Making the Most of Your Visit to Yellowstone

Summer is heating up here in Yellowstone Country. The last two weeks of June through the first two weeks of August are the busiest around here. There are several things you can do to beat the crowds and enjoy the park:

Old Faithful

Experience the highlights during the off hours:
Consider watching Old Faithful erupt by moonlight, or at dawn. In the height of the afternoon there can be thousands watching. Go a bit later or earlier and you'll be one of the few.

Yellowstone's Upper Falls drops 109 feet and is easily accessible via a 1/8 mile hike from the road. Many visitors miss this beautiful display because it is so close to its more famous sister, Lower Falls with the huge parking lot readily available.

Pack a picnic:
Pack a picnic and have lunch on the banks of the Yellowstone Lake. Visitors overlook this magnificent mountain lake, with 110 miles of shoreline you are sure to find the perfect place for lunch.

Yellowstone lake is at almost 8,000 feet elevation, and doesn't melt completely until May or late June, so don't be surprised if you still see some ice on the surface!

Get Out of the Car:
About 95% of visitors never leave the roads and boardwalks in Yellowstone. Check out our blog, stop into the store for off the beaten path suggestions or check out the visitor links for more information.

 •  Check out our Blog

 •  Visitor Links and Resources

Flying Pig Camp Store and Directions

Featured Activity

Full day Raft Trip on the Yellowstone River

With moist spring weather comes great water flows in the upper Yellowstone river Basin. The hot days of summer are here, and what better way to cool off than white water rafting.

Rafting the Yellowstone

Whether you are an experienced river rat, or this will be your first time rafting, you will be thrilled by the big rolling waves of the Yellowstone.

The trip is always a highlight for park visitors and is guaranteed to make you smile.

Suitable for anyone over 45 pounds, a full day on the river will be a "vacation from your vacation." If interested, make reservations now. The trips are limited to 20 people a day and sell out quickly.

 •  Full Day Raft Trip

Favorite Drive: The Beartooth Highway

Listed as a "national scenic-byway" the Beartooth highway should be on everyone's bucket list of places to see. This incredible and windy road connects Red Lodge, Montana to Yellowstone Park's Northeast entrance. Here in the roadside forests and meadows, mountain goats, moose, and other high-elevation wildlife are a common sight.

Yellowstone National Park

Late Summer highlights of the road are bright snow patches - some of them large enough for a bit of sledding or an impromptu snowball fight. You'll also find clear, high alpine lakes, streams, and some amazing waterfalls. Break out the camera for the summit. At 11,000 feet, the views of the jagged mountain ranges are simply stunning. On a clear day, visitors can see over 100 miles.

You'll want to include warm clothes for this drive as temperatures can be cold and the winds strong. And you'll want to stop and enjoy the mountain view and crisp air. You may even spot a few hitch-hikers with skis - looking for a short ride back to the top. Even in Summer, the area snows make for an inviting adventure.

Pack a picnic lunch and stop at one of the many pullouts to enjoy this astounding wilderness area.