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When you think of a Montana trip you probably think of cowboys and maybe some time in the mountains, but then if you’re planning a Yellowstone trip you’re likely focused on the National Park. This Montana and Yellowstone combination trip is perfect for getting the best of both worlds, and a few things you might not have even thought you could do on this 7 day adventure.
Keep in mind that when you’re planning a road trip, you need to keep it flexible to your group’s interests and your time limits. Our Montana / Yellowstone combo trip plan is a great itinerary for 7 days, but you can easily turn it into a 10 day trip. Heck, add the jaunt up to Glacier National Park and you’re looking at an incredible 2 week Montana and Wyoming extravaganza. But let’s just start with one week of exploring. If you have any questions about visiting Yellowstone National Park or exploring SW Montana, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’ve done this a million times and are happy to share more!
7 Day Montana and Yellowstone Road Trip Itinerary
It’s tricky to know just where to put your focus when you’re planning a Montana and Yellowstone road trip plan. I’ve found that we have the best times when we can enjoy Yellowstone Country before being immersed in the National Park, and then having time after several days of non-stop sightseeing and hiking to unwind and enjoy the mountains.
Our weeklong Montana and Yellowstone itinerary is an easy road trip with plenty of time outside of the car to enjoy nature. Yes, there’s a great chance of close encounters with wildlife and yes, geysers can be unpredictable (except Old Faithful, I suppose), but with some proper planning, packing and healthy awareness you’ll have an amazing trip. Both Montana and Wyoming are beautiful places full of natural wonders, so buckle up and get ready for an awesome road trip plan.
Day 1: Arrival to Yellowstone Country
If you’re not driving from home, the easiest airport to fly into to start your Montana and Yellowstone road trip is Bozeman. It’s the closest to Yellowstone National Park and is also very close to Big Sky, Montana (which we love). You can also choose to fly into Billings, MT if you want to add the Beartooth Highway to your trip, but that adds another day and if you’re pressed for time, Bozeman is much easier.
Sleep in: either Pray or Gardiner
Vintage Montana in Livingston
As you make your way towards Yellowstone National Park, you get to take your time enjoying the small towns along the highway. Livingstone, MT is our first stop on our Montana and Yellowstone road trip. I like Livingstone because it’s like somebody pressed pause in 1968 and then never hit play again… but then some bakers and hipsters found their way into town and made a place for themselves amidst the vintage neon signs.
Livingstone is a great place to ride horses, to stroll through town, to visit the Yellowstone Gateway Museum and stock up on baked goods and snacks for your drive. This can be a half a day or do a full day horseback ride here for a longer adventure.
Montana Chic: Chico Hot Springs and Pray
I love arriving in a small town that you can tell was once something of a spectacle. Montana has quite a few towns like this, including Pray and Chico Hot Springs. This can be either your overnight or just the way to wrap your day. Staying at the Chico Hot Springs Hotel is another great vintage experience, perfect to add to your Montana / Yellowstone road trip. Visit the hot pools and then enjoy the grounds set at the foot of the hills.
Another option is to stay at one of the newer lodges, like the Sage Lodge, or a smaller vacation rental. There are plenty of cabins and unique stays in this area, so enjoy the night here. You can also drive just a bit further and end your day in Gardiner. If you’re doing this, it means you’ll wake up at the north entrance into Yellowstone National Park. Choose the overnight location that’s best for what YOU want to do.
Days 2-4: Yellowstone National Park
If you woke up in Gardiner, you can either start your day by heading directly into Yellowstone National Park or you can do a morning river rafting trip on the Yellowstone River. This is a great place for rafting, especially if you’re traveling with kids because the river is just big enough to have a little bit of thrill, but still tame enough that inexperienced rafters and families can feel safe and confident. I think it’s a must for any sort of Montana / Yellowstone road trip.
You can also just head right into the park too. This is the most popular entrance into Yellowstone NP, so you may face a line at the entry station, but the rangers are great about moving people along. As you begin your next few days exploring America’s first National Park, you can either bounce around or have a singular home base. Budget and travel style will determine how you roll.
Check out our 4 Day Yellowstone Itinerary!
Sleep in: Mammoth Hotel and Cabins, Roosevelt Cabins, Canyon Lodge, Lake Hotel and Cabins or one of the Old Faithful area lodges. If you’re camping, you should make your homebase the Canyon campground, without a doubt. It’s the most central place and has all the conveniences you may require.
Gateway to Yellowstone: Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth Hot Springs has changed over the years, as is what happens with geologic features, but it’s still pretty and an incredible sight. Mammoth is easy to explore on foot, keeping to the boardwalks or planning some easy hikes. You can spend and hour or four hours, depending on what you want to do and see. There is a good visitor center here, so if you want to hone your Yellowstone plans, stop in and talk to a ranger about what’s happening in the Park during your visit.
From here, head to Tower Falls for a small hike, making scenic stops along the way. The Calcite Springs Overlook is one of my favorite views in the whole park, and it really is dramatic when the weather is rotten. I love it during a storm! End this day at your home base, which I’m guessing will be the Canyon area. If you’re staying down at the Old Faithful zone, you have a long drive ahead of you, especially with wildlife crossings, so make some stops, but keep your end goal in mind.
Canyon and the Valleys of Yellowstone National Park
Today is a really fun day and may just be the highlight of the Montana and Yellowstone road trip plan. Today you get to head to the Lamar Valley to watch for wolves, look for big horn sheep, and hopefully see some pronghorn (antelope). The valley is beautiful with a few very easy hikes and lots of places to just sit and watch wildlife.
From here, head back towards the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and check out the stops on both the north and south rims. I like the South Rim Trail the best, and find that it’s very easy with kids. This is where you’ll visit Artist’s Point and get the incredible views of Lower Yellowstone Falls.
After this, continue onto the Hayden Valley to see bears and bison, keeping your eyes peeled for swans on the Yellowstone River. Ending the day at the Mud Volcano is a great move. Here you’ll get to enjoy the fart sounds the earth makes, breathe deep the sulfurs stank of the mud and see some of the weirdest geologic features in the Park.
Geyser Day: Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring and More
Start your day early so you can see as many geysers as possible. If this is your first time in Yellowstone, you may not know quite how it’s all laid out. There are several geyser basins and hot spots throughout the park. The Old Faithful area (Upper Geyser Basin) is just one of the places to visit, and it’s not even the best one. Start here though because there’s a good visitor center and you’ll get to see some iconic geysers and hot springs.
Here are the basins you can visit today, so pick and choose what’s important to you:
- Old Faithful – famous geysers, lots of services for guests; this is a good place to come back to for lunch.
- Biscuit Basin – the prettiest hot springs are here, and there are some small geysers; this is a good spot if you want to hike up from the geysers into the hills.
- West Thumb – set directly on Lake Yellowstone, the hot springs here are epically pretty. This is a short stop, so it’s a must!
- Fountain Paint Pots – this is a combination of bubbling mud areas and the craziest geysers, the Jet Geyser and Fountain Geyser are awesome!
- Artist Paint Pots – this is a pretty trail with some unique sights, but if you’re pressed for time you should skip it.
- Norris Geyser Basin – there are some big geysers here that erupt inconsistently, but the highlights are the walk across the Porcelain Basin and visiting the Norris Museum.
- Midway Geyser Basin – lots of beautiful hot springs and flows with cool boardwalks. This is where the Grand Prismatic Spring is, but to get the famous view, it’s actually a hike from the Fairy Falls Trail just to the south.
- Firehole Lake Drive – end your day with this easy drive full of small geysers and beautiful springs. There is usually a lot of wildlife in this area too.
I know, that’s a lot to cover in a day, but you can always add another day in the Park or you can try to move Norris or West Thumb to your Canyon day so you don’t miss anything.
Day 5-6: Visiting Big Sky, Montana
Now that you’ve had a very busy few days in Yellowstone National Park, it’s time to relax in Big Sky. We’ve stayed several places here and enjoy both being down on the Gallatin River or up on the mountain. The Big Sky Resort is really fun in the summer because it’s got all the trails and gondolas that any ski resort has, but in summer their great for hiking or mountain biking. Winter Park Resort or Mammoth Mountain are very similar in terms of summer activities when the snow melts.
Sleep in: Big Sky or Gallatin Gateway – I love the Cowboy Heaven area of the Big Sky Resort!
Things to Do in Big Sky
If you wanted to do a Montana and Yellowstone road trip that included fishing, this is the day for it. The Gallatin River is awesome for trout fishing, so put on your hip waders or hire a guide and enjoy! The valley is beautiful and there are lots of good spots for fishing, but make sure you’re properly licensed or have hired a guide to handle that.
Ousel Falls is a great hike to enjoy in Big Sky. It’s not too difficult and is actually a bit of an interpretive trail along with a nice waterfall walk. If you didn’t get to ride horses when you were in Livingston or Gardiner, Big Sky is a good spot for that too. We’ve ridden with both 321 Guest Ranch and Lone Mountain Ranch, and each ride was ideal for guests with moderate riding skills. I liked the scenery of riding at Lone Mountain more, but 321 is down on the river so…
Check out our Guide to Big Sky!
If you asked our family what the most memorable part of visiting Big Sky, Montana is they would all say the same thing: the Riverhouse BBQ. I think we’ve eaten here at least six times. It’s the best BBQ in Montana, in my opinion, and the grounds are really fun and relaxing with kids. This is a great place to enjoy the views of the Gallatin River Valley, have a great meal, and if you like live music, enjoy some cowboy tunes. You’ll have a great time.
Day 7: Fun in Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman is such a great way to end a Montana and Yellowstone road trip. You’ll pull into town and either just enjoy walking around in the downtown area, or you can go brewery hopping, or maybe you’ll decide to head over to the Museum of the Rockies. Bozeman is cool and you may actually show up, pull up Zillow on your phone and decide that you’re going to move here.
Sleep in: Bozeman – tomorrow is your departure day, or maybe you’re doing a late flight out or adding on more days…
But for real, there are lots of great things to do in Bozeman. If you have a full day of sightseeing available, start with a visit to the Museum of the Rockies. This museum has one of the best collections of dinosaur fossils and tons of Montana history. This is a two hour museum visit. After you’ve had your fill of dinosaurs, head downtown for lunch or visit Montana Ale Works (I love this place) on the edge of town.
With the Gallatin River and other waterways nearby, you’ve got another chance for either fishing or getting on the river. Bozeman has plenty of fishing guides and services so if you’re not traveling with your own gear, you don’t need to worry about it.
Bonus Add-ons to your Montana and Yellowstone Road Trip
Because you’ve come all this way, if you’re able to add onto your Montana and Yellowstone road trip, you’ve got lots of options. The three picks below are very easy to add onto your trip, starting with just adding one day for Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, two days for Grand Teton National Park and three or more days for Glacier National Park. You’ve got lots of options!
Another way you can arrange your road trip is to start in Montana as directed above, and then when you’re done with Yellowstone, you can head south through the Tetons and Jackson Hole and then go through Fossil Country in Western Wyoming. This is a few addition and it’s really easy then to fly out of Salt Lake City, Utah instead of driving back up to Bozeman.
One Day: Lewis and Clark Caverns
Visiting Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park is a really easy addition to your Montana and Yellowstone road trip. It’s just an hour’s drive away and it’s one of the coolest cave systems we’ve visited. It’s great for kids and adults, but it’s not good for people who are scared of caves. It’s an incredible underground adventure, and the hiking in the area is awesome.
You can add more cool stops and still get back to Bozeman for the evening. Virginia City and Nevada City are two really neat small western towns with ghost town sections, and they’re fascinating to visit. You can ride the train, do old time photos and wrap up your Montana trip on a high note.
Two Days: Grand Teton National Park
When it comes to adding Grand Teton National Park to your Montana and Yellowstone road trip, you can do it either in the middle of your Yellowstone time or after it. As you exit to the south, you’re immediately in Grand Teton National Park and then you can continue into Jackson Hole. I will say, adding the Tetons is one of the most expensive additions you can plan. Hotels and lodging in the Park or Jackson Hole are so costly, but if you’re doing a camping trip you’ll not need to worry too much.
The Tetons are awesome for wildlife watching and hiking. Kayaking in Grand Teton National Park is awesome too, with some great lakes and fun portage routes. If you are coming down here, consider staying in Jackson Hole so you have access to more dining and evening activities, but if you’re able to score accommodations in the Park or in Moran, that’ll save you some driving time and you’ll enjoy the quiet.
3+ Days: Glacier National Park
If you’re adding a trip to Glacier National Park to your Montana and Yellowstone road trip, know that you’re adding a completely different sort of experience. Glacier is all about the hiking and taking in the views. The wildlife here is much different, in that you’ll have much closer encounters with moose and bear than you get in Yellowstone. Glacier National Park is around a five hour drive from Bozeman, whether you’re choosing to go to East Glacier or West Glacier first.
Check out our 5 Day Glacier National Park itinerary!
Up in Glacier National Park you’re going to quickly fall in love with the area and want to add more days than what you’ve got planned. Here’s how I would recommend adding just three days:
When it’s time to fully end your trip, drive down to Missoula, Montana for a bigger airport option with lots of good flight connections. Missoula itself is fun and a great addition to a Montana and Yellowstone road trip, so add yet another day onto your plan if you want!
Need to Know for a Montana and Yellowstone Road Trip
Now that you have a great plan for an incredible road trip, there are a few things to consider. First off, I assume that you’re planning this trip to happen between Memorial Day and Labor Day. If so, then you don’t need to worry about things being not being open. Memorial Day sees most of the roads in both Yellowstone and other state parks open. If the snow stays late or if there’s a late storm, you may face closed roads here and there, but in the summer you should be good.
For anyone adding Glacier National Park to their trip plan, the Going to the Sun Road typically doesn’t open until June 20th or so, but the other park roads are open and it’s easy to access both sides of the park. The Tetons’ weather is very similar to Yellowstone, so you should have like experiences in both parks.
Because the Montana and Yellowstone road trip is such a popular one, there are ample services all around the National Park and within its boundaries, as well as in the Tetons and all the way up to Glacier NP. I still like to make sure I always have at least 1/4 of a tank of gas at all times and that we have plenty of snacks in the car. It’s just always best to be prepared.
Well, now you have a great plan for an unforgettable trip through Montana and Yellowstone National Park. I know you’ll love it. If you have any questions about planning this trip or tweaking the itinerary, feel free to leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help others plan awesome adventures!
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