Our Yellowstone Adventure: 3 day Itinerary

Yellowstone National Park has been on my bucket list ever since we visited Glacier NP a few years back. I truly was not prepared for the wide array of sites we would see. We wanted to pair this trip with visiting the Grand Tetons as well and we split our time between the two parks. After seeing the crowds at a few other national parks, I also chose May with the hope there would be a few less tourists out and about.

In a perfect scenario, I would have planned this trip a bit farther in advance but at our current stage of life with our parents, that isn’t always an option. Most itineraries I googled noted flying into Bozeman, MN and flying back home from Jackson Hole, WY and I agree, this would have definitely given us more time to actually spend soaking up some nature. By the time I was ready to pull the trigger, however, the flight times along with the price of flights didn’t fit my plan and we decided instead to fly in and out of Salt Lake City, Utah. This gave us the opportunity to see some sites in Idaho (including dining across a restaurant from Harrison Ford!!) and we didn’t mind the driving so much but given the choice again I think I would rather spend more time in the parks than on the road.

Our first three nights we stayed at the Kelly Inn in West Yellowstone. The hotel was clean and the bed was comfortable and since we did not plan to spend much time in our hotel room, that was the most important thing to us on this trip. We also loved that we could walk a few blocks and find several restaurants to choose from. Pete’s Pizza was such a favorite we ate there 2 of our 3 nights!

The west entrance to the park was only a few miles from our hotel and we hit the gate just after sunrise. We were greated fairly early by a herd of bison and of course we acted like sheep and followed everyone else by stopping to take a look. Little did we know we would come to view the bison the same as we do cows back home. They are everywhere and own the road!

Day 1: Old Faithful, Mystic Falls, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Our first destination of the day was Old Faithful as I wanted too beat the crowds. We arrived and actually couldn’t figure out exactly where to park because the parking lots were so empty and we thought we were in the wrong place! No crowds; mission accomplished! It was still quite chilly in the mornings (30-40 degrees) and there is more steam coming off the geysers with the cooler temps. The first time we watched Old Faithful erupt we were sitting up close and personal and because of the way the wind was blowing the steam we did not have the full effect of the power of the water pushing up from the ground.

The area around Old Faiithful includes several other geysers and hydrothemal pools as well as a small hike up to observation point. There is a boardwalk that makes it easy to view so many fo the features for just about anyone but just know, the space is also shared with the bison who definitely think they have the right of way!

Our second time to watch Old Faithful was more grand and I’m so glad we experienced it twice. Before we headed out we walked through the Old Faithful Inn which is a historical landmark and one of the largest log-style structures in the world. Definitely check it out!

We were ready to stretch our legs a little more and headed to take the Mystic Falls hike near Biscuit Basin. While this area is partially closed, the trail to Mystic Falls is still open and it is an easy 1.2 mile hike up to a waterfall. We did see lots of buffalo lounging around in this area as well. .

It was getting close to lunctime so we continued along the lower loop towards Yellowstone lake where we stopped and had a quick picnic and enjoyed the scenery. As we continued on the loop we were on the lookout for animals as we drove through Hayden Valley. We made our way towards the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone where we drove the scenic routes to see both the upper and lower falls. I truly had no idea I was going to see so many waterfalls on this trip! Getting up close and personal to a few was breathtaking.

Our plan was to continue on to the upper loop and head to Lamar Valley for some wildlife viewing but little did we know that road was still closed through the pass due to snow. Us Texans had alot to learn! We backtracked and sat for a bit with our binoculars in the Hayden Valley area but eventually called it a day and headed back to our hotel.

Day 2: Fly Fishing

Keith will entertain whatever I pull together for a vacation but he truly loves connecting with nature while either fishing or hunting. He booked a fly fishing trip with a Arrick’s Fly Shop and I was just a tad apprehensive aboout the “full day” float and the temperatures. Turns out if you have the right clothing it can be quite pleasant! A great guide helps and Arrick was such a great instructor.

Another thing Keith couldn’t get over on day 1 was how we saw no one out fishing in any of the rivers. Turns out, we were just early and the fishing in Yellowstone did not open until day 3 of our trip. This also meant we were spending our day about 30 minutes or so away on the Madison river. Note to self, check the dates for fishing season before booking the next trip!

We had the best day! I was truly shocked at how much I loved learning something new and even caught a few fish. The beautiful scenery didn’t hurt! I have this fear of failure thing that keeps me from enjoying life sometimes and I’m really glad I decided to go.

Day 3: Artist Paint Pots, Gibbons Falls, Midway Geyser Basin, West Thumb, Drive to Grand Tetons

We packed up our little hotel room on day three and headed out to cross off a few more sites. First up we were stopped for a bit by the bison taking over the road once again. We crossed off the Artist Paint Pots which is an easy and fairly accessible trail. I think the mud pot at this location was the most interesting. A quick stop at Gibbons Falls for a waterfall selfie as it was trying to rain on us. Grand prismatic was high on my list to see and we definitely ran into the most traffic at the midway geyser basin. I really wish I had done a little more research and taken the hike from the Biscuit Basin area which provided a higher view from a distance of this site. Still, seeing this in person was really cool!

We headed for our last big stop in Yellowstone and drove across the continental divide. It was wild seeing so much snow still on the ground. West Thumb geyser basin is a great stop for a picnic and we enjoyed the sunshine and a sandwich before walking the boardwalk to see the hot springs, geysers, mud pots and other thermal features.

Our drive that afternoon through the Grand Tetons to Jackson where we would spend the rest of our trip was full of stunning views like this lake still topped with ice. We made some core memories on our Yellowstone adventure and 3 days definitely felt like enough time to soak up many sites but there was still so much undiscovered. I would definitely love to go back and spend a little more time exploring the upper loop. Be sure too stop back by as I’ll share the second have of our trip to the Grand Tetons soon!

Even if you go later in the season, hitting the park early will allow you to see so much before the crowds really set in. Many of the stops are literally right off the road which make them easily accessible but that also means for EVERYONE. I loved getting off the beating path just a bit with a few less people on our hike and definitely think I would choose more of that if we return.

Pictures do not sell this trip as well as the videos and I’ve saved many of those to a highlight bubble oon my Instagram. You will be ready to book a trip after you see the beauty!