What to Pack for Your Yellowstone Vacation
The top 16 things you wish you'll had while vacationing in Yellowstone.
Tori is the former co-brand and content director of National Park Trips. She specializes in writing inspiring national park travelogues, foodie adventures and personal, heartfelt stories of people who shape our culture.
In 2018, Tori was recognized for her work with National Park Journal, winning three first-place awards for the Grand Canyon edition of the magazine. Later the same year, Tori was honored as a Folio: 100, a list of the top innovators, entrepreneurial thinkers, and industry-disruptors in magazine media.
Before joining National Park Trips, Tori worked for her alma mater as director of marketing for the CU-Boulder Alumni Association, developing and executing campaigns for national and local events and programs. She led an award-winning creative team of six and served as editor of the Coloradan magazine, which won two first-place national awards in 2011 and 2014 for magazine excellence, as well as two regional first-place awards and a second-place award in 2011-14.
Tori’s travels have taken her across the globe and she has lived in Hong Kong, Kenya, Ecuador and Nepal. Some of her favorite national park experiences are hiking the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon, taking the trail down to the Yosemite Valley from Glacier Point, snowshoeing to Lone Star Geyser in Yellowstone and doing Rocky Mountain’s East Inlet Trail with her family. When she’s not in search of a story, she loves spending time with her family and skiing, running, biking, backpacking and traveling.
The top 16 things you wish you'll had while vacationing in Yellowstone.
Whether you want to ride the rapids or enjoy a leisurely float, the rivers near Yellowstone National Park deliver.
Get ready for a vacation of a lifetime. Here are some of our favorite things to do in Glacier from a peaceful boat ride and breathtaking hike to eating one of the best huckleberry pastries ever.
Jackson, Wyo.’s best-kept secret offers a ton of activities for all ages, plus bike and SUP rentals.
Discover southern Wyoming gems from hot springs to a gorgeous scenic drive.
Dive deep into Montana history, see stunning views and hit the trails in these four parks.
There’s a lot to do in Yellowstone, but here are three things you should definitely not do.
Southwest Montana is stunning, offering everything from historic towns to boat rides, from sapphires to saloons.
Soak in hot springs and float down a river west of Yellowstone.
Camp underneath the jagged Teton mountain range in pristine forests with easy access to lakes and wildlife watching. Campgrounds are first-come, first-served, except two.
Explore urban trails, waterfalls, craft beer and more in Great Falls, Montana
From fantastic restaurants to lake kayaking, here’s how to make your drive to Glacier full of adventure.
Stay a couple blocks from the park in West Yellowstone and leave the park driving to a guide.
Explore breathtaking national monument, spectacular waterfalls and holey rock formations west of Yellowstone
Proud to support local farms.
Stop at these surprising attractions, eateries and events.
Find Outdoor Adventure and Culture
Learn the history of the town’s famous motorcycle rally but also explore its outdoor recreation and year-round events.
A guide to help you decide where to spend the night, from car camping paradise and remote backcountry sites to a slice of RV heaven.
Born next to a ski area, the town of Big Sky offers music, food and miles of trails under its piece of the enormous Montana sky.
You’ll find sapphires and a palace of sorts tucked into the gentle folding hillsides and valleys of this swath of southwestern Montana.
See the world’s largest monument carving in progress, the Crazy Horse Memorial.
Watch your dinner get prepared at the Cowboy Chuckwagon Experience, see world-class art or experience raptors up close.
Explore an ancient ocean shoreline and see World War II-era airplanes in this tiny town of 1,800.
Get a great selfie next to a giant potato and discover the stories behind this unsung hero of a vegetable.
Bring your RV home where the buffalo roam, but follow these tips and tricks.
Sleep next to Yellowstone but away from the crowds at the park's East Entrance
Stay in a historic log cabin sitting along a national forest.
Go on scenic floats or on Class IV whitewater rafting trips offered on the Gallatin, Yellowstone, and Madison Rivers.
Dig up your own piece of history after leaving Yellowstone.
Locals like to brag Cody, Wyoming and the surrounding area is where your great American adventure begins.
Find out which lodges in the parks turn up the heat and keep logs burning in their fireplaces all winter.
Lose the crowds in Laramie, Wyoming's great outdoors and its fun cultural attractions.
Only one lodging place is open in winter inside the park, but just outside, they are plentiful.
See the best in the park.
A favorite midpoint stop on your Yellowstone to Glacier road trip, the resort is really a destination all its own. Enjoy a full-service resort that provides golf, swimming, water slide, lodging and venues for conventions and gatherings.
Between Yellowstone and Glacier, go big game hunting, fishing, camping, biking, hiking and skiing in the beautiful Judith Basin.
Here's everything you need to know about Yellowstone and Grand Teton during COVID.
Yes, with some planning and a lot of restrictions, you can bring your dog on vacation.
Located just 7 miles from the breathtaking Glacier National Park in Mont., where peaks touch the sky, glaciers move the earth, waterfalls carve the rock and wildlife roam as freely as they always have, Under Canvas Glacier is an adventure like no other.
One of the most glamorous rooms you’ll ever sleep in may actually be a tent at a glamping resort
Elevate your national park vacation when you and your family spend the night at a glamping camp.
Planning a vacation to Yellowstone involves many details, one of which is deciding how you will enter the park.
Enjoy stunning views of Mount Rushmore from your private luxury tent in a peaceful location away from the crowds of the parks.
Imagine waking up to the sights, sounds, and smells of nature in one of the most spectacular places on Earth. At Under Canvas West Yellowstone, you can immerse yourself in the great outdoors of Montana while spending your nights nestled in your luxurious glamping tent.
Discover the history of wolves in Yellowstone, including what happened to the ecosystem when they were eradicated and when they were reintroduced Jan 12, 1995
One of the most breathtaking routes to Yellowstone National Park is from Red Lodge, Mont., to Cooke City and Silver Gate via the 68-mile stretch of the Beartooth Highway.
With the solstice ushering in summer June 21, celebrate summer’s official arrival by seeing the best of Yellowstone.
Use our personalized guide
You don’t have to visit Yellowstone to hear its beautiful animals, see Old Faithful erupt live and see a geyser basin.
While Yellowstone National Park’s natural wonders are awe-inspiring, don’t forget to explore the Old West’s rich frontier history while you are in the area.
An experience in itself.
This trail brings you to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point before leading you to more remote mountain beauty in the glacially carved Cascade Canyon.
Just 15 minutes from Grand Teton National Park and less than two hours from Yellowstone, Jackson is a great stop if you’re looking for an old West town with a touch of class and a lot of fun.
Wildlife is abundant throughout these two national parks. Go wildlife watching in their natural habitat in the areas they frequent most.
Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife in South Dakota.
You’ll see more than incredible views when you visit Glacier. Keep an eye out for these six fascinating animals.
Just minutes from the South Entrance to Yellowstone National Park and the northern section of Grand Teton National Park, stay at the Headwaters Lodge & Cabins at Flagg Ranch.
For sweeping views of the Grand Teton and the Teton range, hike Table Mountain in Caribou-Targhee National Forest
Star-Filled Stays with Grand Teton Lodge Company
This 7.6 mile trail offers beautiful views without much elevation gain.
One of Yellowstone’s most iconic hikes, Mount Washburn offers great views and a chance to go inside a fire lookout at the summit.
Here are the top things to do in a city that puts you close to the best of the Black Hills.
This less-visited national park is located in the badlands of western North Dakota.
During World War II, more than 14,000 Japanese Americans ended up behind barbed wire at Heart Mountain Relocation Center. Discover what life was like for them at Heart Mountain Interpretive Center in Powell, Wyoming.
Located on the east side of Yellowstone near the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, Canyon Lodge & Cabins is a great home base for your park explorations offering a mix of cabins and newer lodge rooms.
Only have two days? Here's what to do.
Discover the milestones of the world's first national park and participate in celebrations.
Stop at these less-traveled parks and recreation areas on the way to Yellowstone.
Here’s a pop quiz. Name the U.S. presidents carved into the granite hillside of Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
Explore Yellowstone with these local wildlife guides, known for their day hiking tours, to see wolves in the Lamar Valley. Or try a van or paddling tour or backpacking options.
Big city amenities meet outdoor recreation and Western history in Billings.
The ultimate guide to lodging inside Yellowstone National Park
In the heart of the Black Hills but away from the commercialization and traffic, Sundance, Wyo., offers a deep dive into the Old West and stunning beauty.
The best and safest way over the Bighorn Mountains.
Explore the country’s best national parks in style in a camper van, trailer or RV.
Spend a day on the Via Ferrata experience, riding the gondola, tackling the ropes or biking and hiking downhill.
Beat the summer heat with these water activities.
Fly into Bozeman, Mont., for a fantastic ski and snow-fueled vacation including Yellowstone excursions.
Just west of Grand Teton National Park lies a string of snowflake-filled towns in Idaho that offer world-class and often free winter experiences.