Yellowstone National Park Tips | 5 Things to Know Before You Go!
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- Опубликовано: 25 дек 2022
- Check out these Yellowstone National Park tips before you head out on your vacation! Here are 5 things you need to know before you go! You’ll learn about the crowds, trails, lodging, when to go, and what makes this park so awesome.
0:38 Yellowstone is a huge national park
3:50 Book your lodging well in advance
8:23 Yellowstone is crowded
11:36 Yellowstone is seasonal
14:17 Yellowstone is the world’s first national park
These tips will get you started with your Yellowstone trip plans, but you can get a fully planned, hour-by-hour trip itinerary here: www.dirtinmyshoes.com/yellows...
My goal is to make national park trip planning easy!
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⭐️ Yellowstone Ultimate Trip Planning Guide: www.dirtinmyshoes.com/yellows...
⭐️ Yellowstone Itinerary: www.dirtinmyshoes.com/yellows...
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Great video - thanks for posting! Hope to go go next year.
Thank you for letting me know!😊
You said it on that last tip! The place is ALIVE! You are right about the energy and vibe there, that park kicks it up a knotch
It does!
Very informative. Thanks for the video. Planning to go this month.
Have fun!
Thank you so much for posting about your experiences in Yellowstone! Tammy and I will look into your website to study more as we prepare to plan our trip in 2024.
You're welcome! Reach out if you have any questions as you plan.
Great video really helpful 👍
Great talk on Yellowstone, we learned a lot.
Thanks!
Thank you for your enthusiasm and guidance. It has been 39 years since we visited Yellowstone (our daughter was 2 1/2), and that was just for a couple days en route to Alaska in our old VW bus. It was early September and we drove north from the Park in a blizzard. This June we are planning a week in Yellowstone and hope to spend most of it out of the car. I'll be prepared not to be frustrated by traffic, aiming to start our days early, before the mass of people, and finishing late.
I'm excited for you!
So helpful video!!!!! Thank you 🙏 ❤
You're welcome!
So nice! Very picturesque views. Btw I am watching you from Russia!
Great tips, thanks!
You're welcome!
Yosemite is my favorite NP but Yellowstone is right up there.
EXCELLENT!
Thanks for watching!
I was there 11 years ago for 4 days and definitely not enough times to explore the park. Don't even think about staying at a hotel outside of a park because it is too far to drive back and forth. I stayed at 3 different cabins to save time during the trip. At the end of the day, I just drove to the next cabin (about an hour drive) and moved on to the next site in the morning. It was below freezing at night time during the early September month so be prepared for it. It was such an amazing place.
You can see a ton in four days, but I agree, it will not feel like enough time! I'm there yearly and still wish for more time when I go!
Thk you so much
You're welcome!
Good presentation. We will purchase an itinerary.
Enjoy!
You might mention the speed limit in the park. That would also help people understand that you can’t get from one place to another quickly.
So true :)
(Looks Around) Didn't notice any signs maybe i was driving 2 fast!
The speed limit is 45 mph everywhere in the park and drops to 25 mph near every turnoff for attraction parking areas. In Winter, snowmobile tours are limited to 35 mph.
Booked my end of August stay at Grant Village just 2 weeks ago. Lucky I guess... :)
Yes!
If you want to see parts of the park when few people are about, the best time is in Winter, on a snowcoach or snowmobile tour. It is an all day tour. West Yellowstone and Jackson are the main bases for these tours and you don't have to worry about parking jams. The bison are often on or next to the road. The thermal features are extra steamy and hardly anyone else is going to be close to your tour group. I have gone into the park with a snowmobile tour group several times and I went in on a snowcoach last February with my sister and handicapped nephew. All of those trips have been wonderful.
Such a unique experience!
how much is the tour please
This video is informative!
A pity that such information technology of the World Wide Web didn't exist back in the 1980s when I was planning a _motorcycle trip_ to Yellowstone.
As it was, I was going to travel there near clueless about the realities of the Park; where I planned to camp there the entire time.
I never made the trip, as a back injury had me canceling the plans I had made for that August 1982. The lingering effects of the back injury was such that I never made the trip in the future.
But, from what I found out afterwards, that injury preventing me for motorcycle travel was a blessing. I phoned the ranger station in September of '82 [as email technology didn't exist] to ask a ranger what the August weather was like. She informed me they had afternoon rain showers on most days.
Other aspects that I benefited from that canceled trip:
The distance of the trip would have physically hammered me. It's one thing to cruise around 75 miles on a motorcycle for a single day's ride, but a completely different reality [as I found out years later] of doing several hundred miles of travel on consecutive days; as motorcycling riding, with its noise, wind, and vibrations, is physically hard when compared to driving a car on long distances. Driving oneself to physical soreness and exhaustion is not what vacation time is all about.
Lastly, I never considered the aspect of wildlife in Yellowstone. Thanks to YT videos, I have a better awareness nowadays of the herds of bison and other large four-legged wildlife in the park, it would have made motorcycle travel a hazardous endeavor.
As bummed out as I was in that year when I canceled my motorcycle trip to Yellowstone, in hindsight, there must have been a guardian angel looking after me to prevent that trip.
Sometimes things work out in ways you least expect them to! I hope you're able to get to the park sometime!
Thank you for sharing! My plan is to go next summer. I have a truck camper, do you have a video for truck camping and spots to go too?
You'll find a video all about camping in Yellowstone in my Yellowstone Playlist here on YT!
Great video, especially about the different times of the year. If I had to give one piece of advice to first-time visitors to the park is to pack a cooler full of sandwiches and snacks. You are not going to find a lot of restaurants in the park. Definitely no fast food. And depending on when you visit, the few restaurants there are may not be open. Also, be sure to bring a paper map as there is little to no cell service in the park, so GPS is not always an option!
Thanks!
@@DirtInMyShoes GPS isn't dependent on cell service so I'd recommend downloading the Yellowstone area on Google Maps so even when you don't have cell service, you'll still be able to use your GPS to navigate.
@@RaysLongoria Good tip!
Went there when I was 4 years old. I just turned 46 today, and I’ll be going back soon in October.
Good video, God bless.✝️😎👍🏻
That's so exciting!
Appreciate your advice. If we have a week planned, would it be best to fly into Bozeman and work our way down through the park and then hit Grand Teton before flying out of Jackson Hole? And if we could stay in 2 different places outside the park, which 2 to divide up the driving?
Yes, that works! I have a full article about where to stay on Dirt In My Shoes. That will help you determine where to stay outside the park based on your trip plan!
The best time to visit Yellowstone is thirty years ago. Today, it is as much fun as visiting the LA freeway at rush hour. We were driving through the park when we spotted a bear and cubs about 150 yards from the road. Within two or three minutes there were 100 cars stopped. Traffic was backed up for miles. People were out of their cars. Cameras lined the road. Within another few minutes the rangers showed up, told everyone to get back in their cars AND LEAVE. Everyone had to leave. Many were parked along the side of the road, and I can understand that, but we were well off the road in our car (never got out), in a paved turnout on the opposite side of the road from the bear who never got closer to the road. Didn't matter. Had to leave. Immediately. Even though the big ranger truck was parked (half in the road) in such a way that we couldn't see to pull out safely. I asked for help to pull out and was ignored. No where to back up until the vehicle behind me left, but who knew where the driver was? A minute later the ranger came stomping back over like I was in trouble when I pointed at his truck. I was told, "Back up!" I said, "No where to back up!" Then finally helped guide me out. Some folks were still out of their cars taking pictures, and illegally parked, but I seemed the priority even though legally parked in a turnout! I guess because I was in my car! Next thing I know they are crackershelling that poor bear and cubs who were interested in nothing more than the sweet grass in the meadow. KA-BAM! KA-BAM! The bears are running in a panic over the hill. They were never much closer than 150 yards! As I drove away some folks were still out of their cars having ignored multiple instructions to get in them and leave.
I used to feel that way about Yellowstone, but I don't anymore. Now I have great luck losing the crowds and having an enjoyable experience in the park...even these days!
My parents are here in Canada, we want to visit Yellowstone next weekend 5-6 april 😢 so sad yo ear that
i just reserved 1 day at Mammoth and 2 days Lake Yellowstone 1 month out.
Awesome! People often cancel as it gets closer to the summer -- glad you were able to snatch something up!
We camp on a tents, many of the sites allowed one 12x12, or two 8x8, we have two, 10x10, do you think it's possible to accommodate those? Thanks for your video
It's going to depend on the site, but usually those tent pad sizes are pretty accurate. I don't think you'll be able to fit two 10x10 if it says that. Your tent has to be on the pad or on the pavement, so if you only have one vehicle at your site, you may be able to fit your second tent next to your vehicle. But that will depend on the driveway length as well.
I’m going in May for just a couple days and will be also visiting Grand Teton. I plan on staying in Livingston Mt and waking up early morning of May 15 I believe to see Lamar valley sunrise. Which side of Yellowstone takes longer to traverse and see - because I plan on driving down to Grand Teton and staying a night in Jackson and then the next day heading back up through Yellowstone (I was thinking the west side where Old faithful is since it seems like there is a little less to see compared to the east side which has the Grand Canyon, Lamar Valley, Hayden Valley etc.) what do you recommend?
If you're already in the Lamar Valley, it would make more sense to drive down the east side of the park to Grand Teton rather than driving to the west side and down. You could drive up the west side on your way back up from Grand Teton though.
Do you have any insights into which campgrounds will be open this summer? Right now it is listing most as closed due to the flood damage from last summer.
The campgrounds with open dates that are still being determined are the ones in the northern part of the park where the flooding was the worst. They probably won't release info about those ones until it gets closer to the summer. You can make reservations in most of the other ones right now, though, so I'd at least reserve something while you wait for the park to decide what they are going to do about those flooded campgrounds!
@@DirtInMyShoes Thanks!
Can you ride bikes in Yellowstone to get around. We'll be in an RV and would rather not back up daily?
Yeah, sure! Yellowstone is huge though, so you'll have to go quite far to get between the various sections of the park. And the roads are often narrow without a good shoulder. You can find our more about biking in Yellowstone here: www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/bicycling.htm Have fun!
Visiting at the end of May. Are the roads usually cleared out by then? I drive a prius so snow on the roads is a major issue. Maybe I should wait.
They are usually clear and open by then, but sometimes it still snows in May. The weather can be a little iffy that time of year!
The Prius actually does very well on icy roads. I have one. As long as it's not deep snow.
😊 thanks for sharing this , I have also some questions about it.
1. What kind of things you can bring in your backpack? I don't what a 🐻 chasing me for an apple 😂.
2. Best time to visit the park?
3. Blisters 😮 How can you avoid it? What kind of shoes do you wear usually?
😊 Any other advice that you can provide me? I'm from Costa Rica. Thank you for your help.
You can hike with food, just be sure to keep your pack within arms reach at all times. You'll find a full article about the best time to visit on dirtinmyshoes.com. I hike in Oboz or Merrells. I hope you have a great time!
What about car camping? Would that be okay? Is there a designated area to explore in a 4x4? Thanks in advance.
I have a full video about camping in Yellowstone. But you can't just park anywhere and camp in your car. They patrol and will ticket you!
more of a question actually...web site states that it is not recommended to hike places like avalanche peak in sept due to bear activity... its one of the places id love hike... how bad of an idea would this be? your videos are great.. thanks for any info.
There are a lot of bears in that area. I can't say either way...that would be a very personal decision. But I definitely wouldn't solo hike if the park is concerned about bears in the area.
those bison look very friendly! i want to pet one!
haha terrible idea!
Stay away! Death can occur around wild animals.
Norris campground has been closed for several years- and has no schedule to re-open
Yes, I know. But it will open again eventually :)
Are the campgrounds (tents/campers) also that competitive?? 4:30
Yes!
Hey sorry i know this is old post and good video! As a Canadian citizen do you know what a person “needs” to fish in Yellowstone by chance? It’s very tough to find online and to find what you need exactly…
You'll need to get a Yellowstone National Park Fishing Permit on recreation.gov. Have fun!
@@DirtInMyShoes perfect! Thank you very much for the reply
Hi.. thank you for your tips! I’m planning to go there and spend about a day… I also plan to stay at Bozeman and start to the park early morning (like at 7.30am)… I also plan to see the major spots (old faithful, artist point, mammoth springs)… do you think it’s a good idea? Thanks!
Sounds like fun! Bozeman works, but if you can stay in Gardiner or West Yellowstone, you'll cut down on a lot of drive time!
@@DirtInMyShoes thank you for your response!!
@@skyeshwin Of course!
Where is the best spot to park if I stay in west Yellowstone?
@@DirtInMyShoes My wife and myself just came back from a 2900 mile 6 day road trip to Sioux Falls-badlands-wall-mt Rushmore-needles highway-big horn national forest scenery- Cody-Yellowstone-riverton-scottsbluff monument-Sandhills byway-Lincoln all the way from Springfield MO! I watched a few videos of yours beforehand that were useful! Thank you for giving super good info about the locations and your guidance to navigate this terrain! We stayed at the Roosevelt lodge cabin for a night inside Yellowstone. Wyoming is stunning and the badlands and the black hills were awesome as well. we’ll cherish this trip for a long time. Thanks again!
Is it possible to visit Yellowstone this April 9-14?
You can go, but many roads are still closed at that time.
I think it's insane to have to book inside the park lodging 13 months in advance. So many people can't know ehat they're going to do and need that far in advance
Because of that, you can often find cancellations as it gets closer to your trip. But those rooms do get snatched up really fast...it's a very competitive national park!
I have been to the park more than a dozen times. I advise taking at least 1 week to visit and stick to an itinerary. I have a 36' Class A RV with a Ford Focus in tow. I usually start out staying 2 days in RV Park in Mammoth, then 3 in Canyon and 2 in Madison campgrounds. I use the car to visit the various sites from there.
Thank you for the advice of calculating average time by 2. I'm planning on visiting the week after Memorial weekend (Monday, Sept 9th 2024). My plan is to visit a week after Memorial weekend when most visitors and/or their kids go back to school. Is that a reasonable plan, or am I likely to swap overcrowding of one demographic for another?
That's a nice time to be there, the weather just can be a little unpredictable, so expect to be surprised :)
Have you been to Grand Tetons - do people move between the two?
Yes, most people visit both. I have a ton of Grand Teton info on dirtinmyshoes.com, and I'll be releasing some videos for Grand Teton in the near future!
@@DirtInMyShoes thank you
How many nights is too many to camp in Yellowstone? What’s your advice? We are bringing 2 children but we all love to camp.
I'm not sure there's such a thing as too many nights in Yellowstone! But to get through all of the main can't-miss activities, I would suggest 5 nights/4 full days.
I believe from Memorial Day to Labor Day the limit is 14 days. The rest of the year the limit is 30 days. That would be for the calendar year. Most of the campgrounds require reservations well in advance. A few have first come, first served sights that fill fast. Norris, the largest remaining first come campground, is closed this year I believe.
We are from Tasmania, and thinking maybe October? Is your itinerary suitable for October?
October is very unpredictable, so I don't recommend my itinerary at that time in case the snow comes in and you're not able to follow the schedule :)
Hello I am visiting Yellowstone national park in September what are the chances that it will snow in the middle part of September because I hear it’s a good month to go to Yellowstone if it doesn’t snow
Yellowstone in September can be fantastic, but snow is definitely possible at that time!
Can anyone suggest a good town to airbanb near the park. We are comming from Colorado thru Wyoming side.
You'll find a lot of info about where to stay here: www.dirtinmyshoes.com/where-should-i-stay-while-visiting-yellowstone/
One thing I would add to the driving time is it can take you 30 minutes to go a half mile like it did me and my wife. We were traveling to West Yellowstone from Old Faithful and traffic was at a near standstill about 5 miles east of West Yellowstone due to a herd of bison on the highway. You don't honk at a Bison or tail gate it if you're smart.😊
So true!
So, today is July 16. I want to camp during the last two weeks of August. With my dog. I'm getting the feeling that's not gonna work?
You might be able to snatch up someone's cancellation :)
@@DirtInMyShoes Thank you ma'am, if nothing else I'll just drive back to town or find a boondocking spot outside of the park! Have a great day! 🐻🐻🐻
Where do you suggest staying? Lodging in the park is very expensive. Around 300 dollars a night. We are in North Carolina and just starting to put prices together. With airfare, rental car, lodging, food, gas etc, we are at 4000 dollars for a week out there. We can go to Europe for that.
You'll find a better range of prices outside of the park. I suggest the West Entrance for easy access to the park without staying inside.
I'm taking my family this coming week and we are staying in Island Park, Idaho.
Just start the video at 6:07
I talked to one of my friends this afternoon on the phone. He wants to go to Yellow Stone in August. He asked me if I wanted to go. I told him it would be my first time out of the state of Colorado since 1998. But hearing you say that you have to book 13 months in advance and spending over half of your vacation in the car, doesn't look like a vacation I want to take. Plus my friend said this wasn't official yet. So I'm not sure if I want to go.
A good plan will change everything about your experience in that park! Just don't show up without a plan, and you'll have a fabulous time!
@@DirtInMyShoes I'll talk to my friend Chris on Monday. He's the one that is planning this. Thank you for replying back. You sound like a nice lady.
@@howardcunniffe8738 you're welcome!
Go go go go!!!! I’ve gone in June, September and leaving Sunday(May 28). There is never a bad experience and we didn’t notice traffic jams too much. It’s a very spiritual feeling to see the beauty of this place. No one should think they can see it all even if you go every year.
Shockingly, in July 2022, there were no crowds or traffic jams on the roads at least on certain days. But the park is notorious for crowds during the peak season, absolutely!
So many people cancelled their trips to Yellowstone in July of 2022 because of the massive flooding event at the end of June that year. That's probably why it felt a little quieter!
@@DirtInMyShoes That's probably why. Ironically, very little was actually still closed then, at least by mid-July. People may have been overly cautious in their cancellations.
How many days should be enough to visit Yellowstone?
4 to see all the main sights. You'll find a full article about this on dirtinmyshoes.com!
@@DirtInMyShoes thanks
Is it a bad idea to commute to and tour Yellowstone on a motorcycle?
Many people do that! When I worked for the park service, we always saw big groups coming through on motorcycles. It would be a cool way to experience the park!
I think it is an excellent idea depending, probably, on the time of the year/weather. I was there in June 2008 on my return trip to Louisiana from Alaska on my KLR650. I camped (no reservation) one night. I traversed the park from N to S. Really had no plan of where to go as I was completely unfamiliar with the park but I got to see quite a few of the “natural attractions” (geyser, canyon area and falls, mud volcano, black dragon’s caldron, etc), fantastic scenery and wildlife. At some point I was stopped in traffic with massive bison walking a few feet from me -it was a little freaky cause there was quite a few calves and wasn’t sure if the moms would take kindly to a motorcycle. Crowds/traffic not really bad, weather was great, some snow on the side of the road on the south side leaving the park (don’t know if this was normal, but then again I got into a pretty good snow storm in White Horse a few days before on my way down). Wish I had taken more time.
Just be aware that bears and bison can get near the motorcycles. It's fun though if you stay vigilant and observant.
Should you be worried about the caldera thats due for a eruption
No :)
Yellowstone is a beautiful place and a dangerous
Seems like you'll need about a week just to see everything.
You can see the main sights in 4 days, but a week is better!
Well, I thought I wanted to go. But it sounds like a money suck surrounded by what I don't want to see. People.
It's busy, but not if you have a good schedule. I used to hate visiting Yellowstone until I figured out the timing of when to be where, and now it's one of my absolute favorites. It can be done without feeling like you're surrounded by people :)
Great video - thanks for posting! Hope to go go next year.
Exciting!