Yellowstone National Park
Trailie
Build your Yellowstone itinerary
Tell Trailie your dates, pace, and interests — get a day-by-day Yellowstone National Park plan with hikes, drives, and must-see stops.
Yellowstone at a glance
- Best time
- May, October
- Trip length
- 4–7 days
- Don't miss
- Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic Spring
- Nearby city
- West Yellowstone, MT
Explore this park
Alerts(5)
Madison, Firehole, and Gibbon Rivers Closed to Fishing
NPS detailsThe following rivers and their tributaries are closed to fishing due to warm water temperatures and low flows: Madison River, Firehole River, and Gibbon River.
Traffic Delays - Gibbon River Bridge
NPS detailsExpect up to 15-minute delays on Gibbon River Bridge from July 9 through late-July while crews repair the railing.
Biscuit Basin Closed Due to Hydrothermal Explosion
NPS detailsThe parking lot, boardwalk, and Firehole River at Biscuit Basin, located north of Old Faithful, is closed to all travel until further notice due to the possibility of another event at the site of a hydrothermal explosion that occurred July 23, 2024.
Traffic Delays - Gardner River High Bridge
NPS detailsExpect a single lane of traffic with up to 15-minute delays, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from April 1 through late October 2026. Oversized/overweight vehicles (8'6"+ wide, 75'+ long, 80,000 lbs+ gross vehicle weight) will not be able to cross the bridge during this time.
Vehicle Entrance Reservation Not Needed
NPS detailsAlthough an entrance pass is required to enter Yellowstone National Park, vehicle reservations are not needed. You are encouraged to purchase an entrance pass before arriving, but you may also purchase passes at any entrance station upon arrival.
Common questions
Planning Yellowstone
The summary above covers timing and highlights. These go deeper on reservations, crowds, and logistics — check Alerts and Permits for live updates.
TrailVerse lists 2 reservation types on the Permits tab, including Yellowstone National Park Backcountry Permits and Yellowstone Non-Commercially Guided Snowmobile Access Program. Recreation.gov listings can change seasonally — confirm current rules before you set dates.
