Photo: Cecil W. Stoughton on Wikimedia Commons
The 5-day plan, rearranged for 6 days: every place stays and a few more are added, and each day keeps to one part of town.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
The western town at the south end of the valley, with wooden sidewalks, a town square and an arch made of elk antlers. A good place to eat, rest and end the trip.
Go when Evening, when the square comes to life.
Local tip Walk the wooden sidewalks around the town square, and pick a table by the menu in the window.
The town has places to eat of every kind within a short walk of the square. Choose a table by the menu and the crowd.
Local tip Walk around the square before you eat, while the light is still on the antler arches.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A hillside of white and cream-colored terraces built by hot water and stone, with boardwalks winding up and over them. A very different place from the geyser basins.
Go when Morning, before the heat of the day.
Local tip Walk the upper loop first, then drive the lower one. The terraces change shape over the years, so no two visits are the same.
A deep, yellow-walled canyon cut by the river, with a tall waterfall at its head. Walk to a few of the viewpoints along the rim.
Go when Midday, when the sun lights the yellow walls.
Local tip Visit more than one viewpoint on the rim, because the canyon looks different from each. Keep behind the railings.
Sit on a bench near the rim with a sandwich and look down at the river. Pack enough for the whole day.
Local tip Wash up before the evening drive and keep food out of the car cabin after you eat.
A narrow waterfall that drops over rocky pinnacles, a short walk from the road. A good place to stretch your legs between the long drives.
Go when Midday, as a break from the long drive.
Local tip It is a short walk from the parking area to the view. Check ahead with the park, because the road and the trail can close.
A wide valley of grass and sagebrush with a river through the middle, where wildlife watchers return again and again. Dawn and dusk are the times to be here, and the car is your blind.
Go when Dawn or around sunset (about 9:08 PM).
Local tip Bring binoculars and patience, and stay far back from any animal. The car is a good blind. Never walk toward wildlife for a closer look.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
One of the hottest and most changeable basins in the park, a place of steam, bright pools and noisy vents. Walk the boardwalks and keep to them.
Go when Morning, when the steam hangs low in the cool air.
Local tip The ground here is hot and changes from year to year. Keep strictly to the boardwalks and stay a long way from the edges.
A broad waterfall beside the road on the way between the geyser basins and the north, with a view from a pullout.
Go when Morning, as a break between the long drives.
Local tip Stop at the pullout, take a few minutes to look, and keep behind the railing.
Food stops inside the park are few and far apart. Buy bread, cheese, fruit and drinks in a town the evening before and eat at a picnic table.
Local tip Keep all food and trash inside your car. Never leave it where an animal can reach it.
The classic view down the canyon to the Lower Falls, from a viewpoint on the south rim. Bring a jacket, because the wind off the canyon is cool.
Go when Afternoon, with the sun behind you.
Local tip Walk to the end of the viewpoint and wait a moment for the mist to clear from the falls.
A broad river valley of grass and slow water, a place where wildlife often gathers in the early morning and the evening. Stay in your car or well back from any animal, and use the car as a blind.
Go when Evening, around sunset (about 9:08 PM), or very early in the morning.
Local tip Wildlife jams are common here. Pull completely off the road, stay in the car or far back, and let the animals come and go. Do not feed or approach any animal.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
The famous geyser, and a basin with one of the largest groups of geysers in the world. Walk the boardwalk loop past the others, and check the park's own notices for the likely time of the next eruption.
Go when Early morning, before the boardwalks fill.
Local tip Walk the loop past the other geysers while you wait. Check the park's own notices for the likely time of the next eruption, and stay on the boardwalks.
The huge hot spring in the Midway Geyser Basin, ringed in orange, yellow and blue. Walk the boardwalk beside it. The color is easiest to see from a high viewpoint nearby.
Go when Midday, when the sun is high and the colors are strongest.
Local tip The color is clearest from a high viewpoint nearby, so walk to one after the boardwalk. Never touch the water and keep to the path.
A short boardwalk through a basin of bubbling mud pots, small geysers and steaming vents. Easy to walk and quick to enjoy.
Go when Afternoon, as a gentle end to the day.
Local tip The boardwalk is short and easy. Look for the bubbling mud pots and listen to the vents along the way.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
One of the largest high-mountain lakes in North America, wide and cold, with steam rising at its edge in places. Stand on the shore at West Thumb and look across the water.
Go when Morning, when the water is calm.
Local tip Walk the shoreline at West Thumb, where hot springs steam beside the cold water. Keep to the boardwalk and never go into the lake without checking the park's own rules.
A small geyser basin right on the shore of Yellowstone Lake, with hot pools beside the cold water. A short boardwalk and an easy stop.
Go when Morning, when the steam hangs over the lake.
Local tip Stay on the boardwalk. It is a short loop, so you can fit it in on the way to or from the lake.
A bend in the Snake River where the water is often still and the Teton peaks stand behind it. A favorite place for birds and for photographs. Keep well back from any animal.
Go when Early morning or evening, when the water is still.
Local tip Pull completely off the road at the turnout. Binoculars help with birds, and wildlife that comes to the water should be watched from far away.
Bison is a regional meat, lean and rich, and a burger is a simple way to try it after a long day on the road.
Local tip Order it medium-well if you prefer your meat cooked through.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A glacier-carved lake at the foot of the tallest peaks, with a shoreline path and trails into the canyon behind it. Come early for a place to park, and check how the lake shuttle runs.
Go when Early morning, before the parking fills.
Local tip Walk the shoreline path before you decide on a longer trail. Carry bear spray on any trail and know how to use it.
A line of old homesteads and barns on the flat land below the range, with a famous view of the peaks behind them. Walk the road slowly and look up.
Go when Morning or late afternoon, when the light is low.
Local tip Park in the signed area, walk the road past the old barns and look back at the peaks. Stay off the fences and out of the buildings.
The huckleberry is the wild mountain berry of the region. Look for it in a pie, a jam or a scoop of ice cream.
Local tip It is a dark, tart berry, so try a taste before you buy a whole slice.
A small mountain beside Jackson Lake with a winding road to the top and a wide view of the lake and the range. Go for the last light.
Go when Late afternoon, around sunset (about 9:08 PM).
Local tip The road is narrow and winding, so drive slowly and use the pull-offs. Check ahead that it is open.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, June to September are the most comfortable months for walking around Yellowstone National Park. This plan is built for mid June, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 6 days in Yellowstone National Park, planned for mid June. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
Each day has about 9.3 to 41.9 miles between its stops, and 138.3 miles in all across 6 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
6 days in Glacier National ParkAbout 330 miles away
3 days of red dirt and big views in MoabAbout 400 miles away
6 days in Denver and Rocky Mountain National ParkAbout 410 miles awayAnother guide with a page about Yellowstone National Park. It opens in a new tab.
Photo: Greg Tally - User: (WT-sh…, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons
Make it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated October 2026
Want your own days planned like this? Plan your own trip on the web or get the Archie app.
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