Discover Yellowstone National Park: A Self-Guided Tour
3.0 / 5 · 2 traveler reviews
Discover Yellowstone with your self-guided tour, exploring America’s first national park at your pace. Begin at Old Faithful, where the world’s most famous geyser erupts with stunning regularity every 90 minutes. Drive to Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest hot spring in the United States, its rainbow rings of thermophilic bacteria creating colors visible from the overlook trail above. Stand at the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone as the Lower Falls plunge 308 feet into a golden-walled gorge. Explore Mammoth Hot Springs where travertine terraces build living sculptures of mineral deposits. Watch bison herds roam the Lamar Valley, known as America’s Serengeti for its unmatched wildlife viewing. Visit Norris Geyser Basin, the park’s hottest and most dynamic thermal area. Marvel at Yellowstone Lake, one of the largest high-altitude lakes in North America. This 2.2-million-acre wilderness sits atop an active supervolcano, creating a landscape found nowhere else on Earth.
Your experience
Stop 1
The world's most famous geyser has erupted with remarkable predictability since its 1870 discovery, launching 3,700 to 8,400 gallons of boiling water 130 to 180 feet into the air every 44 to 125 minutes. Rangers post predicted times at the visitor center so you can plan your viewing. The surrounding Upper Geyser Basin contains the largest concentration of geysers on Earth within a single square mile.
Stop 2
The largest hot spring in the United States and third largest in the world measures 370 feet in diameter and reaches depths of 160 feet, its vivid bands of orange, yellow, green, and blue created by heat-loving microorganisms called thermophiles. The boardwalk provides intimate proximity to the steaming pools while the Grand Prismatic Overlook trail delivers the iconic aerial perspective that reveals the spring's full rainbow pattern against the surrounding forest.
Stop 3
The Yellowstone River carved this 20-mile-long, 1,200-foot-deep canyon through rhyolite rock, its walls displaying brilliant yellows, oranges, and reds. The Lower Falls plunge 308 feet into the canyon best viewed from Artist Point on the South Rim. Uncle Tom's Trail descends 328 metal steps for an immersive perspective, while the North Rim Trail offers Lookout Point and Red Rock Point for closer views.
Stop 4
The travertine terraces at Mammoth are a living geological sculpture where hot water rising through limestone deposits up to two tons of calcium carbonate daily. The boardwalk system winds through both the Upper and Lower Terraces, passing features like Palette Spring, Minerva Terrace, and Canary Spring. Fort Yellowstone surrounds the area with historic stone buildings. Elk frequently graze on the lawns, providing reliable wildlife viewing.
Stop 5
The hottest and most dynamic thermal area in the park sits at the intersection of three major fault lines. The Porcelain Basin's open landscape of milky blue pools and hissing fumaroles contrasts with the forested Back Basin where Steamboat Geyser can erupt over 300 feet high. The Norris Geyser Basin Museum provides geological context for the surrounding thermal features.
Stop 6
The 142-mile Grand Loop Road forms a figure-eight through the park's major attractions, connecting all five entrances and passing through diverse ecosystems from sagebrush valleys to alpine meadows to dense lodgepole pine forests. Wildlife jams are a regular and cherished part of the Yellowstone driving experience.
Stop 7
The largest high-altitude lake in North America covers 136 square miles at 7,733 feet elevation. The historic Lake Yellowstone Hotel, built in 1891, provides elegant lakeside dining. Fishing Bridge at the lake's outlet offers excellent wildlife viewing as pelicans, osprey, and bears fish the shallow waters.
Stop 8
Known as America's Serengeti, this broad glacial valley in the park's northeast corner provides the best wildlife viewing in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, with large herds of bison, pronghorn, elk, and mule deer grazing open grasslands while wolves, grizzly bears, and coyotes hunt the same landscape. The valley became world-famous after the 1995 wolf reintroduction. The drive through Lamar Valley at dawn or dusk ranks among the park's most unforgettable experiences.
Stop 9
This stunning 132-foot waterfall plunges from the mouth of Tower Creek into a dramatic gorge surrounded by eroded volcanic pinnacles that early explorers thought resembled medieval tower ruins. Located near the Tower-Roosevelt junction, the waterfall is one of Yellowstone's most photographed features. A short trail leads to an overlook with sweeping views of the falls and the surrounding columnar basalt formations, making it a perfect brief stop.
Stop 10
Situated on the western shore of Yellowstone Lake, this compact thermal area showcases an extraordinary collision of fire and ice where hot springs and geysers bubble directly into the frigid lake waters. The boardwalk loop passes vivid blue pools, roaring fumaroles, and the iconic Fishing Cone—a lakeside hot spring where early visitors reportedly cooked freshly caught trout. The basin's location offers panoramic lake and mountain views that complement the geothermal features.
Stop 11
This iconic 50-foot stone gateway at Yellowstone's original north entrance in Gardiner, Montana, was dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903. The arch bears the inscription 'For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People,' a phrase from the 1872 act that created the world's first national park. Standing beneath the massive basalt arch provides a powerful connection to the conservation movement that saved America's wild places and remains one of the park's most photographed landmarks.
Stop 12
This charming gateway town just outside Yellowstone's west entrance offers a quintessential Western experience with its wooden boardwalks, local shops, and restaurants serving bison burgers and huckleberry treats. Originally established as a railroad terminus to bring tourists to the park, the town retains its frontier character while providing modern amenities. Visitors can explore the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, the Yellowstone Historic Center museum, or simply stroll the main street soaking in the mountain-town atmosphere.
What’s included
- Bonus: 3 New Guides Across Yellowstone — Grand Loop Drive, Grand Prismatic & West Thumb Walks
- Self-guided walking tour, fully on the app — explore at your own pace
- Digital Map & Offline Content: no cell service needed
- Instant access: your tour activation code is ready on your ticket, below the barcode.
- NO live guide or rental equipment provided — please bring your own smartphone and headphones
Not included
- Private transportation
- Entry fees to national parks,tourist attractions or museums.
- Our app-based self-guided tour has no physical guide on-site.
- Headphones, transport, parking, food,Wi-Fi or cellular data, rentals.
Meeting and pickup
Address: 104 Yellowstone Ave, West Yellowstone, MT 59758, United States. Coordinates: 44.658203, -111.100592. Visitors are encouraged to personalize their experience by choosing their own starting point and the order in which they wish to explore.
Before you go
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Check the policy for your selected date and option before booking.
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