We visited Yellowstone National Park in late August/early September of 2022, just a few months after the flooding that destroyed North Yellowstone. As of today's date, only the North entrance is closed off however, everything below was easily assessed through the West entrance unless stated otherwise.
We stayed in Island Park, Idaho which is about a 25 minute drive to the West entrance. We "glamped" (honestly just camping with a mattress) at a company called Wander Camp. It was pretty expensive for what you get, but you are paying for the overall experience. There is not much nearby in terms of food or stays, so unless you want McDonalds, Subway, or a local pub (Slippery Otter) - then I would definitely pack food.
If I were to do this again, I would have just stayed at one of the accommodations located in Yellowstone itself.
While driving around Yellowstone, I did notice quite a few Escape Camper Van rentals. Although I have never used this company, I would recommend looking into it as it seemed to be a very popular option. They can be picked up/dropped up in many different locations across the US.
One thing you will notice around Yellowstone is Bear Spray - essentially pepper spray that sprays way farther and will protect you from a bear attack. Most of these bottles were about $60 and we did not end up purchasing it. If you are visiting the places below, then there really is no need because they are very touristy & not secluded however; if you feel safer, than buy it. With that being said, definitely prepare for most of your stops to be pretty busy with tourists - parking may be sparse.
Lastly, when exploring Yellowstone keep in mind that everything will take longer than expected. One of my favorite parts of the park was the fact that bison would be roaming on the open roads at any given time. Between the unexpected jams caused by traffic or wildlife, and the fact that you may stay somewhere longer to take in the beauty, definitely add some wiggle room to your day rather than having it overflow with activities.
The suggestions you see below took the entire day and was pretty draining, but we really did want to see as much as possible in those 2 days. Personally, I think 2-3 days is the perfect amount of time to see many places within Yellowstone but you could always stay longer!
Keep in mind that the North Western states are full of huckleberries & huckleberry flavored EVERYTHING. It just tastes like a normal berry, but definitely part of the fun if you can get your hands on any of the huckleberry treats.
All sights that have an *astrics next to them are the ones that I recommend the most.
SOUTHERN LOOP: We called day 1 the Southern Loop as it includes many sights located in the South-West section of Yellowstone, starting and ending at the West entrance.
Lower Geyser Basin - Includes many cool geysers. Our first stop and the perfect way to start the road trip!
*Grand Prismatic Springs - One of the most popular places in Yellowstone. So bright and full of color.
*Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail - Located on the Fairy Falls Trailhead, this is an easy ~1 mile hike up a small mountain that overlooks the Grand Prismatic Spring. I recommend doing this "hike" after going to the spring itself, as the view from the top is better. You can also hike to the Fairy Falls, however we did not do that due to a time crunch.
*Upper Geyser Basin - The area in which Old Faithful resides. Honestly a must see as it is the most popular geyser in Yellowstone.
Old Faithful - This geyser goes off about every 90 minutes, give or take 10 minutes. The best way to figure out when it will erupt next is to check out the Old Faithful Twitter.
Morning Glory Pool - This is also located in the Upper Geyser Basin, about a flat 1-mile walk from Old Faithful. It is absolutely beautiful and I definitely recommend if you have time, especially because you will see other attractions along the way.
West Thumb Geyser Basin - Near the Yellowstone Lake, we unfortunately did not spend much time here due to time restraints but I read very good things about this area (+ it was pretty busy!).
Yellowstone Lake - There are some stops along the coast of the lake, but we drove up alongside of the lake and just enjoyed the views.
*Hayden Valley - A stunning area of rolling hills that includes hundreds of bison roaming (sometimes even on the road, which can cause traffic jams). It's just a beautiful drive and really cool to get out and see the wildlife - but be safe about it.
NORTHERN LOOP: We called day 2 the Northern Loop as it includes many sights located in the North-West section of Yellowstone, starting and ending at the West entrance.
*Grand Canyon of Yellowstone - One of the most STUNNING places I have ever been, honestly. I didn't read much about this online but that only made the view better. We did not take the staircase down for the view of the waterfall, because we opted for the short walk down to the waterfall over look - which was a great decision.
Washburn Hot Springs Overlook - Washburn is a hike you can do, but we decided to only do the overlook. The overlook was very buggy, but a beautiful view that was just a quick stop off the main road.
Tower Fall - Not something I would go out of my way to see, but nonetheless a very beautiful waterfall right off the main road. There was an option to take a small hike down the trail, but we decided to just go to the general store and stock up on some souvenirs.
Petrified Tree - Not something I would recommend as it was just a huge stump, but it is on the route so go if you must!
Lamar Valley - CLOSED DUE TO FLOOD & DESTRUCTION IN NORTH YELLOWSTONE (August 2022). This is similar to Hayden Valley, where you drive through hills and see wildlife roaming.
Boiling River Hot Spring* - CLOSED DUE TO FLOOD & DESTRUCTION IN NORTH YELLOWSTONE (August 2022). This is located in a Military area so there are general stores and civilization. This river is one that many take a quick dip into and I looked forward to it but as stated, it was closed.
*Mammoth Hot Springs: A beautiful formation of rocks with running water from top to bottom, and I have never seen anything like it. We did the entire loop, which was less than a mile and completely worth it.
*Norris Geyser Basin: One of the largest thermal basins in Yellowstone and very pretty!
Steamboat Geyser: The worlds tallest geyser, but it does not go off very often. When we visited, it went off a few months before so consider yourself very lucky if you get that experience! This Geyser is only a few minute *easy* walk from the parking lot.
Porcelain Basin Trail: This trail is another cool area located in the Norris Geyser Basin. We did not walk very far as the was our last stop on a long day but we did see the first hotspot, the Ledge Geyser (a geyser that erupts on an angle). This was a great spot because you can still see a good amount of the trail without walking very far.
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