Yellowstone Summer Road Trip
Watch Old Faithful erupt, see rainbow hot springs from above, and spot bison from the car.
14 hrs drive · 7–8 days · Best for little kids to teens · Jun–Sep
Day 1: Across Nevada
- 7:00 Leave SF on I-80
- 11:00 Lunch break in Reno
- 3:00 Stretch stop on I-80
- 5:00 Overnight in Winnemucca
Day 2: Through Idaho
- 8:00 Drive north to Twin Falls
- 11:30 Lunch and a stop in Twin Falls
- 2:00 Drive on to Idaho Falls
- 5:30 Arrive in West Yellowstone
Day 3: Old Faithful
- 8:30 Enter at the West Entrance
- 10:00 Old Faithful eruption, then the Upper Geyser Basin boardwalks
- 1:00 Lunch near Old Faithful
- 3:00 Midway Geyser Basin boardwalk
Day 4: Grand Prismatic & canyon
- 8:00 Grand Prismatic Overlook from the Fairy Falls lot (1.2 mi round trip), go early for parking
- 11:00 Norris Geyser Basin
- 1:30 Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone viewpoints
Day 5: Wildlife day
- 7:00 Early drive through Hayden Valley for bison and elk
- 12:00 Picnic lunch
- 2:00 Mammoth Hot Springs (Lamar Valley is a very long round trip from West Yellowstone)
Day 6–7: Drive home
- 8:00 Leave West Yellowstone, head south through Idaho
- 5:00 Overnight in Winnemucca or Elko
- 4:00 Day 7: arrive home
From parents who have been
- For the Grand Prismatic overlook, the Fairy Falls lot is harder to get into than the Midway lot. Forum posters say arrive before 8 am. Rangers sometimes close the trail past the overlook, or the whole trail, after grizzly sightings. TigerDroppings travel forum
- On cool mornings thick steam can hide Grand Prismatic's colors, so the Midway boardwalk looks best on a sunny afternoon. The boardwalk is narrow and crowded with no barrier from the hot water, so hold small hands the whole way. Endless Travel Plans toddler guide
- While you wait for Old Faithful, walk kids to nearby Anemone Geyser, which goes off every few minutes. Download the free NPS app before you go, because it shows eruption predictions offline. Endless Travel Plans toddler guide
- An umbrella stroller handles the Old Faithful, Midway and West Thumb boardwalks. Norris has fewer railings and upper Mammoth has stairs, so bring a carrier too. The 8 to 10 am entrance window has the worst lines. Endless Travel Plans toddler guide
- One family saw a single bison on a mid-afternoon Hayden Valley drive. Wildlife is much better at dawn and dusk, so time the valley drives for early or late in the day. The RV Atlas
- Fill the tank before entering. One family ran out of gas near Norris, about 12 miles from the nearest station. Long stretches without bathrooms also make a portable potty seat worth packing for toddlers. Rad Family Travel
Good to know
- Stay 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from bison, elk and other animals. Bison injure more people than any other animal in the park.
- Stay on boardwalks in thermal areas, and never touch the water or its runoff. Pets aren't allowed in thermal areas.
- Entrance is $35 per car for 7 days, and no vehicle reservation is needed. The West Entrance road to Old Faithful opened April 17 in 2026.
- Most roads close to cars around Nov 1. Only the North to Northeast Entrance road stays open all year.
Sources: NPS Yellowstone 2026 spring opening · NPS Yellowstone park roads · NPS Yellowstone safety · NPS Yellowstone fees · NPS Grand Prismatic Overlook trail · NBC Montana: Nov 1 closures (2022)