Yellowstone National Park in 3 Days
As probably one of the most established national parks in the world, Yellowstone National Park has been on our list for so long, so we definitely want to go prepared and enjoy the park to the fullest.
Though there are many airports to fly to, none of them is super close to Yellowstone National Park itself. The choice will largely depend on your travel plan, such as budget, itinerary, schedule, etc. For us, we flew from LAX to Billings, rented a car from the airport and drove to Yellowstone West, the town where we stayed during our visit here.
Yellowstone National Park is well known for its figure “8” shape, though the circles make it possible to explore the park in loops, we decided the breakdown the park into 3 sections and cover a portion of it each day. Because different geysers erupt at specific times, some stops will have to be planned based on the eruption schedule of the day, so download the Yellowstone App and check eruption schedules the morning before you enter the park.
Day 1 - Geyser Basin Area
Grand Prismatic Spring | Midway Geyser Basin
Starting our visit with the iconic hot spring of Yellowstone National Park, the largest hot spring in the U.S.. The size is an astonishing factor of the spring, but the eye catching colors are just jaw-dropping and staggering.
There are 2 main ways of seeing this spring: the Grand Prismatic Spring boardwalk will give you an up close and intimate look at the hot spring (P1 below), and the Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail is a 1.2 mile round trip hiking that will lead you to a lookout point that can view the entire hot spring from higher up and afar (P2 below).
Fountain Paint Pot | Lower Geyser Basin
Yellowstone is well known for its geysers, hot springs, as well as its mud pots. The Fountain Paint Pot got its name by having mud in various colors, and though we’ve sure all seen boiling water many times in our lives, boiling mud is definitely a rare find.
Biscuit Basin Loop | Upper Geyser Basin
This short 0.7 mile scenic trail features quite a few stunning hot springs, among all Sapphire Pool is one of the most impressive springs to us. Not only the color of the spring is just as its name, the depth and clarity of it are definitely not something we could’ve imaged on our own, and yet still hard to believe even after seeing in person.
Morning Glory Pool | Upper Geyser Basin
As the very last stop on the boardwalk of Upper Geyser Basin, Morning Glory Pool takes a little effort to reach, roughly 1 mile of flat hiking from nearest parking lot. But don’t doubt it, the short hike will be well worth it because this hot spring will totally stun you - the bold contrast of colors is simply unearthly to us.
Along the 1 mile walk, there are also plenty of other geysers that will keep you entertained, we were also lucky enough to see both Castle Geyser (P1) and Grand Geyser (P2) erupt, so do check eruption schedule in advance and plan your time accordingly.
Old Faithful | Upper Geyser Basin
As humans we love it when we can have some levels of certainty, so it is very likely Old Faithful gained its fame and popularity with its easily predictable eruption schedule, known for little time variance and high reliability, well represented by its name. As the most celebrated geyser in the park, Old Faithful is something you for sure cannot miss while you’re here.
Day 2 - Mammoth Hot Springs
Gibbon Falls
Gibbon Falls was the first stop of our Day 2 itinerary, it was easily accessible being right next to the main road, and was a quick and nice stop start off our day.
Artists’ Paintpots
Artists’ Paintpots is a loop trail that consists of various hot springs, geysers, mud pots, etc. The trail has a slightly elevated hike, so you would be able to see the whole area from a higher viewpoint. The view is exactly like seeing a large scale set of paint pots dissolved in water, with that natural flow in shape and texture.
Norris Geyser Basin
This is one of the larger trails in the park with boardwalks, and is known to be the hottest thermal area here. With the area being so immense, we almost thought we were walking on a different planet, especially with those steams coming up everywhere and surreal water colors.
Roaring Mountain & Golden Gate
On our drive north, we also stopped by at Roaring Mountain (P1) and Golden Gate (P2) for some quick photos, both with easy parking and access.
Upper Terrace Drive | Mammoth Hot Springs
We recommend driving through the Upper Terrace Loop and just stop at each viewpoint that interests you. The drive is easy with only one road to follow, and there are parking lots along the way. Be ready to get in and off the car quite a few times when visiting this loop.
Lower Terrace Walk | Mammoth Hot Springs
Unlike Upper Terrace, Lower Terrace will need to be explored on boardwalks and requires a little bit of climb as it’s built on hillside. The terraces are shaped in various layers and colors, and it’s just not comparable to anything else we’ve seen, extraordinary and almost supernatural.
Day 3 - Waterfalls and Yellowstone Lake
Artist Point
Artist Point offers a classic and comprehensive view of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, where the Lower Falls is featured in the far back and connected to the rapid Yellowstone River in the canyon. The view is so panoramic that there’s no way of seeing everything in one look, it’s surprising to us that how a grand view like this can be reached with minimal effort of only a very short hike.
Red Rock Trail
This is a short yet quite steep trail that will lead you to Lower Lookout Point, where it offers a much closer view of the Lower Falls compared to Artist Point. The trail consists lots of switchbacks and amazing views along the way, so it is definitely the type of hike that you will never be bored of. The descent also makes it quite easy to reach the viewpoint, as you continue walking, the sound of the waterfalls also becomes louder and clearer. Though the way back is not an easy climb, the view and experience will be well worth the effort.
Inspiration Point
Another cliffside viewpoint of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone with minimal hiking required, this lookout point features more on the famous V shape of the canyon.
Otter Creek
Otter Creek is a nice picnic area with calming views, the area has lots of tall trees that provide sufficient shades, a perfect place for a short break or stop for the day.
Hayden Valley
Of all the famous things to see in Yellowstone National Park, wild animals are also a large part of the experience. Bisons, elks, deers, etc., come earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon, chances are you’ll see them all here!
West Thumb Geyser Basin
Ending our adventure in the park with West Thumb Geyser Basin that is along shore of the Yellowstone Lake. The loop has many famous stops such as Abyss Pool, Fishing Cone, etc. During our visit, the hot steam of the basins was so strong that it was like an outdoor sauna from time to time, but that is exactly part of this astonishing experience.
From West Thumb Geyser Basin, instead of returning to Yellowstone West, we headed down south and continued our road trip to Grand Teton National Park, stay tuned and we will soon share our experience there too!
Hotel of our stay: ClubHouse Inn West Yellowstone
Standard hotel experience, convenient location and competitive rate, meets expectations.
Click and read blog posts on other Western U.S. National Parks: