Are you heading to Yellowstone from Montana and planning on visiting for a couple of days?
Then this ultimate 2-day itinerary for Yellowstone national park is perfect for you.
Here you will find exactly how to spend 2 days in Yellowstone and make the best of your visit.
Please note that this itinerary starts from the North Entrance (Gardiner in Montana) but could be modified to start from any of the other entrances.
So, are you ready to start? Let’s discover Yellowstone in 2 days.
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 heading to Yellowstone, there are a few things you need to know about this itinerary.
- It is a fast-paced itinerary. You can do everything on this itinerary but you need to bear in mind that it will be a bit intense and requires long days. I’ve done it (and more) so I know it’s completely feasible but I wouldn’t consider it a relaxed itinerary.
- Start as early as you can. Yellowstone can get quite crowded so the earlier you start, the better. Also, you will have much higher chances of seeing wildlife if you start early.
- Get the Guide Along App. It’s an app you can get on your phone which provides a driving guided tour of the park. You can simply plug your phone in your car and the guide will speak through the speakers depending on your location. It’s incredibly interesting and will truly enhance your Yellowstone experience.
2-Day Yellowstone Road Trip Itinerary From The North Entrance
Day 1: Eastern Side of the Upper Loop, Lamar Valley, Grand Canyon & West Thumb
On day 1, we will explore the eastern side and mainly the upper loop.
Stop 1: Gardiner & Roosevelt Arch
This itinerary starts from the north entrance, in Gardiner Montana. Drive through the town and head to the entrance of the park.
Make sure to drive through the Roosevelt Arch. This is a symbol of Yellowstone since it used to be the main gateway to Yellowstone and the cornerstone as actually laid by President Roosevelt.
As previously mentioned, I recommend getting there as early as possible so you can enjoy the park without the crowds and see more animals.
Yellowstone is open 24/7 so you can make it as early as you wish.
After the arch, you will reach the entrance of the park where you can pay the entrance or show your America The Beautiful Pass.
From there, keep driving until you reach the Mammoth Hot Springs area. This is home to one of the main visitor centres in the park and an amazing walk but we will come back here so there is no need to stop at this point. Simply head east, towards the Lamar Valley.
Stop 2 : Lamar Valley
The Lamar Valley is one of the best places in Yellowstone to see wildlife, especially bison and wolves.
It’s located on the road between Tower Roosevelt and the Northeast entrance. Technically, it is a bit of a detour since it’s not located on the loop but it’s well worth setting a couple of hours aside to head there.
As you drive through the valley, you’ll discover loads of beautiful areas with bison. It’s absolutely stunning!
There are quite a few places where you can stay and take photos but remember to stay at least 25 yards away from any bison.
You will also notice that there are a lot of people parked in certain places, that’s usually because they saw something so if you can, park your car and ask them.
As previously mentioned, the Lamar Valley is one of the best places to see a pack of wolves but these are animals that are harder to spot so it’s definitely a very unique sight.
PRO TIP: Make sure to take binoculars with you as it will allow you to see the animals a lot better.
Once you’ve driven far enough along the Lamar Valley you can head back to the upper loop.
Please note that you don’t need to go all the way to Silver Gate, you can stop near Pebble Creek and head back.
Stop 3: Calcite springs overlook
When you reach the upper loop again, turn left towards Canyon Village. After a while, you’ll reach the calcite springs overlook.
You can park your vehicle and go on the boardwalk to the overlook. It’s very short so it will only take you a couple of minutes.
While it may not be the most famous site in Yellowstone, I find it to be absolutely stunning.
You get amazing views of the canyon carved by the Yellowstone river and you can see the steam coming from the hot springs next to the white rocks.
It’s very pretty and a great place to take a photo.
Stop 4: Tower Fall
A few minutes after the Calcite Springs overlook, you’ll find the parking lot for Tower Fall. It can get a bit busy but there are usually spaces at the back.
The walk to the fall is very short, only 2 minutes from the general store.
You’ll get to see fantastic views over the fall that plunges 132 feet and you can go souvenir shopping in the store if you want to.
Then head back to the car and drive all the way to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
You will drive past Canyon Village but don’t stop yet since you’ll
Stop 5: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone – North Rim
When you get to the north rim, turn left to take the scenic route to the lower falls. Here you’ll find a parking lot where you can leave your vehicle while you walk down to the overlook.
This is the best view of the lower falls and an excellent photo spot.
You can then keep going until you reach Grand View. This lookout point is more about the canyon than the falls and you can see the river snaking around the canyon.
Shortly after you’ll find Inspiration point which is the last roadside view point on the North Rim drive.
The colors of the canyon are always incredible and that’s a very good spot to admire them.
Once you’re done, keep driving until you reach Canyon Village.
Stop 6: Canyon Village
Canyon Village is one of the main villages in the national park. It’s home to a large visitor center where you can go see the rangers, ask for information, get your national park stamp and see the exhibition about the geology of Yellowstone.
It’s a very interesting visitor center and if you have a bit of time to spare, I highly recommend spending some time there.
You will also find a large shop and a café so if you didn’t pack a picnic with you, you can grab food here.
Once you’re done, head back south towards the south rim drive.
Stop 7: Brink of the Lower Falls
Between the north and south rim drives, you’ll find a road on the lefthand side going to the brink of the lower falls. This is worth a quick stop.
The walk only takes a few minutes and brings you to a platform just above the falls. It’s very impressive especially since you can see how fast and powerful the water is.
Stop 8: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone – South Rim
The South Rim drive is just after the brink of the lower falls and while it could be tempting to skip it before you already saw the canyon on the other side, please don’t because the views here are different and they are breathtaking.
The first place to stop is the lookout for the upper falls. After that, keep driving until you reach Artist Point.
This is one of the best views in Yellowstone and it will truly take your breath away.
A lot of painters go there and it’s not surprising, it really is stunning.
You’ll love taking photos there and look at the canyon and the falls.
Stop 9: Hayden Valley
Once you’re done with the canyon, head back to your car and start driving towards the Mud Volcano. On the way, you’ll drive through the Hayden Valley which is very scenic as well as another great place to see the wildlife.
Stop 8: Sulphur Caldron & Mud Volcano
You will first reach the sulphur caldron where you can stop to have a look.
It’s one of the most acidic features in Yellowstone.
About a minute further, there is the carpark for the mud volcano.
There is a 0.6 mile boardwalk that you can take to discover the different mud features. It’s a very unique sight since there is boiling mud in many different ways.
It takes about 1 hour to visit.
Stop 9: Yellowstone Lake
As you drive towards West Thumb, you’ll discover the beautiful Yellowstone Lake. This is the largest lake in the national park and it’s very scenic.
If you want to discover more, you can stop at the Lake Village. There are a lot of activities you can do here including fishing or boating but with only 2 days in Yellowstone, you probably won’t have time.
If that’s something you’re really interested in, then make sure to eliminate some stops on that itinerary to make time for a lake cruise or other.
Stop 10: West Thumb Geyser Basin
Your last stop of the day will be West Thumb Geyser Basin. It’s quite a unique place because it’s actually a small caldera located within the large caldera of Yellowstone.
It’s home to many hot springs and geysers and will be the perfect introduction to the geothermal features of Yellowstone.
From the carpark, you can access the boardwalk that will take you around the hot springs.
They are all very unique but my favourite is the black pool (which is actually turquoise). The color of the water is incredible and there is the lake just behind which makes it even more beautiful.
It takes about 1 hour to visit West Thumb Geyser Basin and since that’s your last stop of the day, with a bit of luck you will be able to see the sunset here as well.
Day 2: Lower Loop and Mammoth Hot Springs
Stop 1: Old Faithful Geyser
Start your day at Old Faithful. This is a very busy area of the park so I recommend getting there as early as you can.
There is a large visitor centre with exhibitions and they display the predicted times for the eruptions of all the main geysers in the upper basin, including Old Faithful.
You don’t necessarily need to time your visit with an eruption of Old Faithful because it erupts every 90 minutes and you can always start the walk of the Upper Geyser Basin while you’re waiting.
Old Faithful is the most reliable geyser in Yellowstone. Its eruptions last between 1 and 5 minutes and reach a height of 90-184 feet (27-55 m).
PRO TIP: Try to stand up-wind compared to Old Faithful, you’ll get better views.
Stop 2: Upper Geyser Basin & Morning Glory Pool
The Upper Geyser Basin is located all around Old Faithful and is home to half of the geysers in the world!
You can explore it on the boardwalk.
Make sure to set aside at least a couple of hours to do this walk because there is a lot to see and you can go all the way to the Morning Glory Pool.
There are many noticeable geysers including Grand, Castle, Daisy and Riverside. I particularly loved Castle. It was very impressive, the shape was very pretty and the eruption lasted a very long time.
While you can time your visit with the predicted times, the geysers in this basin are not as reliable as Old Faithful so it’s always a bit down to luck.
The Morning Glory Pool is located at the end of the walk and it’s worth going all the way there because it’s one of the most beautiful springs in Yellowstone.
PRO TIP: Make sure to stay on the boardwalk since it is dangerous to walk on the ground. It would also destroy the bacteria there and that’s not what we want.
Once you have completed the walk, head back to your car and start driving north.
Stop 3 : Biscuit Basin
Your next stop will be the biscuit basin. The main feature here is called Sapphire pool. It’s actually the one that gave this basin its name since there used to be biscuit shaped formations inside but unfortunately these can’t be seen anymore.
An earthquake changed the activity in this basin and created some eruptions in the pool that destroyed the biscuits.
While this is a shame, it’s also what gave us the clear pools we can see today so it’s still a nice place to see.
You can also find the Jewel geyser which erupts every few minutes. It’s a lot smaller than the ones in the Upper geysers basin but still worth seeing.
Stop 4: Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook
The Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest in the USA and the 3rd largest hot spring in the world but more importantly, it’s one of the most colorful and beautiful features in Yellowstone.
It’s known for its rainbow colors and is truly one of the most amazing things you’ll ever get to see!
The best place to admire its shape and colors is from the overlook (since you need a bit of height to see it properly).
The overlook is located on the Fairy Falls trail so make sure to park on the Fairy Falls carpark to start the walk.
You don’t need to go all the way to the falls, the overlook is about 20 minutes walk from the carpark.
Once you get there, you’ll discover beautiful views over Grand Prismatic and if you are lucky, maybe some bison will be walking around.
Stop 5: Grand Prismatic Spring
While it’s true that the views from the overlook are more impressive, I still think it’s worth stopping at the Grand Prismatic Spring carpark and exploring the midway basin.
There are other springs and geysers worth seeing but it will also give you the opportunity to walk right by Grand Prismatic and see the colors up close.
As usual, make sure to stay on the boardwalk.
Stop 6: Fountain Paint Pots
You will find the Fountain Paint Pots carpark on your left. You can start the trail from here. There is a boardwalk and it takes about 1 hour to complete.
The interesting thing about the Fountain Paint Pots is that it’s an area that boasts all four hydrothermal features in Yellowstone including cool mud pots and beautiful pools.
Stop 7: Firehole River Scenic Drive
A bit further north on the main road, you’ll find a small road on the left, this will take you along the Firehole River.
It’s a very scenic short drive and you can even stop to take pictures of the waterfalls.
But the reason why it’s particularly worth going is that it’s home to one of the rare places in Yellowstone where you can go for a swim, the firehole river swimming area.
This place is perfect for a swim because there is hot water from the hot springs mixing with the water of the river, making it the ideal temperature!
Once you’re done with your swim, head back to the main road and drive back north to head to the Artists Paint Pots.
Stop 8: Artists Paint Pots
Once you parked, you can start the trail to the Artists Paint Pots. This is a great place to stop in Yellowstone because the walk is only 1 mile long and there are loads to see.
At the beginning of the walk, you’ll see some dead trees that were killed by the hot pools, it’s quite an interesting thing to see.
There are also boiling mud pots and of course, the stunningly colorful Artists Paint Pots.
Stop 8: Norris Geyser Basin
The next stop will be Norris Geyser Basin, which is located at the intersection of the lower and upper loops.
By then, you might be a bit geysered out but I promise, it’s worth it!
This is one of the most scenic geyser basins in Yellowstone and a great place to take pictures.
It’s also home to the steamboat geyser which is the tallest in Yellowstone. Unfortunately though, the eruptions are very unreliable and not very often so it’s unlikely you’d see it erupt.
There is a boardwalk going around the basin and it should take a couple of hours to complete.
PRO TIP: There are two loops so if you don’t fancy the entire walk, I recommend heading to the top of the lower loop because it boasts stunning views of the entire basin and you can then go to the steamboat geyser and head back to the car park.
Once you’re done, start driving up to Mammoth Hot Springs.
This is a bit of a long drive but it’s very scenic and there are loads of opportunities to see wildlife.
There are a few nice places where you can stop but it will depend on how much time you have left.
If you are using the Guide Along App, the guide will make some recommendations. The Roaring Mountain and the Sheepeater cliffs are both nice and quick stops worth considering.
Stop 9: Mammoth Hot Springs
Your last stop before exiting the park through the North Entrance will be Mammoth Hot Springs.
This is actually where you started on day 1 but we only drove through and didn’t stop.
Park your vehicle in the car park near Liberty Cap and start the walk around the Mammoth Hot Springs.
It takes a couple of hours to complete but it’s not a hard walk. There is a boardwalk all around.
You’ll see the beautiful white terraces as well as beautiful hot pools on the cliffs.
Once you’re done, you can drive back to Gardiner and that’s it, we are done with our Yellowstone 2-day itinerary
2 days in Yellowstone Itinerary from Gardiner North Entrance Summary
Day 1: Eastern Side of the Upper Loop, Lamar Valley, Grand Canyon & West Thumb
- Stop 1: Gardiner & Roosevelt Arch
- Stop 2 : Lamar Valley
- Stop 3: Calcite springs overlook
- Stop 4: Tower Fall
- Stop 5: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone – North Rim
- Stop 6: Canyon Village
- Stop 7: Brink of the Lower Falls
- Stop 8: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone – South Rim
- Stop 9: Hayden Valley
- Stop 8: Sulphur Caldron & Mud Volcano
- Stop 9: Yellowstone Lake
- Stop 10: West Thumb Geyser Basin
Day 2: Lower Loop and Mammoth Hot Springs
- Stop 1: Old Faithful Geyser
- Stop 2: Upper Geyser Basin & Morning Glory Pool
- Stop 3 : Biscuit Basin
- Stop 4: Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook
- Stop 5: Grand Prismatic Spring
- Stop 6: Fountain Paint Pots
- Stop 7: Firehole River Scenic Drive
- Stop 8: Artists Paint Pots
- Stop 8: Norris Geyser Basin
- Stop 9: Mammoth Hot Springs
Map of this Yellowstone 2-day itinerary from Gardiner
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