Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
1 day in Yellowstone - The best places to see
We had one day to travel through Yellowstone on a recent trip. It wasn't enough time to really dig into the park and explore, but it far exceeded my expectations. Here are what I feel are the must see spots if you have a day in the park:
1. Upper Geyser Basin - This was the highlight for me and I wasn't expecting much. The scenery was amazing, even if you didn't catch a geyser erupting. But we did. Three of them, actually. Well, if you count Old Faitful erupting twice, which I did. You can really get a good idea of how dangerous this area is and why visitors need to stick to the trails. Many of the pools had a thin crust built around them, making them appear smaller than they were. But if you approached, you'd break through the crust and possibly be boiled alive.
2. Grand Prismatic Spring - An iconic view that shouldn't be missed. There are two ways to see the spring. The first is the boardwalk that we took. There is also a short trail that goes up a hillside opposite our view of the geyser. Apparently this gives a little better perspective since you're above the spring. Unfortunately, we couldn't find a parking spot for that trail, but the 'normal' trail was still worth it.
3. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone - Artist Point, specifically. There are a lot of overlooks at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. But Artist Point gives one of the best views of the (lower?) falls and is the most popular pick.
4. Lamar Valley - A pretty drive where you're almost guaranteed to see wildlife. It's best to drive it early morning or late afternoon/early evening for the best chance to see animals, but there were still plenty of buffalo when we went mid afternoon.
We went on a weekday, but in summer. So a pretty popular time. Yes, it was crowded, but not nearly as bad as I thought. We were able to get to all the places we wanted to see and actually find parking spaces (after. a short wait at a couple).
All in all, Yellowstone was an unexpected treat on this trip. I will definitely be back and plan a deeper dive into the park's back country. But even if you just have a day, it's so worth it. There's nothing else like it.
Music by Artlist:
Pearl - EVOE
Caffe Lunga - Notize
Trust (Synth stem only) - Master Minded
Eleven Hours a Night - Yehezkel Raz
Impossible Things - Doug Kaufman
A Beam of Light - Tristan Barton
1 day in Yellowstone - The best places to see
We had one day to travel through Yellowstone on a recent trip. It wasn't enough time to really dig into the park and explore, but it far exceeded my expectations. Here are what I feel are the must see spots if you have a day in the park:
1. Upper Geyser Basin - This was the highlight for me and I wasn't expecting much. The scenery was amazing, even if you didn't catch a geyser erupting. But we did. Three of them, actually. Well, if you count Old Faitful erupting twice, which I did. You can really get a good idea of how dangerous this area is and why visitors need to stick to the trails. Many of the pools had a thin crust built around them, making them appear smaller than they were. But if you approached, you'd break through the crust and possibly be boiled alive.
2. Grand Prismatic Spring - An iconic view that shouldn't be missed. There are two ways to see the spring. The first is the boardwalk that we took. There is also a short trail that goes up a hillside opposite our view of the geyser. Apparently this gives a little better perspective since you're above the spring. Unfortunately, we couldn't find a parking spot for that trail, but the 'normal' trail was still worth it.
3. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone - Artist Point, specifically. There are a lot of overlooks at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. But Artist Point gives one of the best views of the (lower?) falls and is the most popular pick.
4. Lamar Valley - A pretty drive where you're almost guaranteed to see wildlife. It's best to drive it early morning or late afternoon/early evening for the best chance to see animals, but there were still plenty of buffalo when we went mid afternoon.
We went on a weekday, but in summer. So a pretty popular time. Yes, it was crowded, but not nearly as bad as I thought. We were able to get to all the places we wanted to see and actually find parking spaces (after. a short wait at a couple).
All in all, Yellowstone was an unexpected treat on this trip. I will definitely be back and plan a deeper dive into the park's back country. But even if you just have a day, it's so worth it. There's nothing else like it.
Music by Artlist:
Pearl - EVOE
Caffe Lunga - Notize
Trust (Synth stem only) - Master Minded
Eleven Hours a Night - Yehezkel Raz
Impossible Things - Doug Kaufman
A Beam of Light - Tristan Barton
