1 month ago
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January 17, 2026 — 5:00am
Yellowstone, the first federally established US national park (in 1872) is home to nearly 1 million hectares of wilderness, including more than 500 geysers within a super-volcano. But more than 5 million tourists visit each year, flocking to its hotspots. Here are seven ways to avoid the crowds.
1. See the best wildlife without crowds
Go further afield to the Lamar Valley in Wyoming, where you have the best chance of seeing the park’s star creatures, such as bison, grizzly bears, elk – even grey wolves – all in a single morning. Fewer tourists venture here and wildlife is easy to spot in terrain dominated by grasslands. Because of this, the Lamar Valley is dubbed “America’s Serengeti”. To further increase your chances, join a small-group wildlife tour. See yellowstonesafari.com/lamar-valley/
2. Get out and get walking
All you have to do to avoid a whopping 98 per cent of the crowds in Yellowstone National Park is walk. The National Park Service states only 2 per cent of visitors walk further than 800 metres at any one time – because most major attractions are located along boardwalks within that distance from a car park. But there are more than 1500 kilometres of hiking trails in the park, and most feature very light foot traffic. Walk them yourself (carry bear spray) or trek further with a walking guide company. See wildlandtrekking.com
3. Come in spring or autumn
American families flock to Yellowstone during summer holidays – the three months of summer account for nearly 65 per cent of all visitors. Come in the shoulder seasons instead. Early spring accounts for a fraction of visitors, but it’s prime time for wildlife spotting when animals emerge from hibernation; you’ll see baby grizzlies, bison, elk and more. Or come in late autumn (September and October) for golden foliage – it’s also cooler, so animals are more active.
4. Stay in Big Sky
America has a habit of creating kitsch tourist towns on the edge of its best parks. Take West Yellowstone: a conglomeration of fast-food outlets and overpriced motels. Drive 45 minutes north instead to Big Sky, Montana, for a better choice of restaurants, accommodation and activities. You’ll drive along a deserted scenic highway to the park boundary, where you may spot bison and grizzlies with no one else around. Stay closer to the park at Rainbow Ranch Lodge – tours can pick you up here. See visitbigsky.com
5. Sleep close to bears and bison
Head to the less-visited northern-central region of the park and stay in the 106-year-old Roosevelt Lodge cabins. Take a Wake Up to Wildlife tour when grizzlies, elk, bison and wolves are most active. You’ll have no Wi-Fi here; instead, you’ll spend nights at cook-outs under the stars or inside Western-style restaurants which offer communal dining. See yellowstonenationalparklodges.com
6. Old Faithful isn’t the only show in town
Of the 5 million people who visit the park each year, the vast majority funnel toward Old Faithful. Its popularity is due to its reliability, but you’ll stand with thousands of tourists to watch a burst of water (admittedly, up to 55 metres high), then be caught in a traffic jam. Yellowstone is home to almost 60 per cent of the world’s geysers – go find your own in the wilderness.
7. Come in winter when few others do
Visit in winter and you’ll have the park almost to yourself. Wildlife is much easier to spot against the snow. Most people assume the park is closed through winter, but the road between the North and North-East entrances remains open year-round. You can also take a snow-coach, snowmobile or cross-country ski tour to see the geysers steaming in the freezing air. See yellowstonenationalparklodges.com
The writer was a guest of Visit Big Sky and Brand USA. See visitbigsky.com and visittheusa.com.au
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