Hello and welcome to episode 14 of the Ready Set Depart Podcast. We are so glad you’re here!

Let me ask you a question. If you could only visit one National Park in your lifetime… would you pick Yellowstone? Let me tell you why you absolutely should with a few do’s and don't's of Yellowstone. 

Do go to Yellowstone even if you only have one day.

Yellowstone is huge - it’s bigger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined - but most of the really great sights are on one of the circle roads, so it’s doable in one day. Albeit a long day. 

So do go if you only have a day.

But don’t go without a plan.

If you want to make sure that you see the best things that Yellowstone has to offer, click the link at the top of the page to download a Yellowstone Stops map to help you know what is a must see and what you can stop at if you want to.

Do go to Old Faithful Geyser. 

While Yellowstone doesn’t have the only geysers in the world, they are the most reliable, and arguably the easiest to get to. There are over 300 geysers in the park, and as we saw a few years ago, more forming all the time.

The biggest and most famous one is Old Faithful. Old Faithful is easy to get to, there’s lots of parking, there is a WONDERFUL visitor center, and it’s as it says, faithful. It will erupt every 60-110 minutes 90% of the time. So it’s great to take your kids to. 

So do go to Old Faithful!

But don't go for the shade. 

You will be out in the open with little to no shade as you wait for Old Faithful to erupt, so dress accordingly.

Do watch for wildlife!

I think it's safe to say that you WILL see bison. You WILL see elk. You probably will see deer. You might see bears - grizzly or black. And you have a chance to see wolves. 

Isn't that amazing?

There are grizzly bears and black bears in Yellowstone and people do see them often. We unfortunately haven’t had the opportunity to see either type of bear yet, but we do look forward to seeing one from the relative safety of our car.

And can we talk a little more about wolves! Oh how we would love to see a wolf. Wolves were controversially reintroduced into Yellowstone in 1995 and they have flourished. Now the Lamar Valley in the Northeast section of the Park is a great place to hear or even see a wolf in the wild. According to the National Park website, as of December 2024, there are approximately 120 wolves in Yellowstone in 9 packs.

I heard someone say that if you have to ask if you saw a wolf or a coyote, it was a coyote because wolves are HUGE! I’ve seen lots of coyotes and I look forward to seeing something that much bigger!

There is a picture on our website from the National Park Service. It shows a fox, coyote, and wolf. The wolf is nearly twice as big as the coyote! It's amazing!

The last time we went to Yellowstone when Trooper was nearly 1, the first animal we saw was a HUGE male bison walking alongside the road. It was as big as our SUV and didn’t have a care in the world. Trooper didn’t seem to care but boy was it memorable for the rest of us!

It is estimated that there are 5,400 bison in Yellowstone in two different herds. While this isn’t the only place you can see bison, it is one of the best places to see them. In fact, bison have been in the Yellowstone area since prehistoric times. 

And yes, I will always call them bison, though others call them buffalo. The big hairy animals you see in Yellowstone are American Bison. Why not just call them buffalo? Well, technically, a buffalo is a completely different animal. There are Water Buffalo in Asia and Cape Buffalo in Africa, which are similar looking, but they aren’t closely related. Is that enough of a soap box? Sorry!

Whatever you call them, seeing a herd of bison in Yellowstone is pretty great.

There are up to 20,000 elk in Yellowstone in the summer, making it the most abundant large animal there. Elk are all over the park and you’ll often see them sitting around a building - basically anywhere they want to be. It is pretty amazing to see a HUGE animal, the males are about 2000 pounds, just sitting in the shade next to the door to the gift shop!

Do go to see the animals. 

But don't bug the animals!

These are not animatronics that you see in Disney or tame animals you'd see at a petting zoo. They truly are wild animals who have their own brains and while they are used to humans, that doesn't mean that they won't hurt you so take your telephoto lens and stay back! 

There have been quite a few people who have been gored lately and you don't want to be one of those!

Here is a picture from the National Park association of how far away you should stay from wild animals! 

There's also a thing called an “animal traffic jam” in Yellowstone. This is when people stop and often get out of their cars to see the animals that they don't normally see. This is understandable but can be really dangerous! Taking a picture from your car with a telephoto lens will be just like being out there so stay in your car!

Respect the animals and keep yourself safe too!

Do go to the Visitor Centers!

Visitor Centers are one of the reasons I love National Parks and Yellowstone has some good ones! The main Visitor Center near Old Faithful is a newer building with a HUGE wall of windows so you can watch the geyser erupt from an air conditioned building. 

There are always great rangers in the Visitor Centers. You can often find little museums or videos. And, as Trooper will talk about, you can get the Junior Ranger booklet at any Visitor Center.

And, there are great flushy toilets, which are imperative for the littles!

But don't forget to bring your patience when you're looking for a parking space in the summer!

There are a lot of parking spaces near the Visitor Centers but they fill up quickly, especially in the summer! So do bring your patience!

Speaking of summer…

Do go to Yellowstone in the spring, summer, or fall

Summer is the busiest time for the Park, but spring and fall can be amazing times to visit! Remember spring comes later and the snow comes earlier at 8,000 feet, but the cooler temperatures and smaller crowds make those times amazing.

So do go in the spring, summer, or fall.

But don’t forget about the winter.

The park is still open in the winter, but it is more limited. In some places, snowmobiles are the only form of transportation available. If you are fans of snow and cold, I hear that winter is the perfect time to go. (You see, I’m not a fan of snow and cold most of the time so I couldn’t tell you!)

Do drive the Lower Loop.

The main roads in Yellowstone form a sort of figure 8. The Upper Loop, which is about 70 miles, the Lower Loop, which is 96 miles, or the Grand Loop, which is both combined and is about 142 miles around.

If you only have a day, stick to the Lower Loop. It has most of the best places to go.

Places like:

• Old Faithful

• Fountain Paint Pots (which is as cool as it sounds)

• Yellowstone Falls (Lower Falls is the best)

• Norris Geyser Basin (think a huge valley dotted with geyser)

• Artists Paintpots (which is cooler than it sounds)

• Grand Prismatic Spring (where you will see all the colors of the rainbow)

• But, not Biscuit Basin at this time (in July 2024, there was a hydrothermal eruption and as of July 2025, it is still closed)

So do drive the lower loop!

But don’t think Google knows what it’s saying!

We LOVE Google Maps. We’ve used it all over the world and it has been so reliable, BUT Google Maps doesn’t take into account the animal traffic or finding parking spaces when it tells you how long it will take you to go from point a to point b in the Park. It’s going to take longer. Just keep that in mind.

Do enjoy the lakes, rivers, and streams, especially if you like to fish!

There are so many beautiful places to drown a worm or dip a fly in the park. While I don’t like to fish, I do often want to put some waders on and stand out in the middle of the stream. It looks so peaceful. 

Do enjoy fishing in the Park.

But don’t ignore the rules.

Fishing in Yellowstone is totally different than fishing in any of the 3 states it is in. If you are 16 years old or older, you have to buy a Yellowstone fishing license. If you are 15 or younger, and like to fish as much as Trooper does, you have 2 options. Option 1 is to fish with someone who has a license. Option 2 is for them to get a free license that is signed for by a responsible adult.

But, I would suggest that you take a look at the Yellowstone National Park website before your visit to make sure nothing has changed.

Do go for the hiking!

There are over 1,000 miles of hiking trails in Yellowstone, from easy to very hard. Since we travel with a lot of different ages, we often go for the easier hikes. 

We liked walking out to the Grand Prismatic Spring, though next time, I want to hike up to the viewpoint. We have hiked all around the Old Faithful area. And we’ve hiked to viewpoints for the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls.

Next time, we’ll try some different ones! Take a look at the Park’s website for all of the hiking options.

So do go for the hiking!

But don’t forget to be prepared.

Yellowstone is at a decent elevation - 8,000 feet - so remember that there isn’t as much oxygen as you might be used to. And the sun is more intense. So bring your 10 essentials, and plenty of water when you’re hiking.

Do go to the cute places outside of the Park

Yellowstone National Park is in 3 different states - Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. While you can stay in the park, we prefer to stay in one of the cute towns outside the park. West Yellowstone, which is just outside the west entrance to the Park, is our favorite. We stayed in the cutest little cabins one time when we went before Trooper was born. 

There are tons of vacation rentals outside the park as well. 

So do experience some of the wild west outside the park!

But don’t forget to make sure those places have flushy toilets!

Because they don’t all have that. Have I mentioned that I’m outside-y, not outdoorsy and I’m a fan of flushy toilets!

Do go for the history!

Yellowstone National Park is the first national park that was created in 1872. That is 153 years of history in one park that is 2.2 million acres. The lodges are from a different time and well worth the tour! This National Park feels a little bit different because it’s been around so long.

So do go for the history.

But don’t forget the natural wonder.

There is a reason that Theodore Roosevelt made Yellowstone the first national park. There are so many things to see and do in Yellowstone that you can’t anywhere else.

If you can only go to one National Park - make it Yellowstone! It’s the one that started it all! As I said, we’ve been there quite a few times and it’s still a place that calls to us. Does it call to you?

Before we leave, let’s review:

• Do go—even if you only have one day. Focus on the Lower Loop.

• Don’t go without a plan. Grab our Yellowstone Stops Map here.

• Do visit Old Faithful—it's iconic, reliable, and great for kids.

• Don’t expect shade—bring hats, sunscreen, and water.

• Do watch for wildlife like bison, elk, bears, and maybe even wolves.

• Don’t get close to animals—stay in your car and use a telephoto lens.

• Do check out the Visitor Centers for rangers, restrooms, and Junior Ranger booklets.

• Don’t forget your patience—especially when parking in summer!

• Do visit in spring, summer, or fall.

• Don’t write off winter if you're into snowy adventures.

• Do enjoy hiking, fishing, and exploring.

• Don’t forget the elevation and sun exposure. Stay hydrated and take breaks.

• Do explore the cute towns outside the park.

• Don’t assume the vacation rentals have flushy toilets!

• Do take in the history and natural wonder. This is the original national park!

There is truly no other place like Yellowstone. Plan ahead, be respectful of nature, and you’ll leave with memories your family will talk about for years. 

And don’t forget to grab our free map and tips