Best Things To Do When Visiting Yellowstone National Park For One Day
By SCOTT SHETLER
Bring enough food for a day at Yellowstone, as the park's restaurants tend to be expensive and crowded. Also, prepare for sudden weather changes due to the elevation.
Gather Items
Before entering the park, decide your route and download park maps to your phone since cell service is hit-or-miss. Also, be ready to head into the park as early as possible.
This road features a boardwalk where you can get out and view Firehole Lake up close, surrounded by steaming vents that create fog.
Firehole Lake Drive
Having only one day in Yellowstone means you won't make it up to Mammoth Hot Springs, but the many geysers, springs, and fumaroles on Firehole Lake Drive are a good substitute.
At more than 120 feet deep and 370 feet wide, Grand Prismatic is the largest hot spring in Yellowstone and features bright blue water with yellow and orange hues.
Grand Prismatic
Consider walking the Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail. The walk only requires about 40 minutes and leads to a viewpoint looking over the spring.
The Old Faithful geyser shoots thousands of gallons of water more than 100 feet in the air, with the typical eruption lasting a few minutes.
Old Faithful
Stop at the Old Faithful Visitor Center (or check the NPS app in advance) for the next predicted eruption time. If you have time to kill, walk the 1.6-mile Observation Point Trail.
This massive lake covers over 130 square miles and is one of the most striking attractions in the park. You can even go boating if you obtain a license beforehand.
Yellowstone Lake
Stop at West Thumb Geyser Basin to see the hydrothermal features next to the lake. Walk the boardwalk to view roughly a dozen hot springs and pools.