Since we moved back to the USA we have fallen in love with Yellowstone National Park. In the last year alone we have been almost every month and have loved every single minute. We are particularly fond of the wildlife viewing. No where else in North America can you see so many animals in their protected, natural habitat. There is so much to see and do that it’s almost overwhelming. Here are a few ideas on how to see wildlife in Yellowstone. But first, a few packing tips. Bring good binoculars or a spotting scope. You need good optics to see most of the animals as it is rare to see them without good optics. If you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on good optics for one trip I recommend getting a wildlife guide. Our favorite is Evan from Yellowstone Wildlife Guide Company. His knowledge of the park and animals is unparalleled! He is amazing with kids and you will probably learn more with Evan in one day than you will all year! Dress for the weather. Yellowstone can be very cold and very hot. Check the weather and dress appropriately otherwise you will be miserable. Take the Yellowstone pledge to protect not only the park but the animals that live there. Enjoy! Enjoy your time watching the majestic animals that call Yellowstone their home!

Old Faithful and Norris

Did you know a majority of people go into Yellowstone, see Old Faithful and leave? To me that is mind boggling because Yellowstone is so huge and so incredible. Our first advice would be, stop, see Old Faithful and the geysers and then go explore the rest of the park. They are beautiful and amazing but the park has so much more to offer. The Old Faithful area has restaurants and Lodging with great boardwalks to view the geysers. It’s very fun for kids but make sure you stay on the boardwalks at all times!

The Norris area also has many geysers with fun boardwalks for kids. The area between Old Faithful and Norris is also full of fun places to stop and view the different geysers. You could spend a whole day between these two areas and they are very accessible for kids and those who can’t get around so easy.

There are some wildlife viewing points in-between Old Faithful and Norris especially in Fountain Flats. Be sure to use the pullouts when viewing wildlife and don’t stop in the middle of the road. Give animals their space to move and understand that these animals are WILD and should not be approached.

Canyon Village

Canyon is the “Grand Canyon” of Yellowstone. It is where you can see the iconic lower falls so it’s a must visit when in Yellowstone. The falls can get pretty crowded so the best time is to go early morning or later in the afternoon/evening. There are many hikes to take from the Canyon Falls area that are perfect for families and kids. There is also camping, lodging and restaurants in the Canyon area.

In-between the Canyon and Fishing Village area is Hayden Valley. This is an incredible place to view animals, take a hike, view more geyser areas not to mention the drive is beautiful. Hayden in my experience is either feast or famine when it comes to wildlife. You either have an incredible day or you see very little. With that said, I still love to see the bears and wolfpack’s that reside there.

If Hayden isn’t great head over to Fishing Bridge and towards the east entrance of the park. This is an incredible place to see bears, great grey owls, wolves and more! There are also some very fun hikes such as the pelican valley and Lake Butte. But remember bear spray, don’t hike alone and make noise. We usually like to yell “Hey Bear” every so often to alert the bears that we are in the area. Bear bells don’t do much so save your money and just yell “hey bear”.

Mammoth Hot Springs/Tower Roosevelt

We spent most of our time in the North section of the park which is the Northern Range. If you love animals like we do, the north end of the park is prime animal viewing and there is a lot less people.

Mammoth Hot Springs is located at the North West end of the park and was the first and original entrance to the park. Here you can see the Mammoth Hot Springs terraces and walk the boardwalks around the terraces. You can also bathe in the Boiling River. The Boiling River is created where a large hot spring enters the Gardner River, allowing the hot and cool waters to mix into a temperature comfortable enough to bathe in.

The Road from Mammoth to Tower is full of bears, wolf packs, bison, elk, pronghorn and more! If you know where to look you can have an amazing day full of wildlife viewing. Just remember to use the pullouts, don’t block an animal if it wants to cross the street and stay 100 yards away from bears and wolves and 25 yards from all other animals.

The Tower Roosevelt area is the gateway to the Lamar Valley which is also prime place to view animals. You can also go to the Tower Fall and view this amazing waterfall just off the road. There are several fun hikes to do in the Lamar Valley ranging from very long to short. One of our favorites is the Trout Lake trail. It’s a short but steep hike that leads to a gorgeous lake. There are wolves, bears, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, bison, elk, otters and a lot more. It’s the perfect place to view animals and my absolute favorite place in the park.

Best time to visit

Yellowstone peak season is summer. To avoid the crowds, and to see more animals try and get out early (before sunrise). We know not everyone loves to get up early but know that the early bird sees the animals. By noon animals are resting for the day and aren’t as active. It pays to be up early.

Winter is an incredible time to visit Yellowstone. If you really want to see the park in a different light, go in the winter. The road from Gardiner to Cookie City Montana is open during the winter. All other roads you will need to take a snow coach which can be organized by several companies in Yellowstone area. The North road occasionally closes for a few hours if there was a large snow storm and they need time to clear the road. Winter is prime time to go looking for animals in the park. Other than bears you can get an up-close view of most animals against the white backdrop of winter. February is also the most active month for wolves so seeing a wolf pack or hearing a wolf howl is pretty common. You have to be prepared for freezing temps but if you’re prepared it’s an incredible experience. Winter is by far my favorite time to visit.

Yellowstone is magical any time of year. It’s the only place you can see wildlife untouched and in their natural state before we settled into the west. Enjoy and respect the beauty these animals have to offer.

Yellowstone with kids