Yellowstone National Park Family Itinerary: 4 Days of Kid-Friendly Adventure

After a couple lovely days in Grand Teton, we packed up the car and pointed it north — Yellowstone-bound. There’s something about crossing into a new park that feels a little like opening a book you know you’ll want to read slowly, savoring every page.

Day 1: Old Faithful

We rolled into Yellowstone around 4pm, just in time for that classic first stop: Old Faithful. Here’s the truth —she’s a little unpredictable, and the average wait between eruptions is about 90 minutes. (Pro tip: bring a book or something else to entertain your group.) The visitor center posts the next predicted eruption time at go.nps.gov/geysertimes, and if you’re off the grid, you can call 307-344-2751 (option 2) for updates.

While we waited, we discovered that the real showstopper might actually be the ice cream stand. One “scoop” is really two generous heaps, and you can mix flavors. Mountain berry + strawberry is the winning combo in our family. Highly recommend.

Day 2: Colors, Geysers, and Fairy Falls

We started the day at the Grand Prismatic boardwalk, where the colors are so vivid it almost feels unreal. For the postcard view, we hiked the Fairy Falls trail to the overlook — totally worth the extra steps for that aerial shot.

Next up: the Fountain Paint Pot boardwalk. If you keep going, you’ll reach the volcanic tableland, where multiple geysers put on a quieter (but constant) show. The eruptions aren’t as tall as Old Faithful’s, but the setting is even more picturesque, with steam rising against a backdrop of pine and sky.

Day 3: Waterfalls, Wildlife, and Winding Roads

Our third day was all about the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. We took the North Rim Trail for both the overlook and a close-up view of the waterfall. The hike is easy on the way down, a bit more work on the way back up, but the views are worth every step.

On the drive to Inspiration Point, we spotted a coyote trotting through the grass. Later, on the way to Artist Point, a black bear with cinnamon coat made its appearance! We almost missed this, too, but noticed how a car made a sharp U-turn and parked at the side of the road. We knew immediately an animal sighting was nearby. What a treat it was to see the bear in broad daylight.

Hayden Valley was next on our list, famous for wildlife sightings. We didn’t see much this time, but after all the animal encounters we’d already had, we couldn’t complain.

Mammoth Hot Springs was our final big stop. The road there is narrow and winding — let’s just say I held my breath more than once as we hugged the edge of the open valley. The terraces themselves are otherworldly. A quick note: the trail isn’t a loop, so after you’ve soaked in the view, retrace your steps to the parking lot (unless you want an accidental walking tour of all the other entry points).

Pro Tips

Pack hand sanitizer. Most restrooms are outhouses — no plumbing, no sinks. Visitor centers do have modern facilities.
Plan your meals. Dining options inside/near the park are limited, especially if you’re craving Asian food. We purchased ingredients and cooked in our hotel suite. If you want to do the same, be sure to book lodgings with kitchen included.
Stay flexible. Yellowstone is huge. We switched lodgings to cut down on drive time. Our favorite? A cabin where elk and deer wandered just outside our window.
Bring an audiobook. Bison traffic is real. Sometimes the best thing you can do is sit back and enjoy the (very slow) ride.

Day 4: Bozeman

We’d planned to visit Lamar Valley for more wildlife, but after our white-knuckle drive to Mammoth, we decided to skip the winding roads and head to Bozeman instead. Our last adventure was at the Montana Grizzly Encounter, where we got to watch a grizzly bear up close — playing with a stick, taking a bath, and, at one point, standing on its hind legs at a full eight feet tall. The boys were in awe (and so was I).

Final Thoughts

Yellowstone’s landscapes may not have wowed us quite like Grand Canyon or Grand Teton did, but the wildlife definitely stole the show. Seeing a coyote trotting by and spending time watching a black bear up close were moments we won’t forget anytime soon. And with bison everywhere we looked, it quickly became part of the daily scenery — sometimes a little funny how common they were! For us, those animal encounters were the real standout moments of the park.