{"id":65,"date":"2018-12-14T19:12:56","date_gmt":"2018-12-15T02:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phasetravel.com\/?p=65"},"modified":"2018-12-14T19:12:56","modified_gmt":"2018-12-15T02:12:56","slug":"yellowstone-itinerary-3-day-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phasetravel.com\/yellowstone-itinerary-3-day-trip\/","title":{"rendered":"Yellowstone Itinerary: How To Make The Most Of 3 Days"},"content":{"rendered":"

Natural Wonders<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yellowstone is one of the United States’ most popular natural parks. It has garnered tons of visitors over the years. Typically, most people immediately think of the erupting geysers that Yellowstone is popular for, but there’s actually considerably more to the park than just spouting water. The park spans over 3,500 square miles. Because of its massive size, you may feel that you need to book an extended stay at the hotel or campground just to see all of its delights. While you should definitely take your time in exploring every natural beauty that Yellowstone provides, realistically, you’re likely only able to take a few days off from work.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, it’s best to go into the park with a battle plan. Itineraries can be your best friend if you want to be sure you see the most famous and awe-inspiring of locations that Yellowstone offers. The first bit of advice is to find a hotel or campground that rests marginally in the middle of all the areas that you want to visit. This can reduce the amount of drive time it takes to reach them, so you can spend more time hiking the trails and connecting with nature.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, here is a possible itinerary you might wish to follow for a three-day visit to Yellowstone.<\/p>\n

Day 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Yellowstone
Photo Credit: Ronny Peng via Flickr CC2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To begin your Yellowstone itinerary 3 days challenge, you should start with the Norris Geyser Basin. While everyone will be flocking to see Old Faithful, which is an understandably famous geyser, you can see an equally impressive geyser show at the Norris Geyser Basin. For one, it boasts the largest active geyser in the world. There are other delightful geothermal oddities to discover as well like the Black Growler Steam Vent, Congress Pool, and a few other delights. To speed up your hike, you might want to take the Porcelain Basin loop instead of the Back Basin loop.<\/p>\n

\"Yellowstone
Photo Credit: lifetravelandmore via Flickr CC2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From there you can travel to the Grand Prismatic Spring. This spring is not only the largest hot spring in the United States, but it is also the third largest in the world. You can enjoy the almost alien-like colors of the water like the vibrant blue, orange, yellow, and green pigments that coat the edges of the spring. Since this particular venue is popular, it’s best to get there as early as you can to make sure you find parking.<\/p>\n

Fairy Falls is next on the list. You can take a quick drive over, and then complete a five-mile hike to the incredible waterfall. It takes roughly two hours for the hike roundtrip. The scenery is breath-taking. It also offers you a unique overlook of the Grand Prismatic Spring, so if the parking is too terrible, or you want to save on time, then complete both by visiting the Fairy Falls and taking the overlook photos of the Spring instead.<\/p>\n

No itinerary is complete without visiting Old Faithful. As its name might suggest, the geyser erupts every half hour to two hours and lasts anywhere from a minute and a half to five minutes. If you arrive just after an eruption, you can take the opportunity to stop at the nearby Old Faithful Inn where you can grab a meal and relax for a while. Once you see the famous spouting of Old Faithful, you can call it a day.<\/p>\n

Day Two<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Yellowstone
Photo Credit: Philliz88 via Flickr CC2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You should begin the second day right at dawn and head quickly over to Lamar Valley. This is the location where you can spot all kinds of wildlife like coyotes, bison, buffalos, bald eagles, grizzly bears, and deer. Since wildlife typically is more active in the hours surrounding dawn and dusk, it’s best to visit Lamar Valley either first thing or before you return to your hotel or campground.<\/p>\n

\"Yellowstone
Photo Credit: DavidnKeng via Flickr CC2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Does the idea of a cave turned inside out interest you? Then head to Mammoth Hot Spring Terraces. The exterior of these interesting rock formations is made from limestone and give it a unique color. They’re surrounded by at least 50 hot springs that make the entire location look primordial.<\/p>\n

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I'm not sure I'll ever finish posting pictures from #MelonRoadTrip2016 but I appreciate no one yelling at me to stop yet. This was my first successful hike at this elevation. Holy dear baby Jesus altitude sickness is no joke. #yellowstone #itstheclimb<\/a><\/p>\n

A post shared by Me'Haley<\/a> (@duffeltales) on