Is 2 Days in Yellowstone Enough to Capture Its Majestic Wonders?
2 Jammed Packed Days in Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone loyalists will probably blast me when I say YES! You can definitely see everything in Yellowstone NP in just two days.
How do I know?
We visited Yellowstone and managed to see all the highlights in Just 2 Days!
They will say, “You must of run through every stop, barely taking time to see any of it…” or “Sure you drove by it all, but did you really see the park”.
Well, we stopped parked hiked around the geysers, walked up to the overlook of the Grand Prismatic, visited hot springs, Larmar Valley, and more.
Did we back-country hike 10 or more miles? NOPE.
But, even with 5 days, my family and I weren’t going to do that.
Do I wish we could’ve sat and enjoyed certain features longer? Sure. I wish we had a view of the Grand Prismatic on a super sunny clear day. But, we didn’t. And a storm was blowing in so we did the best we could.
How did we See All the Hot Spots In Yellowstone?
We planned out a very detailed trip plan and then we stuck to it. Want to learn how you can plan your adventures? Then don’t miss our guide to planning a trip to Yellowstone with kids!
Want to See the Quick Run Down of Our Trip?
Yes, we got up early and into the park before 7 a.m. Do you have to get up that early? Well, on our first day, we arrived at Yellowstone NP around 2 PM. Thankfully, there was no line at the West Yellowstone entrance and we got right in.
Our campground, Grizzly West Yellowstone, was conveniently located about 2 miles from the West Yellowstone entrance. That made popping over a breeze. The only reason we were so late arriving on day 1 was that we drove in from Billings, Montana in the morning. Check out our Billings KOA review…this park was outstanding.
Crave insider tips for your Yellowstone journey? Dive into ‘Discover the Wonders of Yellowstone: The Magic of Dirt In My Shoes Itineraries and A Thrilling Review of the Park‘—your guide to expertly crafted adventures filled with fun, ease, and unforgettable moments, all revealed by a former park ranger!
Day 1 in Yellowstone National Park
We entered from West Yellowstone and loved the drive through the Christmas Tree Alley. Thanks to our Guide Along app we heard all about Teddy Roosevelt’s lack of Christmas trees in the White House! Who knew? As we arrived at the Madison Junction we took a right towards Old Faithful and began the journey through the land of geysers. Trust me Old Faithful is a long way down the road…like 15 to 20 miles.
Road miles in a National Park are like minutes to a schoolboy before lunch…the clock seems stuck on 11:45 forever!
This is kind of like Gumdrop Lane in Candyland. Where there are geysers and thermal features at every vantage point. Truly amazing to see the earth on fire. But not exactly red hot like lava.
Firehole Canyon (Side Trip 1)
Firehole Canyon is a couple-mile half loop that flows in one direction. In our case, the loop was traveling in the direction we were headed to reach Old Faithful. This canyon drive offers a brief glimpse of how spectacular this NP truly is. About two-thirds of the way through the drive is a magnificent waterfall (Firehole Falls). Fortunately, the road offers parking pull-outs for visitors to grab a quick picture of this wonder!
Continuing on our drive along the canyon road we spotted an Osprey nest and some babies. With our park experience only 30 minutes old, we knew our visit to Yellowstone was going to be Epic.
At this point, I was hoping we could see everything in Yellowstone in 2 days. My instinct told me we were going to miss out on some cool things. But we had a plan, and we kept sticking to it!
Back on Track and off toward the Lower Geyser Basin
Parking in the first geyser basin was fairly easy. The lot was crowded, but we managed to find a spot. The good news is people are always coming and going. So, if you’re patient you will get a spot. Remember, we were there the Friday before the 4th of July in 2023. I’d guess darn near peak season.
We saw several thermal features, the fumaroles (steam vents), and cool geysers like Jet, Fountain, and Morning. All are steaming and otherwise making noise. In this area, my favorite feature was the Celestine Pool. I really enjoyed looking at the deep blues and turquoise. This seemed like a small oasis in the middle of a melting earth. The wonder of the earth and beauty that Mother Nature placed here is so remarkable.
Throughout our visit, I was awestruck that explorers had just stumbled upon this amazing place. And moreover, we had the foresight to claim this land as America’s first National Park and protect it forever!
Midway Geyser Basin
As we approached this parking area, we had our first taste of Yellowstone traffic. Traffic was smooth sailing to this point. We had reached the pinch point…everyone wanted to see Grand Prismatic at the same time! We did too! Patiently we waited our turn. Same as in the first lot, people are always coming and going so parking spots open up fairly quickly. It helps the boardwalks limit the walking to about 1 mile or less.
Grand Prismatic is the primary draw at this basin. The walk around is fairly short once you cross over the creek. Getting close to the Prismatic is really inspiring. The colors are breathtaking. The blues and oranges. But the real view is from up high. That’s where we are headed next!
Fairy Falls Trailhead to the Overlook of Grand Prismatic
Fairy Falls is a short drive from Midway Geyser (less than 5 minutes). Finding parking might take longer than 5 minutes, but it’s totally worth the effort! Fairy Falls is a short trail, at least the part we hiked was. We hiked a quick out and back, starting flat along the stream before turning off and climbing a short but steep hill to the overlook.
A few words of caution…take bug spray! And know it’s going to be crowded. This isn’t a walk in the woods of a National Forest where you may not see another sole for miles. This isn’t a single file march to the top, but kinda.
The view is worth the climb. We hiked this trail on Day 1 later in the afternoon. The sky was beginning to get grey, and the wind was picking up. We felt a storm blowing in. So, we double-timed our climb up and out. The crowd made the experience slightly less enjoyable because, well, we were smashed in like sardines at the overlook. Using the selfie stick, we snapped a selfie or two and a clear view of the Grand Prismatic. Then we headed back out in pursuit of Old Faithful!
Biscuits Anyone? Okay, Biscuit Basin…
On the 15-minute drive to Biscuit Basin, rain blew in. And I’ve never seen people move that fast. Lucky for us, the Biscuit Basin parking lot cleared out! Good luck for us.
We enjoyed the boardwalk around the geyser basin practically to ourselves. As we arrived, the Jewell Geyser was acting like it would erupt. Madeline and I sat and watched. That’s how few people were around. We sat on the boardwalk for 15 minutes or more, and not a single person tripped over us.
Jewell Geyser rewarded us with a cool “warm-up” to Old Faithful.
To the Granddaddy of them All, Old Faithful
Old Faithful Geyser Basin is massive! Plan at least 90 minutes in this area and more if you want to explore the visitor center and the Old Faithful Inn, walk around, and see the other cool geysers. And enjoy ice cream.
Old Faithful’s regularity is mindblowing. I operate off a Microsoft calendar, and I’m not as punctual as this geyser! The ability to predict within 20 minutes, plus or minus, is spectacular. And makes visiting much easier.
We timed our arrival about 45 minutes before the next eruption. A picture-perfect afternoon was set up behind us, and we enjoyed walking around the main attraction, Old Faithful. Since there was time to spare, we checked out the Old Faithful Inn and enjoyed a cup of ice cream. Yum!
Old Faithful Inn
Stepping into the Inn is like walking back in time 100 years. Except travelers used to dress nicely. Today travel is a bit less formal. Nevertheless, witnessing visitors mill around, mingle, talk about their days, plan for tomorrow, sip a cocktail, and listen to the piano player were all surreal experiences. As we enjoyed our ice cream, we sat in the lobby near the massive stone fireplace, which extends into the heavens and is adorned by a massive clock, keeping perfect time.
Again, I was wondering if 2 Days in Yellowstone is enough.
Upon finishing our ice cream, we made our way towards Old Faithful to wait for the show.
Finding the Perfect Vantage Point
Our sense of efficiency led us to the closest benches to wait for the show. Again, the weather started turning grey and windy. Luckily we had our raincoats! Yellowstone weather can turn from sun to rain to sun. We decided to wait out the rain.
Turned out this was a good call. The rain was short-lived. The sun soon returned, bringing with it a full rainbow…end to end was in our view! Our rainbow perfectly framed Old Faithful. I knew from that moment our 2 days in Yellowstone would be more than enough. Everything was lining up perfectly.
A few minutes “late,” Old Faithful began erupting. Slow and first. Building to a full column of water and steam. Even more remarkable was the second rainbow in the mist of Old Faithful. So, we had a rainbow from the sun AND Old Faithful simultaneously! This can’t happen often! Check out our YouTube Video of Old Faithful!
Can our day get any better?
Pulling out of the parking lot, we encountered our first Bison…in the parking lot. We were safely in our car. We had no fears, but we enjoyed a close-up view of an amazing and powerful creature. Wonder if the Bison look at the people and think the same thing?
Day 2 How did we Fit Everything In?
Since our 2nd day in Yellowstone was a Saturday, we knew Day 2 might be tricky to navigate all the spectacular sites. Summertime daylight in the mountain time zone is amazing, with the first light beginning a little before 5 a.m. and the last light after 9 pm. 16 or so hours of daylight provides a lot of time to explore!
Plan to maximize the daylight to see as much as possible AND beat the crowds. Pro tip – Arriving early and staying late helps minimize disruption from crowds.
On day 2, we arrived around 6:45 am. Luckily Grizzly RV Park and Cabins is only about 2 miles to the West Yellowstone entrance. And at 6:45 am, there was no line to enter the park.
West Yellowstone Entrance
I don’t have the specific car count for Yellowstone’s entrances; West Yellowstone is likely the busiest. Mostly because there are lodging and food options nearby. If you arrive at the entrance around mid-morning, plan on waiting in a long line. The NPS has web camera feeds that offer visitors a glimpse of traffic at the gate, so maybe plan ahead.
From the West Yellowstone entrance reaching the “true” attractions of the park is roughly a 20 to 25-minute drive, provided you don’t get caught in a bison jam…for one bison. Frustrating!
What is the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone?
Our Day 2 adventures took us to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. But first, we made a couple of quick detours:
- Gibbons Falls – an easy-to-see waterfall that’s literally next to the road. Convenient roadside parking lot allows for a quick stop for pictures
- Beryl Spring – Super smelly and very loud
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone – North Rim
We began this journey at Brink of Lower Falls which is a very steep trail with 12 (or so) switchbacks down to a large concrete overlook of the falls and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. For the first time, visitors begin getting a glimpse of the size of this canyon. The morning sunlight provided a soft morning glow on the canyon’s landscape. Someone skilled with a camera could make this place come alive.
Since we were some of the first visitors in this area, I was worried (a little) that we might see a bear on this trail. I have no idea if bears frequent this area, but in my mind, I thought bears were everywhere in Yellowstone. Unfortunately, we did not see any bears during our visit.
Next, we headed off to Red Rock Point for a vantage looking up the canyon to the upper and lower falls.
The North Rim road is one way and leads back toward Canyon Village. Visiting the North Rim first required some backtracking as we headed to the South Rim and onto Mud Volcano.
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone – South Rim
Ansel Adams set up shop at Artist Point, and the image of the waterfall became a calling card of Yellowstone. The geysers are out of this world, but the waterfalls in this park are magnificent. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, right behind Old Faithful, was one of my favorite park areas. The double rainbows were too special not to be my favorite place!
Mud Volcano
From my second favorite section of the park to my least favorite…Mud Volcano.
Quick word of warning, It SMELLS in this section. It’s really bad. Why? Because the geysers in this area have plenty of sulfuric acid and smell. But the bison must love the smell because we saw many hoof prints in the soft soil around the geysers. And we saw two bison up close in the geyser basin. We hiked these boardwalks out of obligation.
The lack of water in the area, the sulfuric acid, and the general nasty mud color turn these geysers into bubbling mud pots. Which, in my humble opinion, are not pretty. The Celestine Pool and Norris Basin geysers are stunning with their light and deep blues. But these mud geysers are just blah!
As we were leaving, one of the bison decided he wanted to check out the visitors and was walking towards the crowds. Like crazy people, many people went closer to the fluffy cow. Not us. We stayed more than the “recommended” distance and left the area before anyone was gored to death.
Norris Geyser Basin
Two boardwalk loops await visitors in this centrally located basin (literally just up the road from Madison Junction). Each loop is about a mile, so two miles or so in total. Parking in this basin gets crazy. We lucked into a spot in the parking lot, which saved extra walking of upwards of a 1-mile round trip.
Porcelain Basin
This boardwalk begins highly elevated over the basin providing visitors with a fantastic view of many thermal features. The light blues and deep greens reminded me of Caribbean waters. Very calm and peaceful. This basin is home to some of the hottest recorded temperatures in the park and has features that have been active for over 115,000 years!
Back Basin
Back Basin meanders through some woods and feels less crowded than Porcelain Basin, which was welcomed at this point of the day! We especially liked the Porkchop Geyser. From the boardwalk, Porkchop was a bit tough to get a good view of, thanks to its elevation. But we caught just enough to see some light blue in the geyser water.
Mammoth Hot Springs
Our Guide Along app was super valuable on our drive from Norris to Mammoth Hot Springs. “Justin,” our tour guide, suggested a quick turnoff to see Sheepeater Cliff. With a name like that, how could we resist?
The cliff formation reminded me of the spires in Custer State Park, not as pointy, but very jagged and rough columnar basalt deposits from lava that flowed in the area over 500,000 years ago. A few people enjoyed a quiet picnic in this area, so we continued our journey.
Mammoth Hot Spring Terraces
There are upper and lower terraces. The upper terraces had a short road that cuts through and is easily viewed by “auto hiking.” Parking is available, and visitors can romp around, but we opted for less walking at this point in the day. We were saving our legs for the lower terraces.
As we pulled into the lower terrace parking, which was incredibly full, the sky was swelling with rain clouds (again). I think we bring rain with us! We quickly took our “foot hike” along the terraces and marveled at the ice-like formations. The travertine is so pure it looks like ice. This park has so much to offer!
As we returned to the truck, the sky opened up a torrential downpour. We swung to the Albright Visitor Center for some ice cream (see a theme?), but so did everyone else. We decided to head off to Lamar Valley. With the hope the rain would clear out and bears would be running through the fields.
Lamar Valley
Between the drive to Mammoth Hot Springs and Lamar Valley, I wondered if 2 days in Yellowstone were enough. The rain made for a longer drive, as did winding through some mountains. The views were pretty, but the rain dampened the views some.
Despite the rain, Lamar Valley was crowded. Shortly after entering the valley, we encountered a traffic jam of some sort. Sara hoped for a bison jam…not me! We think people saw bears across the valley and climbing a ridge line. Our binoculars were not that powerful. We continued deeper into the valley before calling Uncle a few miles before the Northeast entrance.
The rain really diminished our opportunity for animal activity. The valley was pretty, and on a sunny day, it would be amazing. Maybe next time?
Roosevelt to Canyon Village
This road was made for a sports car. Winding up the mountain and back down in my mind, I was driving a Porsche 911 GT4. In reality, I was in a Silverado 3500. Practically the same!
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the drive, the hairpins, the sheer dropoffs, and the climb from the valley floor to a peak over 8,000 feet above sea level. We don’t get that in Kentucky!
In Canyon Village, the rain was still spitting at us. We used this as the opportunity to enjoy ice cream (surprise!) and pick up a souvenir and a new shirt or two. Having made our small financial contributions to the park, we headed for West Yellowstone.
Is 2 Days in Yellowstone Enough?
Yes, and we saw everything except for the Fishing Bridge, the lake, and Roosevelt Arch. We had enough daylight to squeeze in both, but we chose not to make the journey.
What did we miss? I wanted to see a wolf and a bear. But, next time I will! I really wanted to see the dark sky and all the stars. In the East, we don’t get that opportunity. But, I was exhausted and did not feel like going back out once we returned to our home base.
Can you do it? Yes. Is more time better? Maybe we had an extra day and visited Old Faithful again, but honestly, we didn’t need to see more geysers or pools. They were mindblowing, but we had a sensory overload and needed it to settle in a bit.
Helpful Hints
Patience is a virtue that will enhance your visit to Yellowstone National Park! Particularly during the summer! The crowds are expansive. It’s wall-to-wall people on so many hikes and around the geysers. But, don’t let that stop you from visiting! This National Park is amazing!
Grand Teton NP – Are you interested in exploring Grand Teton while visiting Yellowstone? Check out How we Experienced Grand Teton in One Day!
