HOT SPRINGS IN YELLOWSTONE, WYOMING

There’s nothing like a good road trip to kick off the summer. Mountains, erupting geysers, boiling lakes, volcanic mud, stunning plains, snow, hot springs, bison, bears.. Yellowstone has it ALL! Here’s my 3-2-1 guide to visiting the first ever national park in the United States: Yellowstone National Park, est. 1872. I spent two days and two nights in Yellowstone and it did not disappoint.

3 Things to do

Grand Prismatic Spring

Formed by heat loving bacteria, the Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in the United States. This took the lead as being one of my favorite things to see at Yellowstone. There are two great ways to view the Grand Prismatic Spring. You can see it up close on a boardwalk that loops around the area. For a better view from a distance, you can take the the Fairy Falls Trail (1.2 miles round trip) to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Talk about breathtaking views! The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone blew me away. There are multiple overlooks and trails to view this spectacular area. The weather was not very friendly at the time (extremely windy + cold) so no hikes for me this time. However, Artist Point is a great spot for great views and great shots. Artist Point is easily accessible, with a large parking lot at the east end of South Rim Drive. This is one of Yellowstone’s most photographed spot and I can totally understand why. You can get a stunning view of the Lower Falls on one end and bright-colored rocks on the opposite end.

Old Faithful Geyser

Given that there are over 500 of them, it’s pretty safe to say that anywhere you go in Yellowstone, you’re bound to run into a geyser (a hot boiling spring) of some sort. It’s tradition to go watch the Old Faithful Geyser erupt. Old Faithful erupts every 30 to 120 minutes and has been known to shoot up to 184 feet in the air. To catch all the action, take a seat at one of the benches at the overlook right across from Old Faithful Inn. This is also a perfect place to spread out a blanket and have a picnic while waiting for the show.

2 Places to eat

What’s a camping trip without some grilled hot dogs and hamburgers? My friend brought his amazing griddle: Blackstone Adventure Ready 17” Tabletop Outdoor Griddle and we used it to cook everything while camping at Yellowstone. This is a great way to save money while visiting a national park.

There are some restaurants inside the park. Check out the national park website for a listing of restaurants and shops. If you are looking for something outside the park, check out Michael’s Tacos located in Cody, Wyoming about an hour drive from the east entrance.

1 place to stay

As expected most camp sites that can be booked in advanced were full long before we started planning this road trip. This seems to be the trend with most widely-visited national parks. However, there are a several campsites right outside the east entrance of the park. We spent one night at Big Game Campground right next to the Shoshone River. Camping is $10 nightly at the Big Game Campground so if you’re looking to save money, this is a great option. Once inside the park, we got lucky and found an open site at Grant Village Campground. Grant Village is more costly at $31 per night. However, it also comes with more amenities such as flushing toilets, laundry, showers, and more.

How much money did this trip cost?

So of course, wherever money is involved, things are subject to change. If you’re on the hunt for budget-friendly travel, I highly recommend a road trip to Yellowstone. This trip can easily be done for under $500 and depending on where you are driving from. Check out the Yellowstone National Park website for more details and updates when planning your visit.

Park Entrance Fee: $35

Food/groceries: $83.86

Campsite fees: $46

Gas: $285.30 (road trip from Dallas, TX to Yellowstone, Wyoming | About 1,400 miles)