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One of my favorite ways to experience National Parks is in the Fall. There is something SO magical about the leaves turning golden, the crowds getting thinner and the days turning moodier. 

Yellowstone in October is absolutely beautiful, and well worth a visit. The grasses have turned a beautiful gold, the misty weather clears out the crazy Summer crowds and the wildlife are actively getting ready for Winter. 

There is a beauty to Yellowstone in October that is rarely experienced and that makes it all the more special.

In this guide I will go over everything you need to know to have the best time you can experiencing Yellowstone in October.

Table of Contents:

1. Yellowstone In October

2. How to get to Yellowstone National Park

3. Where to stay in Yellowstone In October

4. What To Wear for Yellowstone In October

5. What To Bring For Yellowstone In October

6. Yellowstone National Park Map

7. Things To Do In Yellowstone In October

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Yellowstone In October

Is October a good time to go to Yellowstone?

If you are wondering if October is a good time to go to Yellowstone, then I would answer with a resounding YES! There are definitely some pro’s and con’s to this season but overall the experience is well worth the possible negatives. 

Experiencing Yellowstone in October allows you to see a side of the park that is rarely seen, golden grass, yellow trees and moody weather allows a quieter and more serene side of the park to shine.

I will say that it would probably make your trip easiest if you went in the first half of the month. Lodges and visitor centers are still open and the weather hasn’t fully transitioned to its Winter chill just yet.

Yellowstone October Weather

When traveling to Yellowstone in October you will want to be prepared for cool days and even colder nights. The day’s high generally sits around 45 degrees F and can get to as low as 22 degrees F. 

There is also an average of around 10 days of precipitation in Yellowstone in October, so you will want to make sure you have a rain jacket handy. 

You can find a list of best things to wear in Yellowstone in Fall below to help keep you safe and warm. 

Does it snow in Yellowstone in October?

Yellowstone is a large park and with that comes varying elevations- ranging from 6,000 ft to 11,000 ft.

In October you may find that the higher elevation peaks are already covered with snow, but the lower elevations will generally remain snow free and roads are open. 

Beware that roads can become icy and unpredictable this time of year and there is always a possibility of snow in the lowlands if the weather turns. 

 How To Get to Yellowstone National Park

Road Trip to Yellowstone National Park

The main way to get to Yellowstone National Park is by car. You can enter into the park a few ways: 

Yellowstone South Entrance

The first is through the Grand Tetons and entering through the South Entrance. This is the route we took and was gorgeous- allowing us to experience two National Parks at once! 

Yellowstone NorthEast Entrance

The second would be heading from Bozeman or Billings Montana and heading in the North East Entrance. This route puts you right in Lamar Valley where you can find grizzlies, black bear, bison and wolves roaming around- one of the best areas in the park to spot wildlife! 

Yellowstone East Entrance:

The third option is best if you are coming from the East. After passing through Cody, WY you would enter in through the East Entrance putting you right near Yellowstone Lake, a huge and gorgeous mountain lake! 

Yellowstone North Entrance

If you are heading in from the Pacific Northwest this entrance may be best for you. You also get to enter right near Mammoth Hot Springs- making this a wonderful option. 

Yellowstone West Entrance

If you are heading in from Idaho or Western Montana the West Entrance will be the best option, putting you right in the parks “Geyser Paradise”.  This entrance is the busiest so you will find more dining, shopping and lodging options here. 

Fly To Yellowstone

Your other option is to fly into one of the airports near Yellowstone National Park and then rent a car for the week! If I were taking this route I would price out the flights and car rental options from each of the following airports to find the cheapest option.

The closest airport is going to be West Yellowstone Airport (WYS)– 2 miles from the entrance to Yellowstone National Park.

Other options to fly into are:

– Jackson Hole, Wyoming

– Idaho Falls, Idaho

– Bozeman, MT

– Yellowstone Regional Airport in Cody, WY

– Salt Lake City, UT

 Where To Stay In Yellowstone In October

When looking into places to stay in Yellowstone in October you have a few options. Each option will really affect the type of trip you will have- think about your goals for the trip and which one would make the most sense for you!

Yellowstone Lodging

If you want to stay in the park they do have lodges and cabins that you can stay at. Many will be closed after the beginning of October but there are a few that stay open until the end of October. These will all require an advanced reservation.

Closing dates are subject to change each year and season so make sure to double check.

Canyon Lodge: Featuring the most accommodation in Yellowstone (with more than 500 rooms and cabins!!) The Canyon Lodge and Cabins are newly renovated and feature many different dining and room options. This lodge is located on the East side of the park and is open until October 27th 

Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins: Located near the Mammoth Springs in the North area of the park, this beautiful hotel has many different lodging and dining options! Open until October 14th

Old Faithful Inn: This Inn is a national historic landmark and the largest log-style structures in the world! At Old Faithful Inn you can find gorgeous dining and lodging options! Located right near the famous Old Faithful Geyser. Open until October 20th

Old Faithful Snow Lodge and cabins: The newest addition to the park’s lodges, this gorgeous snow lodge has beautiful fireplaces, dining rooms and bars just waiting for you to explore! Open until October 27th

Camping in Yellowstone In October

Come October only a few campsites will remain open in the park, you can find camping at Fishing Bridge RV Park which remains open until October 13th or Madison Campground which remains open until October 20th.

Each of these campgrounds requires an advanced reservation.

The Fishing Bridge RV Park is only open to RV’s- and features the only Yellowstone campground with water, sewer and electrical hook ups. You can also do laundry here.

At the Madison Campground you will find tent camping. The campground sits about 14 miles east of West Yellowstone and is one of the largest campgrounds in the park.

If you are planning on tent camping this time of year- make sure to have a warm sleeping bag and good sleeping pad or air mattress that gets you off the ground. It can get super chilly this time of year!

Car Camping/ Van Life

For most of my trip, my boyfriend and I slept in his van- we love traveling this way and find van life to be one of the cheapest ways to explore a new area. 

To be totally honest, we ended up finding quiet parking lots or side streets to park the van and sleep on within the park. The park was super quiet when we were there so no one ever bothered us.

This is not actually legal to do, but we figured the worst that would happen is a ticket or being asked to move. If you do end up going this route, I am not liable for any negative things that happen 😉 Park at your own risk!

Check Out My Wyoming Wall Art!

What To Wear For Yellowstone In October

Warm Outdoorsy Clothes

When it comes to traveling in the Fall you will want to be prepared for cool mornings and nights and warm afternoons. I like to bring different layers so I can remove or add them as I see needed!

Top Things To Bring:

A Warm Puffy Jacket: This is an essential. A puffy jacket- whether made from down or synthetic material can keep you extra warm during those cold mornings and nights. I personally believe this is a must have when traveling to any wilderness destination.

Hat, Gloves & Socks: To keep yourself warm it is important to focus on your extremities. Your head lets out a lot of heat, as do your hands and feet. Invest in a warm beanie, quality gloves and merino wool socks and you will be much better suited for the outdoors.

Merino Wool Shirts: One of my very favorite pieces of clothing I wear is my mid layer merino wool quarter zip and my short sleeves from Smartwool. Wearing merino wool lets you regulate your temperature better, it stays warm even when wet and its nice and cozy- perfect for the outdoors!

A Fleece: It is important to have multiple layers so you can choose your level of warmth. I always like to bring a fleece to keep me warm- Patagonia and North Face both have wonderful options to choose from.

Rain Jacket: Since weather in the mountains can change in an instant I highly recommend investing in and bringing a nice rain jacket. I personally have the Arcteryx Beta and it never lets me get wet!

Sunglasses: A good pair of polarized sunglasses can make those bright sunny days a little easier on the eyes. Always a good idea to have a pair to grab when you need it!

What To Pack For Yellowstone In October

National Parks Pass

If you want to get into the park- this one is a must!

For a week’s entrance in a private vehicle, it is $35. If you travel to many of the national parks a better deal would be to buy the annual National Parks pass for $80! You can easily buy this at any of the park entrances. 

Your Camera & Camera Gear! 

24-70 Lens: This is the perfect all-around travel lens, if you could only bring one lens I would recommend this one! This will let you get up-close shots of the mountains and foliage as well as wider shots of the boardwalks.

100-400 lens (or longer!) : If you are most excited about the prospect of seeing wildlife this is the best lens for you! This long of a lens allows you to get up close and personal shots of the bison or elk you see on your drives.

70-200 lens: My personal favorite lens! This lens is perfect for getting some crazy scale shots of your friends with the mountains compressed behind them. It can also be used for wildlife when they are close enough! I’ve got some wonderful shots just from this lens.

Tripod: For super stable shots- especially when shooting wildlife, astro or long exposures a tripod or mono pod can help to stabilize your camera so you get crisp shots.

Cleaning Gear: I always make sure to have a lens cloth and senor swabs ready when I am out on location. In dusty areas your camera can get dirty and you want to be able to quickly handle it!

Camera Clip: While hiking I like to use the capture clip to hang my camera on the strap of my backpack. 

Camera Bag: If you are carrying a lot of gear a nice, padded and comfortable camera bag is essential. I love the Wandrd Backpack! 

Road Trip Essentials

There are a few things that will make a road trip extra comfortable.

My Road trip Favs:

Insulated Mug: I love having a warm coffee or tea each morning, this one is perfect!

Camp Stove or Backpacking Stove: Having the ability to make tea, lunch or dinner while on the road is one of my favorite things! Pick a backpacking stove for a small version or level up with a cute camp stove!

Hammock: Give yourself the ability to just hangout and relax in this double nest hammock!

Lantern: Having access to light is essential! I personally love this inflatable lantern or this pro lantern!

Compressible Pillow: Car ride naps anyone?! Bring along a pillow to stay comfy.

Camp Chair: Collapse these cute little chairs and hangout under the stars or watch the sunset!

Down Booties: Stay warm with camp slippers.

Yellowstone National Park Map

Things to Do In Yellowstone In October

Drive The Grand Loop Road Yellowstone

This 140- mile scenic loop of Yellowstone National Park is one of the best ways to get acquainted with the park. This is the main way to get to all the attractions in the park.

You can drive the loop in either direction, but where you begin will depend on what entrance you take. The loop will generally take around 5 hours to complete depending on how many places you stop and for how long.

There are many stops on this drive, and if you stopped at all of them it could take you well over an entire day. If you wanted to just drive by and see the views it would take around an hour! You can really personalize this drive for yourself- which is wonderful!

The top spots to stop are:

– Old Faithful: Probably the most iconic spot on the list, this is what many people think of when they think of Yellowstone National Park! This geyser is an amazing attraction and worth the stop. If you have time, walk the upper geyser basin loop trail as well!

– Midway Geyser Basin: A 7 mile drive from Old Faithful, this stop features the Grand Prismatic Spring- a huge and colorful hot spring that is almost 121 feet deep!

– Gibbon Falls: A great stop to see a beautiful waterfall!

– Norris Geyser Basin: More geysers!

– Mammoth Hot Springs: Beautiful tiered hot springs, this is a very iconic spot.

– Tower Falls: A huge 132 ft waterfall!

– Canyon Junction: This is where you will find the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

See The Geysers & Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park sits inside an ancient volcanic caldera thus creating one of the most extraordinary collection of geysers and hot springs on earth!

This is a major reason why Yellowstone is such an amazing place to visit- you really wont be able to find anything like it anywhere else on this earth!

The most common hydrothermal feature is a hot spring. A hot spring is a pool of hydro thermally heated water.

The other main feature is a geyser. A geyser is a hot spring that periodically erupts.

Some of the main places to see these amazing features are:

Old Faithful: The most famous geyser! Every 90 minutes Old Faithful erupts and leaves viewers breathless.

Upper Geyser Basin: Near Old Faithful is the worlds largest concentration of geysers. Meander the boardwalks here and find beautiful pools like the Chromatic pool and Beauty pool.

Artist Paintpots: 1.2 mile loop trail with views of milky white and blue hot springs and mud pots.

Norris Geyser Basin: 2 loop trails with views of geysers and hot springs

Mammoth Hot Springs: A gorgeous tiered hot springs with bright greens, yellows and orange terraces.

West Thumb Geyser Basin: Two short loops that show hot springs pouring into Yellowstone Lake.

Lone Star Geyser: Near Old Faithful- this 4.8 mile RT hike takes you along the Firehole river to this amazing 30-45ft plume erupts!

Grand Prismatic Spring: One of the largest hot springs on earth and an absolutely gorgeous color!

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

One of the most exciting places to stop and explore is the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. This gorgeous, rocky canyon features two dramatic waterfalls- Upper and Lower Falls on the Yellowstone River.

This grand canyon has a variety of overlooks and paths along the rim and down into the canyon that you can use to explore and photograph this gorgeous sight!

Go Hiking In Yellowstone

If you are looking to get farther back into the wilderness, or just want to head away from any crowds, hiking is a great option for exploring!

Fall can get quite cold so make sure you are prepared with layers and your 10 essentials!

Just make sure to have bear spray on you, extra layers and a downloaded map (+all of the 10 essentials!

Some of the top hikes in Yellowstone are:

Beaver Ponds Loop

Bunsen Peak

Fairy Falls

Slough Creek/ Bliss Pass

Trout Lake Hikes

Upper Geyser Basin

READ MORE: What To Wear Hiking In The Fall– A Beginners Guide

Watch For Wildlife

In the Fall animals are all busy preparing for Winter! This is one of the best times to see wildlife in Yellowstone National Park.

Some of the best spots to see the animals are Lamar Valley and Hayden Valley.

Honestly, we would just pick a destination and then set off on a road trip in search of animals. My boyfriend brought his binoculars and we would make sure to keep our eyes peeled when driving.

Photograph Wildlife

If you are a photographer (or even if your not!) photographing wildlife in Yellowstone National Park is a MUST.

Photographers come from all over the country to get a chance at photographing the beautiful animals of Yellowstone National Park. From herds of bison to elk, wolves and bears- there isn’t really anywhere else in the United States that you can get so close to these gorgeous wild animals.

Fall is an especially perfect time for photography here as the backgrounds are a gorgeous gold and the animals are super active!

Road Trip To See Grand Tetons In The Fall

If you have enough time, it would be a shame to miss exploring The Grand Tetons in the Fall! Only a 45 minute drive, The Grand Tetons are one of my favorite places in all of America, and it is gorgeous in the Fall!

READ MORE: Your Ultimate Guide To Grand Tetons In The Fall

Yellowstone In October: Conclusion

If you decide to explore Yellowstone in October- I hope you have the most wonderful time!

From driving the Yellowstone Loop to checking out the geysers, I just know Yellowstone will blow you away.

Let me know in the comments if you end up heading there this Fall, I would love to hear from you 🙂

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