Yellowstone National Park
United States, North America
The earth is alive here, and it smells like it.
The ground hisses. Steam rises from cracks in the earth between patches of snow and pools the colour of boiled candy. Old Faithful is the famous one, but the smell of sulphur and the bubbling mud pots of the Norris Basin are what actually stay with you. This whole landscape sits on a supervolcano, and the park makes no effort to let you forget it.
Our honest take
Yellowstone rewards the early risers and punishes the late arrivals. July and August are genuinely miserable: gridlocked roads, parking lots full by 8am, and boardwalks shoulder-to-shoulder. May and September give you the same geysers, the same wolves in Lamar Valley, and a fraction of the people. The infrastructure is stretched thin and some roads are in rough shape.
Why go
- Lamar Valley at dawn in September: bison herds crossing the river, wolves hunting on the hillsides, and sometimes not another car in sight
- Grand Prismatic Spring from the overlook trail, where the full scale of the colour rings becomes visible and the steam shifts across the boardwalk in the wind
- Wildlife density is extraordinary: bison traffic jams are real, bear sightings are frequent, and wolves were reintroduced here in 1995 and are thriving
Skip if you can
- Driving straight to Old Faithful and leaving. It erupts every 90 minutes like clockwork, but the Norris Geyser Basin and Midway Basin are stranger and less crowded.
- The Old Faithful Inn dining room in peak season: hour-long waits for mediocre food. Pack your own lunch.
- Yellowstone Lake boat tours: expensive and the scenery from a boat is less interesting than almost any hike in the park.
Things to do
Costs
Per person, per day on the ground, lodging, food, local transport and activities. Excludes international flights (see Getting there).
Park entry: $35 per private vehicle for 7 days. Non-US residents aged 16 and over pay a further $100 each, so a car carrying four non-resident adults pays $435, not $35. The $250 America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass covers the holder plus three adults and comes out cheaper for most groups. In-park lodge rooms: $150-350/night. Campsite: $30-55/night.
Official pricingGetting there
Where to stay
Lodges book out months ahead, noisy in summer, but you're at the geysers before anyone else
Small gateway town, cheaper motels, year-round access via the only road open in winter
Most services, gas, grocery, decent range of hotels, convenient for geyser basins
Good to know
- Stay on boardwalks in thermal areas. The crust over boiling pools is thin and collapses without warning. People die here every few years.
- Bison are responsible for more injuries in the park than bears. Stay 25 yards minimum. They move fast.
- Bear spray is essential on any backcountry trail. Rent or buy at park entrance.
- Altitude ranges from 5300 to 11000 feet. Acclimatise before big hikes and carry more water than you think you need.
Prices, visa rules, and transport details may change. Always verify with official sources before booking. Last updated: August 2026.
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