Yellowstone National Park is the flagship of the National Park Service and a favorite to millions of visitors each year. The park is a major destination for all members of the family. By driving the grand loop road, visitors can view the park from the comfort of their vehicle and also take a rest at one of the many roadside picnic areas. For the active visitor, the park has thousands of miles of trails from dayhikes to backcountry explorations. The main attractions are all located on the grand loop road and here are some of the top reasons to visit the park. This site has a lot of the information you need for your trip and you may also consider our dvd "The Wonders of Yellowstone" to help you plan your visit.

* World's First National Park
* 2,219,789 acres (Larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined)
* Wildlife - 7 species of ungulates (bison, moose, elk, pronghorn), 2 species of bear and 67 other mammals, 322 species of birds, 16 species of fish and of course the gray wolf.
* Plants - There are over 1,100 species of native plants, more than 200 species of exotic plants and over 400 species of thermopholes.
* Geology - The park is home to one of the world's largest calderas with over 10,000 thermal features and more than 300 geysers. It has one of the world's largest petrifiied forests. It has over 290 waterfalls with the 308' Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River as it's showpiece.
* Yellowstone Lake is the largest (132 sq. mi.) high altitude (7,732') lake in north america.
* 9 visitor centers
* 12 campgrounds (over 2,000 campsites)

"The Wonders of Yellowstone" - 98 Minutes - ~Telly Award Winner for Nature and Wildlife~ The Wonders of Yellowstone DVD captures all the beauty and nature of the park and provides visitors the perfect planner for your Yellowstone trip. Only available through YellowstoneNationalPark.com. Take a complete tour as our Narrator Cathy Coan, guides you to all the wonders of the park including the geyser basins, wildlife, waterfalls and much more. More Info or Order Online

Frequently Asked Questions for Yellowstone National Park

How much is the entrance fee?
$35 - Private, noncommercial vehicle;
$30 - Motorcycle or snowmobile (winter)
$20 - Visitors 16 and older entering by foot, bike, ski, etc.
* This fee provides the visitor with a 7-day entrance permit for both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

A $70 park annual pass provides entrance for a single private non-commercial vehicle at Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. The $10 Interagency Senior Pass (62 and older) is a lifetime pass available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Where do I enter Yellowstone National Park?
Yellowstone has 5 entrances to the park:
North Entrance - Gardiner, MT, the North Entrance is the only park entrance open to wheeled vehicles all year. November through April, provides access to Cooke City, MT. US Highway 212 east of Cooke City is closed to wheeled vehicles November through April. The Mammoth to Norris road is open to wheeled vehicles from April 20 to November 4, and to tracked oversnow vehicles from around December 17 to March 12. Closest airline service is Bozeman, MT

West Entrance - West Yellowstone, MT, the West Entrance is open to wheeled vehicles from April 20 to November 4, and to tracked oversnow vehicles from December 17 to March 12. Closest airline service is West Yellowstone, MT, Bozeman, MT, Idaho Falls, ID, and Salt Lake City, UT.

Northeast Entrance - Silver Gate and Cooke City, MT, is open year around for wheeled vehicles to Cooke City through the North Entrance. Opening dates for roads east of Cooke City vary from year to year, depending on the weather. The Beartooth Highway is
open from late May/early June to mid October and is dependent upon weather conditions. Closest airline service is Billings, MT.

South & East Entrances - Open to wheeled vehicles from May 11 to November 4, and to tracked oversnow vehicles from December 17 to March 12. Closest airline service to the South Entrance is Jackson, WY and Cody, WY to the East Entrance.

Where should we stay?
The best way to answer this is to decide how much time you have and what you want to see the most. As an example, if you plan on visiting Yellowstone National Park for only a few days and want to experience some of the main attractions then West Yellowstone would be a good base. From there, it is a short drive to the geyser basins, Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. If you want to have the full park experience then perhaps lodging at Old Faithful would be a good choice. If you want to view the most wildlife, then we suggest the Northeast Entrance and a short trip to the Lamar valley. The South Entrance is a great option if you have more time and want to visit Grand Teton National Park however it is a longer drive to the heart of Yellowstone if you base out of Jackson. The North Entrance is park headquarters and has the most historic information on the park.

When is the best time to visit the park?
This depends on what your interests are. Here's a summary; Spring has abundant wildlife, roaring waterfalls and wild weather. It can snow or be in the 70's. Summer has it all including the most crowds. If you and your family plan on a summer trip, here's our best advise. Get out early and eat your breakfast on the road! Fall is a special time of year. For wildlife there is a sense of urgency in the air. Everything seems to be diminishing including the crowds. Winter is a time of solitude. In years past it was more "economical" to visit most of the park. Now it is more restricted unless you can afford a snowcoach or guided snowmobile tour. The North Entrance is the busiest due to the ease of access and plowed road.

With 5 entrances and over 2 million acres, we highly suggest you plan your trip in advance. We recommend you obtain some of the many travel planners or DVD's that are available for Yellowstone. If you're more detailed oriented then obtain a travel planner. If you want to know as much information as possible in under 90 minutes then purchase a Yellowstone DVD.

YellowstoneLodging.com

New lodging and travel information website for visitors to Yellowstone National Park. Visitors traveling to the park are encouraged to check out YellowstoneLodging.com for all your lodging accomodations in and around Yellowstone including all the gateway communities. Along with listings and phone reservations for all the lodging, it includes activities, dining, camping and maps of the park.