Yellowstone National Park One Day Itinerary (How To Maximize Your Time)

Yellowstone National Park is one of the most unique wonders on this earth. In this guide, we will prepare you for an epic road trip through Yellowstone National Park and seeing the best attractions all in one day.

Although, we highly suggest spending longer than one day here. But sometimes that’s all the time your given, and that was the case for Jake and I.

I will say though, that after one day, we felt like we saw most of the amazing attractions within the park, but were very exhausted at the end of the day. Therefore, don’t skip this park if all you have is limited time, but to rather just make the best of the short time you have.

This one-day itinerary starts from the South Entrance and exits through the North Entrance. Here is the ultimate guide on how to do Yellowstone National Park in one day.

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Yellowstone Road Trip Map

Here, you will find a helpful guide to our one-day road trip itinerary.

West Thumb Geyser:

First stop on this Yellowstone road trip is West Thumb Geyser. This boardwalk parallels Yellowstone Lake. There is a short 1 mile walk around to the different geyers, the we highly suggest doing.

Most of these geysers are aqua blue or white which are very beautiful to see!

One of the more impressive geysers along the walk is Abyss Pool. It is known for it’s depth that extends over 50 feet down, which is just crazt to see.

These geysers flow into Yellowstone Lake, but it doesn’t exactly heat up the lake to a comfortable swimming temperature. You can expect the lake to reach 45 degrees in summer, and much colder in the winter.

They do offer scenic boat cruises, if getting out on Yellowstone Lake is of interest. Or join a guided kayak tour around the lake.

Old Faithful:

Old Faithful is the crown jewel of Yellowstone National Park. Old Faithful is one of the most predictable geyser in the park and consistently erupts about 20 times a day. Each eruption can last up to 5 minutes.

You will most likely see the crowds that form around this geyser when it is about to go off, but you can also check in the visitor center for more accuracy. Or the National Park Service has a chart online with geyser predictions. (Tip: Just be sure to download the geyser times the day before your visit, because cell-service is very limited within the park).

When Old Faithful geyser erupts it can reach up to 184 feet in the air which is just mesmerizing. We like to say that viewing Old Faithful is like natures firework show.

Upper Geyser Basin Loop:

After you see the famous Old Faithful, there is a nice 4.5 mile loop around to more awesome vibrant and unique geysers. They might not be as reliable or reach the height of Old Faithful, but there is no shortage of different geysers to roam around to.

At each geyser there will be a white board that will tell you the next time a geyser will erupt and/or the last time a geyser erupted. Sometimes, you might get lucky and catch one, or you may need to plan a return visit if you have time.

Right before turning back on the loop you will reach Morning Glory Pool which was one of Jake’s and my favorite geysers in Yellowstone National Park. It was just so colorful and you were able to get super close to the edge. The colors range from an aqua blue, bright green, yellow and orange.

Sign stating what not to do at Morning Glory Pool

Note: People have thrown unanimous objects into the geyser clogging it up each year which can change its beauty to an ugly greenish-brown color. Park Rangers have to go in and remove thousands of objects each year, which really just shouldn’t happen. So PLEASE don’t throw anything down here and respect this beautiful National Park so others can enjoy it after you! 🙂

Grand Prismatic Spring:

This is also another famous stop in Yellowstone National Park. And any Yellowstone National Park one-day itinerary should include a visit to the Grand Prismatic Spring.

There are two different routes to see The Grand Prismatic Spring.

Our personal favorite hike to view Grand Prismatic Spring is via the Fairy Falls Trail to an amazing lookout overlooking the spring. This hike is an easy is 1.2 mile hike, but the last section is a steep 200 foot climb.

Additionally, there is a short 1.6-mile loop that takes you around to The Excelsior Geyser, Opal Pool, Turquoise Pool, and right up close to The Grand Prismatic Spring from the ground level.

We felt the hike around to the boardwalks was cool, but it was hard to truly capture the raw colors of Grand Prismatic. So if you had to choose between the two hikes, the overlook just really captures the essence of how Grand and vibrant the Grand Prismatic Spring really is.

Steam coming off The Grand Prismatic Spring

The Grand Canyon Of Yellowstone:

A totally different part of the park is The Grand Canyon Of Yellowstone. The view of the canyon walls are lined with stunning colors and a huge waterfall flowing straight down the canyon. This area feels like it’s straight out of a fairytale.

Artist Point the other direction from the waterfall — Artist Point

You can access The Grand Canyon Of The Yellowstone from both the North Rim and the South Rim.

The North Rim provides more viewpoints and shorter hikes to witness many different perspectives of the canyon. Popular stops along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon Of The Yellowstone are:

Brink of Lower Falls
Lookout Point
Grand View
Inspiration Point
Seven-Mile Hole Trail (9.7mi hike – great if you’re looking to escape the crowds)

There are additional pull-offs that will provide access to the rim, so you don’t have to stop at the popular lookouts. There is also a hike that follows the rim, providing excellent views the whole route.

Additionally, you can drive the South Rim offering different parking areas for trailheads, and our personal favorite viewpoint, Artist Point. But for this drive won’t be following the rim quite like the North Rim scenic drive. Some popular hiking trails in the area are:

Upper Falls
Uncle Tom’s Trail (part of this trail is closed)
Artist Point
Point Sublime Trail (2.7 mile hike past Artist Point Overlook)

Mammoth Hot Springs:

By this point of your one day itinerary of Yellowstone National Park, you are probably exhausted. But if you want to know how to do Yellowstone National Park in one day, then push through to this last destination. You can either just view some of the cooler springs, or there is a 1.6 mile scenic walk around to all the different viewpoints.

An interesting fact about Mammoth Hot Springs is that it is estimated that only 10% of the water is on the surface. Travertine builds up and form the formations we see today. But, they can change often and vents can clog moving the water to a new spot.

If you have the energy, then we highly suggest doing the scenic walk. But two of our favorite springs were Canary Spring, and Mound and Jupiter Terraces. So be sure to at least check out these two amazing springs.

Keep An Eye Out For Wildlife:

Bison laying on the grass At Yellowstone National Park — Bison At Yellowstone

Yellowstone National Park is home to some incredible wildlife, so inevitably you will need to plan some time to stop and admire these majestic animals. You might see elk, bison, bears, deer, and even the elusive wolf. While some animals are rarer to spot, you can almost always count on seeing deer, elk, and bison.

If you plan to snap a photo, make sure to pull off the road safely so you don’t hold up traffic—unless, of course, the wildlife is right in the road! And don’t forget to bring binoculars for a closer look at these majestic creatures from a safe distance.

Where To Stay In Yellowstone National Park:

You don’t have to rush your Yellowstone one day itinerary if you have the extra time. There are tons of great hotels to stay at within the park. It will make your time within the park much more enjoyable and leisurely. Here are a few great hotels that also hold a bit of history with Yellowstone being the first National Park in the world.

Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabins (North) – Built in 1936, restaurants on site
Old Faithful Inn (West) – Built in 1903-1904, restaurants on site
Grant Village (South) – Built in 1984, restaurants on site
Lake Yellowstone Hotel & Cabins (East) – A National Historic Landmark, restaurants on site

Camping Near Yellowstone National Park:

Or you can also find tons of great campgrounds in the park. Plus we include a couple free options located outside the park.

Here are a few great campgrounds within the park:

S Plateau Rd (FS1700) (Free camping outside the West Entrance), no facilities
Mammoth Campground (North) – limited facilities, no showers (no hook-ups)
Madison Campground (West) – limited facilities, no showers (no hook-ups)
Slough Creek Campground (East) – limited facilities, no showers (no hook-ups)
Grant Village Campground (South) – all campground facilities (no hook-ups)
Canyon Campground (Central) – all campground facilities (no hook-ups)
Fisher Bridge RV Park (Central) – all campground facilities (including hook-ups)
Flagg Ranch (Free camping outside the South Entrance), drop toilet, no other facilities