Full-Day Best of Yellowstone Tour from Bozeman
No car needed: a naturalist guide drives you through the park for geysers, canyons and wildlife.
Good for: No car needed, Wildlife
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Check availabilityPlanning one day in the park? Read our Yellowstone day trip from Bozeman guide.
America's first national park is a day trip from Belgrade—the North (Gardiner) and West (West Yellowstone) entrances are each roughly 1½–2 hours' drive away. Go early, pack snacks and give wildlife plenty of room.
Hours, dates and seasons change—please check current schedules with each business or event before you go.
Getting there
Two entrances within reach
Rather not drive? Book a guided Yellowstone day tour
Yellowstone Wildlife Safari in Lamar Valley from Bozeman
A guided day in Lamar Valley searching for wolves, bison and elk with a naturalist guide and spotting scopes.
Good for: Wildlife
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From Bozeman: Yellowstone Day Tour, Lower Loop
Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic and the Lower Loop highlights in one guided day.
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Private Upper Loop Tour of Yellowstone
Mammoth Hot Springs terraces, Lamar Valley wildlife and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, private for your group.
Good for: Wildlife
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West Entrance – West Yellowstone, MT
🚗 98–112 min (~1.6 hr)US-191 south from Four Corners through Gallatin Gateway, the Gallatin Canyon and past Big Sky to West Yellowstone
West Entrance road to Madison/Old Faithful/Norris open to cars April 17 – October 31, 2026 (projected); oversnow (guided snowmobile/snowcoach only) Dec 15, 2026 – Mar 15, 2027.
North Entrance – Gardiner, MT (Roosevelt Arch)
🚗 88–95 min (~1.5 hr)I-90 east over Bozeman Pass to Livingston, then US-89 south through Paradise Valley to Gardiner
Only park road open to regular vehicles year-round: North Entrance → Mammoth → Tower → Lamar Valley → Northeast Entrance/Cooke City. Mammoth–Norris open Apr 17 – Oct 31, 2026.
Rental cars
Rent a car in Bozeman
Most visitors fly into Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN), where the major rental counters sit next to baggage claim. A car is the easiest way to see the region: the West and North entrances of Yellowstone are roughly 1½–2 hours away, Big Sky about an hour, and there is little public transport between them.
- Compare offers before you fly in
- Drive Yellowstone, Big Sky and Paradise Valley at your own pace
- In winter, ask for AWD/4WD and good tires
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🚗 Compare rental carsAffiliate link: if you rent through GetRentacar we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Suggested day
Big Yellowstone Loop (late April – October)
Belgrade → US-191 Gallatin Canyon → West Yellowstone → Madison → Grand Prismatic (Midway) → Old Faithful → Norris → Mammoth Hot Springs → Gardiner (Roosevelt Arch) → Paradise Valley (US-89) → Livingston → I-90 → Belgrade
- Driving~269 miles, ~6.5–7 hours of pure driving (OSRM), before stops, wildlife jams or construction—plan a 12+ hour day; leave by 6–7am.
- Add-onAdd Canyon/Lower Falls (+~24 mi, +45 min) if time allows. Soak at Yellowstone Hot Springs (Corwin Springs, closed Mondays) or Chico on the way home.
- Shorter dayNorth-side day: Belgrade → Gardiner → Mammoth terraces → Lamar Valley at dusk (Belgrade–Gardiner–Mammoth–Belgrade alone is ~191 mi / ~4 hrs of driving). Works year-round.
- WinterOnly the North Entrance road is open to cars; interior visits are by guided snowmobile or snowcoach from West Yellowstone (Dec 15–mid-March).
Highlights
See the highlights with a guide
Yellowstone Iconic Sights Tour from West Yellowstone
Start right at the West Entrance and let a guide handle the driving and the parking.
Good for: No car needed
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Guided Hiking Adventure in Yellowstone with Lunch
Hike with a naturalist guide who knows the trails and carries the bear spray.
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See toursAll Yellowstone tours
Every Yellowstone tour and activity on GetYourGuide, with free cancellation on many.
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- Old Faithful & Upper Geyser Basin🚗 146–172 min (~2.4 hr)~2.5–3 hrs via West Entrance
- Grand Prismatic Spring (Midway Geyser Basin)Between Madison and Old Faithful on the West Entrance side
- Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone & Lower Falls (Artist Point)Canyon Village; reached via Norris–Canyon road
- Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces🚗 104–124 min (~1.7 hr)Via North Entrance; accessible year-round
- Lamar Valley wildlife (bison, wolves, pronghorn)Year-round road from North Entrance; best at dawn/dusk
- Norris Geyser BasinHottest, most dynamic geyser basin; between Madison and Mammoth
Roads & seasons (NPS projected 2026 dates)
Plan it: Yellowstone winter tours guide · West Yellowstone snowmobile tours · Snowcoach tours · Old Faithful in winter · Winter tours from Bozeman
Winter in the park: book a guided tour
Yellowstone Winter Wildlife Safari from Bozeman
Look for wolves, bison and elk in the snow with a naturalist guide and spotting scopes.
Good for: Wildlife
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Check availabilityPrivate Yellowstone Winter Safari & Wolf Watching
A private winter wildlife safari into Lamar Valley with a guide, optics and lunch.
Good for: Wildlife
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West Yellowstone tours
Tours from the West Entrance: geyser basins, wildlife and, in winter, over-snow trips.
Good for: Wildlife
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See toursAffiliate links: if you book through Viator or GetYourGuide we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
| Year-round (regular vehicles) | North Entrance to Northeast Entrance |
|---|---|
| April 17 – October 31, 2026 | West Entrance–Madison, Madison–Old Faithful, Madison–Norris, Mammoth–Norris, Norris–Canyon |
| May 1 – October 31 | East Entrance–Fishing Bridge (Sylvan Pass), Canyon–Bridge Bay |
| May 8 – October 31 | South Entrance–West Thumb, West Thumb–Old Faithful (Craig Pass), West Thumb–Lake, Tower–Tower Fall |
| May 22 – October 12 | Canyon–Tower Fall (Dunraven Pass); Beartooth Highway (US-212) |
| Winter over-snow season | Dec 15, 2026 – mid-March 2027 (guided snowmobile/snowcoach) |
Roads typically open 8am on first day; all dates weather-dependent. Road info: (307) 344-2117. source
Construction 2026: Gardner River High Bridge (0.5 mi SE of Mammoth, toward Tower): single lane with up to 15-min delays around the clock through late Oct 2026, plus a few announced full nighttime closures (9pm–4am). Firehole River Bridge (1.5 mi south of Old Faithful): up to 15-min delays during October. Yellowstone River Bridge (Northeast Entrance Road just east of Tower Junction, on the year-round road to the Lamar Valley): up to 30-min delays through November. Bridge Bay Bridge: up to 15-min delays through November. Parkwide chip-seal delays up to 30 min.
Fees & good to know
- Private vehicle, 7 days: $35; Yellowstone annual pass $70; America the Beautiful pass $80.
- Non-US residents: $100 per person 16+ (unless using an annual/ATB pass).
- No vehicle reservations are required.
- Boiling River: no swimming (2022 flood impacts) – NPS
- Firehole Swim Area listed CLOSED on NPS swimming page (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- Soaking in park hot springs is prohibited
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Yellowstone day trips, rafting, horseback rides, fly fishing and winter tours, all in one place.