A 2-3 days is best and ideal for most national parks and especially for Yellowstone National Park, however it can just depends on how you use your time and how long you are in the park. It is very possible to hike and see most of a national park in just one day if that is all you have time for.
So, if you only have 1 day in Yellowstone National park, then follow this itinerary to see the best and most of Yellowstone National Park. If you have an extra day, then take that extra day to explore the lesser-known areas where so much more beauty lies! This one-day itinerary will take you from the West entrance to the Canyon village, through Hayden Valley, the West Thumb and Old Faithful, and back out the West Entrance.
When we planned our trip, we had every intention to spend more than 1 day in Yellowstone National Park, however, due to unexpected torrential flooding a month prior, we were just thankful the park reopened at all! The flooding destroyed roads especially in the north entrance, so the north entrance was closed.
Where We Stayed
Our trip was split into two, the north and west. We had planned on staying near Emigrant, Montana since we flew into Bozeman, Montana, and had planned on exploring the northern part of Yellowstone National Park for the first full day of the trip. But, with the sudden roads and entrance closure, we did not get to explore the northern part of the park as planned, however did spend that day hiking in the Gallatin National Forest.
Did I mention how amazingly cute these cabin rentals were? SUPER! Also the sunset was everything! and let’s not forget the vast star gazing opportunities. This was my very first attempt at astrophotography and I was quite pleased considering I only spent about 15 minutes researching settings prior to the attempt. haha.
For the second portion of the adventure, we chose to stay in Driggs, Idaho. Driggs is a small town right outside of both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park. You can see much of the Grand Teton peaks when driving on the highway! We found a condo (always our preference) that slept at least 7, was quiet, and had all the amenities we needed. There are restaurants, bars, and a shopping center nearby as well as Grand Targhee Resort for additional outdoor adventures and sports.
To add to the fun, our condo was steps away from the Wyoming border! There is a little dirt road that separates Driggs, Idaho from Alta, Wymoming.
Driggs is a mere hour and half from the West Entrance of Yellowstone National Park, and 50 minutes from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the gateway to Grand Teton National park.
So it was a perfect location for our vacation!
1 Day Itinerary
Now, onto what this blog post is about! Our 1 day in Yellowstone National Park.
The biggest tip for getting the most out of any short adventure is to start extra early. Always plan on arriving at gate open times, or sunrise, whichever is earlier. We arrived at the entrance at about 6am. There were no lines to get in, the sun was already up since it was Summer, the weather during this time was warm and cold in some areas, overcast mostly, and even sprinkled a bit. So, we packed for every weather condition.
Also, every major stop we made had restrooms and they were actually quite clean with running water!
Norris Geyser Basin
Our first main stop was the Norris Geyser Basin. Here we walked round and viewed the Steamboat Geyser, the hydrothermal activities in the area, and the several hot springs. We also hiked the trail to view the Artists Paintpot from the top. The Artists Paintpot truly solidifies mother nature’s beauty.
- Steamboat Geyser Hike
- Artist Paintpots
After some time at Norris Geyser Basin, we made way over to Canyon Village. We ultimately decided to skip Mammoth Hot Springs in the north due to the extra congestion because of closed roads.
Canyon Village
Canyon Village area is home to the tallest waterfall in Yellowstone National Park and the jaw dropping Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, all a must see when visiting this national park. We made several stops here to see the waterfall from different angles and view points. We also made stops to see Upper Falls. There were plenty of available parking, so we took our time taking in every breathtaking scenery.
Some of our favorite viewpoints:
- Inspiration Point
- Artist Point
- Red Rock Trail unfortunately was closed during our visit.
While the waterfall takes the cake, do not forget the take in the breathtaking views of the canyon walls.
Hayden Valley
Lamar Valley was closed due to the flooding and road closure, so we were hopeful for some wildlife viewing in Hayden Valley.
Hayden Valley was on the way to West Thumb, so we were passing through anyhow. This day was quite overcast, even foggy at times as the clouds moved in. The weather may have played a factor in much of the wildlife coming out, because it was rather quiet except for a few bison eating in the distance.
Even with the quiet meadows, the road was busier than all the areas we drove to during this trip. A lot of drivers were driving slow to view the animals, some even stopping in the middle of the road which is extremely dangerous! There are not many pull out areas for parking so all the cars pile up on the side of the road.
Definitely be extra cautious when in Hayden Valley.
West Thumb and Old Faithful
After leaving Hayden Valley, it down-poured all the way to the West Thumb. Luckily the rain cleared up once we got to West Thumb Basin.
Here we spent the rest of the day. West Thumb is the most popular tourist areas with restaurants, hiking trails, and a grand amount of hydrothermal activities to explore.
While we chose to skip the popular Abyss Pool and Morning Glory hot spring, there were plenty of hot springs to see on foot, that it satisfied any and all fascinations one could have with hot springs.
Upper Basin and Old Faithful Geyser
We got to the Old Faith geyser parking roughly an hour before the next eruption. We took this time to eat lunch, shop, and use their restrooms.
There are designated areas for viewing the eruption of Old Faithful. As the eruption time got closer, more crowds arrived to await the eruption.
Seeing the eruption was quite beautiful in a natural scenic way. It was the only geyser eruption we witnessed on this trip and it made every challenge we had face worth it.
After viewing the eruption, we then embarked on the miles of boardwalk pathways to view hot springs, pools, vents, and other hydrothermal activities. Each hot spring is different from the other that each needs needs it’s own adoration. Each hot spring and geyser also had its own name and label.
At the end of the trail, near our parking area is a beautiful very active geyser to end our Upper Basin visit.
Biscuit Basin & Sapphire Pool
My absolute favorite hot spring in all of Yellowstone is the Sapphire pool in Biscuit Basin.
After several miles at Old Faithful, our next stop was Biscuit Basin. Biscuit Basin was a short 3 miles from Old Faithful. We chose to drive and easily found parking. Biscuit Basin has several small hydrothermal features.
The largest feature in this area is the Sapphire Pool. The pool is a couple beautiful shades of cerulean clear blue.
Midway Basin & Grand Prismatic Hot Spring
A must see and do not miss is the Grand Prismatic Hot Spring. If you have not seen this hot spring on Google Maps, do it now! It is that awesome!
The parking here was a little more challenging, but we were lucky to find one after patiently waiting.
On the ground, there is a boardwalk to safely walk the perimeter of the hot spring and examine it close up.
The more ecstatic and jaw dropping view of Grand Prismatic is a short hike away on dirt and rocky gravel. From the Fairy Falls Trailhead, the Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail will take you to the overlook 105 feet up where you can see the beautiful rainbow of colors of the hot spring.
Fun Facts: The Grand Prismatic Hot Spring is 160 feet deep and largest hot spring in the US, third in the world, and roughly 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Exit
As our day began to turn to dusk, we were exhausted. This was the downfall of scramming all the events into one day. We exit the way we came out the West Entrance.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you take some of this itinerary for yours. Always remember to obey all rules and signs of the NPS. We found cell service to work with no issue at nearly all of our stops. Lastly, remember to pack out what you packed and leave no trace.
Happy Travels!
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