Plan Your Yellowstone Trip
By Brian D. Russ · How I Research These Guides
Partly open
Most Park Roads Closed to All Vehicles; Biscuit Basin Closed Due to Hydrothermal Explosion (and 1 more)
Checked November 5, 2026. See alerts and current conditions
Yellowstone is the size of a small state, and the most common planning mistake is booking a room hours from what you came to see. Its roads open and close by the season, Old Faithful keeps its own schedule, and the wildlife works dawn and dusk.
Pick your season first, then your base, then the days. Drive times here are longer than they look. Everything I've written about the park is collected below.
When to Go
Month by month, with what's open and whether the trip is worth it.
- Visiting Yellowstone National Park in November 2026: What's Open After the Roads Close
- Visiting Yellowstone National Park in December 2026: Roads, Snowcoaches, and What's Open
Camping
How to get a site, and what to do if you can't.
With Kids
What works with children, where to stay, and what to skip.
Day Trips
Drive times and routes from nearby cities.
- Yellowstone Day Trip From Jackson: Drive Times, Winter Closure, and Tips
- Yellowstone Day Trip From Bozeman: Drive Times, Winter Roads, and Tips
Road Trips Through Yellowstone
Longer routes that include this park.
- Yellowstone and Grand Teton Road Trip: Jackson to Bozeman, Leg By Leg
- Glacier to Yellowstone Road Trip: Crossing Montana to the Tetons
- Cross-Country National Parks Road Trip: Acadia to Olympic in 12 Parks
The Guide
When you're ready to plan the days themselves, my Yellowstone guide has nine ready-made itineraries for one to three days at easy, moderate, and strenuous effort. You can read a sample from it first.
This page is independent. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service.