If you’ve ever been to Yellowstone, you’ll know that you can never spend too much time in the magnificent park. But it’s still possible to see the greatest attractions in just three days.
We’ve created the following flexible Yellowstone 3 day itinerary which allows you to see the best of what’s on offer.
Yellowstone 3 Day Itinerary – Everything You Will Want to Do
Note: 2022 has brought unprecedented flooding to Yellowstone National Park, and as a result, some roads and attractions are closed until further notice. This itinerary works on the basis that all landmarks will eventually open again. Please check with the official website as to whether each road and destination is open to the public.
Accommodation
We recommend staying in the central Canyon Village area of Yellowstone National Park when following this itinerary.
As the schedule includes attractions that are spread out across the park, staying in central lodging will mean that you’re not traveling extreme distances to visit destinations.
One of the best accommodation options in the area is Canyon Lodge and Cabins.
Day 1
The first day of your three-day itinerary will be based on the western side of the park, which you can easily access from your central accommodation.
You can also decide to base yourself on the western perimeters of Yellowstone, either in the park itself or in the gateway communities, however, this will mean you have to travel further to visit landmarks in other areas of the park later in your itinerary.
If you would like to stay on the western side of the park, we recommend the gateway community of West Yellowstone, or Old Faithful Lodge & Cabins and Old Faithful Inn which are located inside the park.
Morning: Old Faithful, Upper Geyser Basin, and Old Faithful Inn
The active geyser known as Old Faithful is one of the most popular sights in Yellowstone National Park. The geyser is located in the Upper Geyser Basin in the park’s west and is a great place to start your three-day itinerary.
How long you stay at Old Faithful will depend on when the last eruption was. The geyser typically erupts every 60 to 110 minutes, so if you arrive just before an eruption, you won’t have to stick around as long. Otherwise, you can be waiting for up to two hours to see the famous eruption—and it’s well worth waiting for.
There are a few places you can view the phenomenal sight, the most famous being the boardwalk in front of the geyser.
As the boardwalk is the most popular option, it gets extremely crowded, especially during the summer months. Find a seat or standing space as soon as you arrive at the geyser, regardless of how long you have to wait for the next eruption.
The earlier you arrive at Old Faithful, the better your chance of getting a seat on the boardwalk. There tend to be fewer crowds before 10 a.m., so if you aren’t too tired, it’s worth it to get an early start. Remember to factor in your driving time from your accommodation to the Upper Geyser Basin.
Additionally, you can view the eruption from the designated observation point, which you will need to hike to. The hike is only short and should take no longer than 45 minutes, but it can be quite strenuous because of the elevation gained. However, the observation point provides sweeping and clearer views of the eruption.
Another eruption viewing point is the Old Faithful Inn, which provides an observation deck. Even if you aren’t staying at the inn or don’t want to watch the eruption from here, take some time to check out the famous lodge.
A historic landmark dating back more than a century, the inn is an architectural marvel and the largest log structure in the world. In the lobby, you will find a colossal fireplace and a breathtaking handcrafted clock.
Once you’ve seen Old Faithful erupt and have explored the grounds of the inn, you can view some of the other 150 geothermal features in the Upper Geyser Basin. On a shorter two-day itinerary, there wouldn’t be much time to discover the rest of the basin. But with the extra day, you can afford to be more leisurely with your exploration.
In the basin, there are four more large geysers with predictable eruption times: Grand Geyser, Castle Geyser, Riverside Geyser, and Daisy Geyser. Visit the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center to find out when to expect the next eruptions.
There are also smaller geysers in the basin with predictable eruption times, including Anemone Geyser and Plume Geyser. Ov