculars gives a closer view without closing the distance. The same rule applies to elk, especially during mating season in autumn and calving season in spring, when animals are more defensive. Never approach an animal for a selfie, and never feed wildlife.

Bears require the largest distance and the most caution. Stay at least 100 yards, or 91 meters, from bears and wolves. In bear country, travel in groups where possible, make noise in blind spots on trails, carry bear spray and know how to use it before a hike, and store food properly at campsites. This article repeats those points in general form only and does not replace park bear safety material.

Bird watching fills quiet hours well. With nearly 300 bird species in the park, according to the National Park Service, visitors can look for trumpeter swans and pelicans on lakes and rivers, ospreys near the canyon, and bald eagles along rivers. For photography, the National Park Service advises photographers to zoom with a lens, not with feet, and to park in pullouts.

Walk Canyon Viewpoints and Short Trails

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone offers viewpoint walking, rim trails and waterfall watching. The canyon is roughly 20 miles long, measured from the Upper Falls to the Tower Fall area, according to the National Park Service. It was formed by erosion as the Yellowstone River flowed over progressively softer rock. The Upper Falls drops 109 feet, or 33.2 meters, and the Lower Falls drops 308 feet, or 93.9 meters.

Artist Point, on the South Rim, is a well known viewpoint, with a wide view of the Lower Falls and the canyon. Lookout Point, Red Rock Point and the Brink of the Lower Falls Trail on the North Rim give closer and steeper views, while the South Rim Trail links viewpoints along the south side. Crystal Falls, where Cascade Creek enters the canyon between the Upper and Lower Falls, can be seen from the South Rim Trail just east of the Upper Falls viewpoints area. Two or three viewpoints give a full sense of scale and color.

Short trails elsewhere serve the same purpose: a walk with a clear reward and a clear turnaround point. The National Park Service lists more than 1,100 miles of trails in total, but most visitors use a small number of front country trails, including boardwalk loops, the West Thumb loop, and short walks to Kepler Cascades south of Old Faithful, visible from a viewing platform at a pullout, and Mystic Falls, reached from the far end of the Biscuit Basin boardwalk loop. Choose trails by distance and surface, and check for closures before starting.

For longer hikes, plan as a separate activity, not as an extension of a driving day. Day hikes need water, layers, sun protection, and bear spray in bear country, plus a map or downloaded route, because cell service is limited in much of the park. Backcountry overnight trips need a permit and a designated campsite, and the National Park Service lists more than 300 backcountry campsites. Check current backcountry rules before planning an overnight trip.

Biking and horseback riding are also listed by the National Park Service as Things to Do, but they are more restricted than hiking: biking is allowed on park roads and some designated routes, not on boardwalks or backcountry trails, and horseback riding is subject to park rules and seasonal conditions. Check current rules for the specific route before planning either activity.

Spend Time on and Beside Yellowstone Lake

Yellowstone Lake is a center for boating, fishing, lakeside walking and wildlife watching. Its western bay, West Thumb, is itself a caldera within a caldera, formed by a volcanic eruption about 174,000 years ago, according to the National Park Service, and later filled with water as an extension of the lake.

Boating is a permit regulated activity. The National Park Service lists boating as a Thing to Do, and boating in the park requires a Yellowstone permit, with boat inspections for aquatic invasive species. Motorized boating is limited to parts of Yellowstone Lake and Lewis Lake, and non motorized boating is allowed on additional lakes, but launch points, seasons and inspection requirements change and must be checked on the current park boating pages before a trip.

Fishing is also permit regulated, with rules that vary by water and by species, to protect native fish. A Yellowstone fishing permit is separate from a state fishing license, and some waters are closed to fishing or have special rules. Check current fishing regulations, including closures near thermal features or spawning areas, before casting a line.

For visitors who do not boat or fish, the lake still offers lakeside walks, picnics at designated areas, bird watching, and photography. Bridge Bay and Grant Village provide access points and services in season. Storms can build quickly on a large, high elevation lake, so watch the sky and stay off the water in bad weather. Swimming in thermal features is prohibited, and swimming in park lakes and rivers is generally discouraged because water is cold, even in summer.

Visit Historic Places and Learn from Ranger Programs

Yellowstone is the world’s first national park, established in 1872, according to the National Park Service. The Old Faithful Inn, built during the winter of 1903 to 1904 and designed by Robert C. Reamer, is one of the few remaining log hotels in the United States and a National Historic Landmark, with a lobby ceiling 65 feet, or 20 meters, high, a massive rhyolite fireplace, and 327 rooms after wings added in 1915 and 1927. Visitors do not need to stay there to look inside.

At Mammoth Hot Springs, Fort Yellowstone preserves the early military administration period, when the United States Army managed Yellowstone before the National Park Service existed. The parade ground and other buildings stand on an old travertine terrace, and the area is now the park headquarters.

Visitor centers add context that a boardwalk alone cannot give. The Old Faithful Visitor Education Center explains the geologic forces behind the Upper Geyser Basin, with exhibits, films and prediction information. Other visitor centers cover wildlife, history, geology and park management, and they are good places to ask rangers about current conditions and program times. The park also hosts a Tribal Heritage Center at Old Faithful, where visitors can engage with Indigenous artists, scholars and presenters, according to the National Park Service. Programs vary, so check the current schedule.

Ranger programs are listed by the National Park Service as a Thing to Do. Programs can include walks, talks, evening programs and junior ranger activities for children. Junior Ranger and Young Scientist booklets, available from rangers, give children structured activities and a reason to look closely at geysers, wildlife and geology.

Indigenous peoples have long connections to the Yellowstone area, and the park presents Indigenous cultural events and heritage programming as part of its current offer. This article does not attempt to summarize those histories in a paragraph, because that would oversimplify them. Visitors who want to learn should use the Tribal Heritage Center, ranger programs and park history material.

Choose Activities by Season

Summer is the most straightforward season. Most roads are open, most visitor centers and campgrounds are operating, and the full range of boardwalks, trails, boating and fishing is available, subject to daily conditions. Summer is also the busiest season, with parking pressure at Old Faithful, Midway Geyser Basin and Canyon. Start early, carry water, and allow extra time for driving and parking.

Autumn brings cooler air, changing colors, elk mating season and fewer visitors, but also shorter days and service closures. Wildlife viewing can be strong, but visitors should give rutting elk extra space and respect seasonal closures. By late October, many services have closed, and road closures begin, as in the 1 November 2026 closure announced by the park.

Winter changes the activity list completely. From mid December to mid March in a typical year, most interior roads are open only to oversnow travel: guided snowmobiles and snowcoaches, plus the non commercially guided snowmobile access program. Skiing and snowshoeing become main activities, especially around Old Faithful, Mammoth and Canyon. Once enough snow accumulates, usually by mid December, roads open to oversnow travel only, according to the National Park Service. Winter visitors should dress for severe cold, expect limited services, and book oversnow transport well ahead.

Spring is a transition season, with roads reopening in stages, snowmelt swelling rivers and waterfalls, and wildlife emerging with young. Some high elevation roads and trails remain closed into late spring. Spring visitors should expect mud, snow patches, and strong runoff, and should check which roads and campgrounds have actually reopened.

In every season, the same safety basics apply: stay on boardwalks in thermal areas, keep wildlife distances, carry water and layers, and check current conditions. Seasonal advice here is date stamped to 28 October 2026. For a trip in a later year, check the park road status pages again.

A Simple Three Day Activity Plan

A three day plan that groups areas might look like this. Day one: Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin, Midway Geyser Basin, and Fountain Paint Pot. Day two: Grand Canyon viewpoints, Hayden Valley wildlife watching, and Yellowstone Lake or West Thumb. Day three: Mammoth Hot Springs, Fort Yellowstone, Lamar Valley, and Norris Geyser Basin if time allows. Leave gaps for late eruptions, long wildlife stops, or closed trails. With only one day, choose one corridor, for example Old Faithful to Midway, or Canyon to Hayden Valley, and do it well.

FAQ

What are the best things to do in Yellowstone for a first visit?

Start with Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin, Grand Prismatic Spring, Mammoth Hot Springs terraces, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone viewpoints, and wildlife watching in Lamar Valley or Hayden Valley. Add Yellowstone Lake and West Thumb Geyser Basin if time allows.

How many days do you need in Yellowstone?

Three days gives a good first visit: one day for the western geyser corridor, one day for the canyon and lake, and one day for Mammoth and Lamar Valley. One day can cover a single corridor well, but not the whole park.

Can you see Old Faithful erupt without a long wait?

Old Faithful is regularly predicted, and prediction times are posted at the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center, at lodges in the area, and in the National Park Service app during operating hours. As of January 2025, the median interval was 102 minutes, plus or minus 10 minutes, with a range of 54 to 118 minutes. Arrive before the predicted window.

Is Grand Prismatic Spring a geyser?

No. Grand Prismatic Spring is a hot spring, not a geyser. It is the largest hot spring in Yellowstone, with a depth of more than 121 feet, or 37 meters. Its colors come from heat loving microorganisms that live at different temperatures around a deep blue center.

Where is the best wildlife viewing in Yellowstone?

Lamar Valley in the north and Hayden Valley in the central park are among the best open areas, especially at dawn and dusk. Sightings are never guaranteed. Use pullouts, keep the required distances, and use binoculars or a telephoto lens.

How far should you stay from wildlife in Yellowstone?

Stay at least 100 yards, or 91 meters, from bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards, or 23 meters, from all other wildlife. If an animal moves because of you, you are too close. If an animal moves closer to you, back away. Do not approach or feed wildlife.

Do you need a permit for hiking, boating or fishing in Yellowstone?

Day hiking does not need a backcountry permit, but overnight backcountry camping does, and a designated campsite is required. Boating and fishing are permit regulated, with separate Yellowstone permits. Check current park pages before a trip.

What can you do in Yellowstone in winter?

In winter, most interior roads are open only to oversnow travel, so main activities are guided snowcoach and snowmobile trips, skiing and snowshoeing, and wildlife viewing along the year round northern road from Gardiner to Cooke City. Checked on 28 October 2026, oversnow travel for the 2026 to 2027 season was set to start on 15 December 2026, after most roads closed to regular vehicles on 1 November 2026.

Is Yellowstone open all year?

Yes, but access changes by season. Most roads close to regular vehicles in early November, oversnow travel runs from mid December to mid March in a typical year, and roads reopen in stages in spring. The road from Gardiner through Mammoth Hot Springs and Lamar Valley to Cooke City stays open year round, weather permitting.

What historic places can you visit in Yellowstone?

The Old Faithful Inn area, with its 1903 to 1904 log hotel and visitor education center, and the Fort Yellowstone area at Mammoth Hot Springs are the most accessible historic places. The Tribal Heritage Center at Old Faithful presents Indigenous artists, scholars and presenters. Check current program schedules before a visit.

Keep reading: How Big Is Yellowstone National Park?

Sources & references

• National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, "Things To Do", https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/things2do.htm (opened 28 October 2026)
• National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, "Hydrothermal Features", https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/hydrothermal-features.htm (opened 28 October 2026)
• National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, "Old Faithful", https://home.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/exploreoldfaithful.htm (opened 28 October 2026)
• National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, "Wildlife", https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/wildlife.htm (opened 28 October 2026)
• National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, "Photography and Wildlife Watching" safety tips, via search summary of https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/photography.htm (wildlife distances and pullout guidance; page itself not opened in full in this pass, see ledger)
• National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, "Canyon Village and the Grand Canyon", https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/canyonplan.htm (canyon length, falls heights and viewpoints; via search summary, see ledger)
• National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, "West Thumb, Grant, and the South", https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/westthumbgrantvillage.htm (West Thumb caldera age, lake shape and basin facts; via search summary, see ledger)
• National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, news release 21 October 2026, "Most Yellowstone National Park Roads and Entrances Close Nov. 1, 2026, for Winter Season", https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/26026.htm (road closure and oversnow dates; via search summary, see ledger)
• National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, "Snowmobiling", https://home.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/snowmobiling.htm (oversnow travel only in winter; via search summary, see ledger)
• United States Geological Survey, Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, "Yellowstone's thermal areas, by the numbers", https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/yellowstones-thermal-areas-numbers (opened 28 October 2026)
• United States Geological Survey, Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, "The largest thermal area in Yellowstone National Park: Lower Geyser Basin", https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/largest-thermal-area-yellowstone-national-park-lower-geyser-basin (via search summary; used only for general thermal area context, see ledger)