Ultimate Family Guide in Yellowstone National Park

How to Make the Most of a 4-Day Trip

Yellowstone National Park is a wonderland of geothermal activity, stunning landscapes, and abundant wildlife. Steam hisses out of the ground along walking trails, bison stop cars in their tracks on the main park road, and technicolor hot springs never fail to amaze even the most seasoned traveler.

It is the second largest national park outside of Alaska. With over two million acres of land, five park entrances, numerous geyser basins to visit, scenic drives, and miles of hiking trails, there is a lot to do here.

Where to stay and When to visit ?

As a family with two teenagers, we camped in Canyon Campground, which is perfectly located for exploring the park.

We visited end of June and although we had a perfect weather with no rain and sun every day, at night, every night it got close to 0 dergees Celsius, that’s aroung 35 F for my American friends. So, ensure you are prepared for cold nights and hilly mornings and evenings. You can see on some of my photos that even during the day I has my down filled jacket on.

So, here’s our suggested 4-day itinerary for making the most of your family adventure in Yellowstone. The itinerary is made in such a way that you leave the best, most iconic places for the last day, and you are getting each day used to the beauty of the hot springs and geysers. All the starting days drive times are from the Canyon Campground.

Day One: Exploring the Scenic South- Waterfalls, Geysers, and Scenic Hikes

Morning: Lewis Falls, West Thumb Basin & Yellowstone Lake, Storm Point Trail

Lewis Falls: Start your day with a scenic one-hour drive (from Canyon campground) to Lewis Falls. Easily accessible from the parking lots on each side of the Lewis River bridge, these 30-foot falls are a perfect introduction to Yellowstone’s beauty. When we were there there was construction at the bridge, so we were not able to really enjoy the Falls.
West Thumb Geyser Basin & Yellowstone Lake: Drive 15 minutes to the West Thumb parking lot. This quick 30-minute walk showcases the brilliantly blue hot springs, including Abyss Pool, the park’s deepest hydrothermal pool. Enjoy the geothermal activity along the edge of Yellowstone Lake.
Storm Point Trail: A 35-minute drive brings you to the Storm Point Trailhead. This easy 4-kilometer hike (1 hour) offers panoramic views of Yellowstone Lake, meadows of wildflowers, lush forests, and wildlife such as elk and deer. It’s an ideal spot for a family picnic.

Midday: Mud Volcano, Hayden Valley

Mud Volcano: After a 15-minute drive, explore the Mud Volcano area. Highlights include the Mud Cauldron, Mud Geyser, and Dragon’s Mouth Spring (this was one of my favorite). The area is known for its bubbling mud pots and the smell of hydrogen sulfide gas aka rotten eggs.
Hayden Valley: A short 8-minute drive leads to Hayden Valley, a popular place to see bison. The drive through the valley might take 30 to 60 minutes due to frequent traffic jams as people will just stop in the middle of the road to take a photo of some random bison or watch a bear cub. So, be prepared to stop and be patient.

Afternoon/Evening: Dunraven Pass and Tower Fall

Dunraven Pass: From the Canyon Campground is a 10 minutes drive to Dunraven Pass for breathtaking park views. This is the highest road pass in the park, with many overlooks and turnouts.
Tower Fall: Another 10-minute drive takes you to Tower Fall. From the parking lot, it’s a short walk to the overlook of this popular 132-foot waterfall.

Optional: Drive south for 30 minutes to hike Elephant Back Mountain. This 3.5-mile (5.8 km) moderate trail offers spectacular views over Yellowstone Lake and takes about 2-2.5 hours. We didn’t get to do it as it was too late and we were too tired.

Day Two: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Morning: North Rim Drive

Brink of the Lower Falls: A 4-minute drive from the campsite, hike this 0.7-mile moderate trail for close-up views of the 300-foot Lower Falls.
Lookout Point: A short drive and a quick walk lead to Lookout Point for an easy yet breathtaking view of Lower Falls.
Red Rocks Lookout Trail: Starting from Lookout Point, this 0.6-mile moderate hike takes you down into the canyon for eye-level views of Lower Falls.
Grand View and Inspiration Point: Drive to these viewpoints for more stunning canyon views. Both spots are easily accessible with short walks.

Midday: South Rim Drive

Artist Point: The most famous viewpoint of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, offering iconic views of the Lower Falls. You will LOVE THIS!
Point Sublime Trail (Optional): Starting from Artist Point, this 3-mile round-trip moderate hike provides beautiful canyon views.
Upper Falls View: Drive to the Upper Falls View parking lot and take a short walk to Canyon Overlook for views of the 109-foot Upper Falls.

Afternoon: Norris Geyser Basin and Artist’s Paintpots

Norris Geyser Basin: A 21-minute drive from the Canyon campground brings you to this dynamic geothermal area. Walk the trails to see Steamboat Geyser and other hot springs and fumaroles. It is another pretty amazing view!
Artist’s Paintpots: A 10-minute drive south of Norris, explore this small area of colorful hot springs and mud pots.

Day Three: Northern Highlights

Morning:, Wildlife in Lamar Valley, Roosevelt Arch, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Falls

Lamar Valley: We drove 1 hour from the campground to this area known for its wildlife. Be prepared for possible traffic jams caused by bison and other animals. Although we went early in the morning there were more cars than bisons around.
Roosevelt Arch: Drive another 40 minutes to this historic arch at the park’s north entrance. Stop for photos and enjoy its history. It is worth the drive!
Mammoth Hot Springs: A 15-minute drive back into the park to these unique travertine terraces. Spend an hour or more walking the boardwalk trails.
Undine Falls: A short drive to this 60-foot waterfall accessible by a brief walk.
Wraith Falls Trail: Another quick drive and a 30-45 minute hike to see this 24-meter tall waterfall.

Afternoon: Scenic Drives and Geologic Wonders

Blacktail Plateau Drive (Optional): This 30-minute dirt road offers chances to see wildlife. We didn’t see any, but maybe you are luckier!
Petrified Tree: Drive 20 minutes to see this geological wonder. The tree was solidified into rock millions of years ago. Worth the drive? It depends who you ask. Not the most exciting thing in the park for sure, but since it was on our way back to the site we did the short detour and I am not sorry for that.

Day Four: Iconic Geysers

Morning: Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin

Old Faithful: Drive an hour to watch the world-famous geyser erupt. Walk the boardwalk to see geysers and hot springs, including Morning Glory Pool and Grand Geyser.
Observation Point: Hike to this viewpoint for a unique perspective of Old Faithful’s eruption.

Midday: Grand Prismatic Spring and Midway Geyser Basin

Grand Prismatic Spring: Drive 15 minutes to the parking lot. Walk the 0.8-mile boardwalk to see the largest hot spring in the U.S.
Grand Prismatic Overlook: Drive 5 minutes to the Fairy Falls parking lot. Hike 45 minutes to this overlook for stunning views of the spring. Optionally, continue hiking to Fairy Falls.

Afternoon: More Geysers and Hot Springs

Black Sand Basin: A 10-minute drive to see colorful pools and Cliff Geyser.
Biscuit Basin: Drive 5 minutes to see Sapphire Pool.
Lower Geyser Basin: Drive 8 minutes along Firehole Lake Drive, a scenic one-way road showcasing numerous geothermal features.
Fountain Paint Pot Trail: A quick 1-minute drive to this half-mile boardwalk trail that passes by hot springs, geysers, mud pots, and fumaroles.

This 4-day itinerary offers a comprehensive and exciting way to experience the wonders of Yellowstone National Park with your family. From geysers and hot springs to scenic hikes and wildlife spotting, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Happy exploring!

Getting to Yellowstone from South Dakota

Driving from Custer State Park (check the Custer Park blog also) to Yellowstone via US-16 W is an adventure filled with scenic stops and breathtaking views.

After a two-hour drive, make a short stop at Devils Tower and walk part of the Tower Trail, a 1.3-mile loop around the base of the tower (please note, no dogs are allowed on this trail).

From there, embark on a 7.5-hour drive to Canyon Campground. Take the Bighorn Scenic Byway, which runs from Shell to Dayton, Wyoming, on US Highway 14. This northern route through the Bighorn Mountains offers a stunning pitstop at the Shell Falls Interpretive Site to see the dramatic Shell Canyon.

The road tops out at Granite Pass, reaching an elevation of 9,033 feet, before winding down through the mountains on the way to Dayton, providing unforgettable views along the way.

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