People visit Yellowstone and discover an amazing variety of experiences and destinations. We hope you'll have fun, make lifelong memories, and enjoy this special place.
Top Things To Know
- Pack your patience: hundreds of thousands of people visit Yellowstone during the months of June, July, and August. It's also a big place: traffic and road construction often make drive times longer than expected.
- Practice safe selfies: do not approach animals to take pictures.
- Early birds avoid crowds and traffic: visit the park during nonpeak hours (before 9 am and after 3 pm) and seasons (April/May, September/October). Check out our list of seasonal highlights.
- Plan ahead: campgrounds and lodges fill early, so finding a place to sleep at the last minute is unlikely.
- Stay on boardwalks: hot springs have injured more people than any other natural feature (including animals).
- Drive responsibly: observe posted speed limits and use pullouts to watch wildlife, take pictures, and let other cars pass.
- Bears inhabit the entire park, not just the backcountry: learn how to travel safely in bear country.
- Cell service and bandwidth are limited: don't be surprised if you can't receive calls or texts.
- Explore beyond our borders: the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem includes much more than the park. Plan your trip to take in the vibrant communities, public lands, and natural wonders throughout this area.
- Download Yellowstone's app before you arrive!
