Heading to Yellowstone soon and wondering what to do on the lower loop of the park for 1 day? You’ve come to the right place!
Yellowstone is split into two loops, the lower and the upper loop. Both of these loops can be accessed from West Yellowstone in Montana.
In this article, I tell you exactly how to make the best of your day on the lower loop of Yellowstone. This includes all the highlights but also some lesser known spots and travel tips.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost for you!
Things To Know Before Visiting Yellowstone
Before we get started, it’s important to note that while this itinerary is entirely doable in one day, it will still be an intense day. You need to be prepared for that.
To make the best of your day on the lower loop, I recommend the follow:
- Start early. The park can get very busy so the earlier you start, the quieter (and more enjoyable) it will be.
- Get the Guide Along App. This is the best thing you can do when visiting Yellowstone. It’s a driving tour app which gives you commentary and tips as you drive through the park, based on your location. It’s incredibly helpful and great value for money.
- Pack a picnic. If you want to make the best of your day, I recommend bringing your own food. It will save you time, money and it’s a great experience to have lunch outside while enjoying the scenery.
- Get gas in West Yellowstone. Gas stations are a lot cheaper in West Yellowstone than in the park so make sure to fill up your tank before entering the national park.
1-Day Yellowstone Road Trip Itinerary From The West Entrance
Start your day early and drive from West Yellowstone to the entrance of the national park.
If you have an America The Beautiful card, you can simply show your card with an ID.
Otherwise you will need to pay the entrance fee (of $35) which will give you access to the park for 7 days.
You can then start driving towards the loop. This part of the drive is quite scenic because it’s along the Madison River so if you want to stop to take some photos, feel free to pull into one of the lookout areas.
Otherwise, keep on driving until you reach Madison and turn right to head south.
Stop 1: Firehole River Scenic Drive
You will find on the right a small road that takes you along the Firehole River.
This is not really a detour and it’s very scenic so I recommend you take it.
If you are using the Guide Along App, the guide will give you a warning before the turn so you don’t miss it.
This short road goes along the Firehole River and you can stop at the waterfalls car park to take some photos.
There is also a swimming area a bit further up but since you only have one day, I don’t recommend stopping since you might find yourself a bit short on time then.
Keep on driving and you will reach the main road again.
Stop 2: Fountain Paint Pots
Your first real stop should be at the fountain paint pots. This is an area that features all geothermal features in the park including hot springs and mud pots, making it a great introduction to Yellowstone.
You can access the trail from the carpark. There is a boardwalk that takes you around all the sights and takes about 30 minutes to complete.
Bonus Stop: Firehole Lake Drive
Just after Fountain Paint Pots, you’ll find a turn to Firehole Lake Drive.
This is a quick scenic drive that is worth taking.
It features the firehole lake but also the Great Fountain geyser.
Once you complete the loop, you will get back to the main road and can drive down to Grand Prismatic.
Stop 3: Grand Prismatic Spring & Midway Geyser Basin
The next stop is the midway geyser basin. This one has fewer geysers and hot pools compared to the other basins in Yellowstone but it’s home to the most famous hot springs of them all: Grand Prismatic.
It’s the largest in the USA, third largest in the world (the other two are in New Zealand) and its colors are incredibly bright and beautiful.
This is truly one of the highlights of Yellowstone and you’ll love discovering it.
There is a boardwalk going around the different hydrothermal features and just next to Grand Prismatic.
You’ll need around 45 minutes to visit.
PRO TIP: It can get quite windy in this part of the park so make sure to hold your hat as if it flies off, you won’t be able to get it back.
Stop 4: Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook
Just a bit further down the road, you’ll find the car park to Fairy Falls.
While this is a great trail and the falls are worth seeing, you simply won’t have time to fit it in if you only have one day to spend on the lower loop so I don’t recommend doing the entire trail.
I do, however, recommend stopping there because you can take the same trail up to the overlook platform of Grand Prismatic.
The views over the spring are simply stunning and it’s one of the best photo spots in Yellowstone.
It takes about 15-20 minutes to get to the platform and it’s well worth it.
PRO TIP: Please note that this is not a boardwalk but a dirt path so make sure to wear closed-toe shoes.
Stop 5: Biscuit Basin
You will then reach the biscuit basin which is another geyser and hot pools basin.
The boardwalk is only 0.6-mile long and should take less than 30 minutes to complete.
The main highlight is the sapphire pool but you should also check out Jewel geyser.
While it’s not the tallest, this one erupts every few minutes so it’s always a safe bet.
Stop 6: Old Faithful, Upper Geyser Basin and Morning Glory Pool
The next big stop is Old Faithful. This is the most visited area in the park so you’ll find a large car park, a visitor centre and a couple of restaurants and shops.
If you have time, it’s worth going to the visitor centre first. They have a lot of interesting exhibitions and you can check the predicted time for Old Faithful.
If it’s soon, then you can wander around and go to Old Faithful to see the eruption.
After that, start the walk of the Upper Geyser Basin. This one is longer than the previous ones and you should set aside a couple of hours.
You will see a lot of geysers here including Grand and Castle geysers.
This area is home to half of the geysers in the entire world so that gives you a good idea of how many you can expect!
I also recommend going all the way to the Morning Glory pool. It’s a beautiful green, brown and yellow pool that was named after the flower of the same name.
Stop 7 : West Thumb Geyser Basin & Lake Yellowstone
From Old Faithful, drive around 30 minutes to West Thumb Geyser Basin.
This is a unique basin because it’s located on the shores of Lake Yellowstone.
The scenery is completely different to what you’ve seen so far!
There are loads of colorful hot pools and geysers here but I particularly like the Black Pool which, despite its name, is incredibly blue.
There is a boardwalk that takes you around the hot springs and along the shores of the lake. It takes about 45 minutes to complete.
Stop 8: Hayden Valley
Once you’re done with West Thumb, start driving up to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
There are a few places that are worth checking out but you’re probably going to be short on time now and you really don’t want to miss the Grand Canyon or Norris so except if you see wildlife, I’d recommend to keep on driving.
That having been said, the Hayden Valley is one of the best places in Yellowstone to see bison, elk and bears so if you see anything interesting and want to stop, please do!
Seeing the animals is one of the main reasons to visit Yellowstone and that’s something you should take time to enjoy.
Please remember to keep the safety distances of 100 yards for a bear or wolf and 25 yards for any other animal.
Stop 9: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone – South Rim
You will first reach the south rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Turn right and start the scenic drive.
Again, you could spend quite a bit of time here but the two places I really recommend are the Upper Falls View Point and Artist Point.
Artist Point is located at the end of the road and it boasts the best views in Yellowstone (quite a statement, right?).
There is a large carpark and you can easily get to the viewpoint without having to walk much.
From there, you can see the canyon as well as the lower falls and it’s truly magical.
You can then head back to the main road and drive up.
Stop 6: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone – North Rim
Turn right to start the North Rim Road. This is a one way road that will eventually lead you to Canyon Village.
From here, you’ll discover more views of the canyon and its beautiful colors as well as of the lower falls.
The first carpark is for the lower falls hiking trail but you can find the lookout point a bit further.
This is the best view point on this side of the canyon and it’s truly breathtaking. Between the falls and the canyon, you’ll be impressed.
A bit further, you’ll find the Grand View lookout which is also a great place to stop at if you want to see more of the canyon.
Finally, you can walk to Inspiration Point where you can discover even more breathtaking views of the canyon.
Once you’re done, keep driving on the North Rim road and you will reach Canyon Village soon.
There is a large visitor centre and some shops here so if you need information or food, it’s a good place to stop, otherwise, you can keep driving towards Madison.
Stop 7: Norris Geyser Basin
Twenty minutes later, you will reach Norris Geyser Basin.
If you’ve stopped everywhere I mentioned, it should be around sunset time and that’s the best time to visit this basin. The colors of the sky paired with the white landscapes and the steam just makes for the perfect scenery.
This is one of the hottest geyser basins in the world and there is so much to see!
There are two loop walks here: porcelain basin and back basin.
Porcelain Basin is located on your right when you reach the boardwalks. It’s a very nice walk but if you don’t fancy it, don’t worry, you can just stop at the top and enjoy the views from there.
If you have enough time and energy though, it’s well worth it. It’s very scenic.
I also recommend (at least parts of) the back basin because that’s where you’ll find the steamboat geyser which is the tallest in the national park.
That having been said, this one is not reliable at all and nobody ever knows when it will erupt so it’s actually quite unlikely you’d see an eruption here. Regardless, it’s nice to see!
Once you’re done, you can drive back to West Yellowstone which should take you around 45 minutes.
Summary of this 1-Day Itinerary for the Lower Loop of Yellowstone from West Yellowstone Montana
- Stop 1: Grand Prismatic Hot Spring Overlook
- Stop 2: Old Faithful & Upper Geyser Basin
- Stop 3: West Thumb Geyser Basin
- Stop 4: Hayden Valley
- Stop 5: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone – South Rim
- Stop 6: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone – North Rim
- Stop 7: Norris Geyser Basin
You may also be interested in:
- 11 Interesting Fun Facts about Yellowstone You Never Knew
- The Perfect 2-Day Yellowstone National Park Itinerary from the North Entrance
- 11 Travel Tips for Visiting Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park
- 13 Beautiful Places in Yellowstone National Park That You Must See Once in Your Life
- 11 Mistakes To Avoid When Visiting Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming
