As the eighth largest national park in the US, Yellowstone has over 1,100 miles of trail and 12 miles of boardwalk trail. It spans 3,468 square miles of lodgepole pine forest, thermal hot springs, geysers, and rocky mountains in Wyoming close to the Idaho and Montana borders.
It’s so big that it’s split into eight areas: Canyon Village; Fishing Bridge, Lake Village, and Bridge Bay; Madison and West Yellowstone; Mammoth Hot Springs and the North; Norris Geyser Basin; Old Faithful; Tower-Roosevelt and the Northeast; and West Thumb, Grant, and the South.
Luckily, many of the Yellowstone National Park hikes are suitable for families and kids of all ages. All the trails listed in this guide are listed from easy to moderate so you can choose the best hikes for your kids.
It will help you navigate the different areas so you can all experience the best views and hikes that Yellowstone National Park has to offer on your next family vacation! Check out the useful top tips for families on Yellowstone National Park hikes at the end to have the best time in Yellowstone you possibly can.
Table of Contents
Best Yellowstone National Park Hikes for Younger Kids
1. Pelican Creek Nature Trail
- Distance: 0.6-mile lollipop loop trail (approx. 30 – 60 minutes)
- Difficulty: Easy
- District: Fishing Bridge, Lake Village, and Bridge Bay
- Location: Pelican Creek Nature Trailhead
One of the easiest Yellowstone National Park hikes is also one of the most beautiful. Pelican Creek Nature Trail loops through the woodland and meadows of Pelican Valley and overlooks the awe-inspiring Yellowstone Lake. It’s called a nature trail because this area has a lot of flowers, trees, birds, and other wildlife.
Since this trail takes in the sandy shores of the lake, you could relax by the water and even go for a dip in summer.
The elevation change on this trail is almost nothing so it’s perfect for kids of all ages! There’s a small area of off-road parking at the trailhead, but head to the Fishing Bridge Visitor Center for bathrooms and more facilities.
2. West Thumb Geyser Basin Trail
- Distance: 0.6-mile loop trail (approx. 30 – 60 minutes)
- Difficulty: Easy
- District: West Thumb, Grant, and the South
- Location: West Thumb Information Station
There are lots of geyser basins and hot springs all over Yellowstone with accessible boardwalk trails. West Thumb Geyser Basin Trail is one of the shortest and easiest to navigate for kids.
There are no less than 10 hot springs on the banks of Yellowstone Lake. You could even push a stroller along the boardwalks and there is next to no elevation gain.
You can see amazing hot springs here like the famous Thumb Geyser and Fishing Cone. If your kids walk around this Geyser Basin with no complaints, you can extend your hike by following the trail around Duck Lake. There’s a parking lot and bathrooms at the West Thumb Information Station.
Expert Tips:
- Parking: Although there is a good amount of spots here, they fill up quickly during peak periods, and there aren’t other nearby parking options.
- Go off hours/mid-week to ensure a parking spot, and avoid mid-day in summer as there is little shade along this path.
- Be cautious about hats! It gets windy in this area, right on the lake. I’ve seen more than one tourist lose a hat on this trail, and once it’s gone, it’s impossible to retrieve (and not only sad for your and your hat, but very bad for the delicate thermal features here as well)!
3. Midway Geyser Basin Trail
- Distance: 0.7-mile loop trail (approx. 30 – 60 minutes)
- Difficulty: Easy
- District: Old Faithful
- Location: Grand Prismatic Spring Parking Lot
Midway Geyser Basin Trail is a short hike to one of the most popular spots in the park, Grand Prismatic Spring. Naturally, it’s one of the best and most popular Yellowstone National Park hikes.
Grand Prismatic Spring is a 300 ft-wide hot spring known for its stunning rainbow-colored edges. This short trail takes you across the Firehole River Bridge, passed the Excelsior Geyser Crater, Opal Pool, and Turquoise Pool, and straight to the spring.
Elevation change is almost nothing and most of the path is a flat boardwalk, so it’s a must-do hike for families! There are bathrooms at the trailhead’s parking lot.
Expert Tips:
- Although the midway Geyser Basin trail is easy and level, for a BETTER view of the Grand Prismatic Spring, I highly recommend doing the less popular, but more scenic Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail in lieu of the Midway Geyser Basin Trail. It climbs over 100′ in about .5 miles, so it’s a little bit of a thigh burner, but nothing terrible, and the view of the Grand Prismatic will be well worth it!
- Avoid a trip to Grand Prismatic on cloudy or rainy days, or in the early morning/late evening! The colors will be the best on bright, sunny days!
4. Duck Lake Loop Trail
- Distance: 0.8-mile loop trail (approx. one to two hours)
- Difficulty: Easy
- District: West Thumb, Grant, and the South
- Location: West Thumb Information Station
Duck Lake Trail could easily be added onto the West Thumb Geyser Basin Trail if your kids found the first hike easy. It begins at the same trailhead and you’re able to walk along the banks of an entire lake.
It begins with a 100 ft elevation climb, but after that, the trail stays pretty flat around the lake. You can park at the West Thumb Information Station which has bathrooms.
5. Trout Lake Trail
- Distance: 1.2-mile lollipop loop trail (approx. one to two hours)
- Difficulty: Easy
- District: Tower-Roosevelt and the Northeast
- Location: Trout Lake Trailhead
While Trout Lake isn’t as spectacular as Yellowstone Lake, it’s still very beautiful! And the easy trail around the lake is perfect for younger kids. It’s a well-maintained loop trail with only a 200-ft elevation gain.
Be mindful that this hike can get narrow so you’ll need to walk in single file for some of the hike. Also note that the parking area at the trailhead is pretty small but there are bathrooms at Soda Butte Creek Picnic Area.
6. Storm Point Trail
- Distance: 2.3-mile loop trail (approx. one to two hours)
- Difficulty: Easy
- District: Fishing Bridge, Lake Village, and Bridge Bay
- Location: Storm Point Trailhead
Storm Point Trail is a great hike for families for two reasons. First, it’s one of the best easy hikes in the national park as it’s almost perfectly flat and passes through wildflower meadows. Second, it offers panoramic views of Yellowstone Lake!
This great hike can get narrow at parts so you’ll have to walk single-file. There are also beachy areas so be prepared to get sand in your shoes!
The parking lot is small but there are bathrooms and more parking spaces at Fishing Village Visitor Center which is close by.
7. Natural Bridge Trail
- Distance: 2.5-mile out and back trail (approx. one to two hours)
- Difficulty: Easy
- District: Fishing Bridge, Lake Village, and Bridge Bay
- Location: Bridge Bay Campground
This popular trail is perfect for families looking for Yellowstone National Park Hikes. Natural Bridge Trail is a beautiful hike from Yellowstone Lake along Bridge Creek through dense forest to a rock formation called Natural Bridge. It’s not been repaved in a long time but this two-and-a-half-mile hike is still fairly level with an elevation gain of only 317 ft.
Natural Bridge Trail is often closed until early July as bears like to catch salmon in this part of Bridge Creek. There’s a small parking lot at the trailhead, or you can park at Bridge Bar Campground and take a connecting trail from there. Public bathrooms are at the campground.
8. Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces
- Distance: 2.5-mile out and back trail (approx. one to two hours)
- Difficulty: Easy
- District: Mammoth Hot Springs and the North
- Location: Upper Terrace Loop Parking Lot or Albright Visitor Center
Mammoth Hot Springs is one of the most famous spots in the National Park. It consists of nearly 100 hot springs in this concentrated area including Canary Spring and Liberty Cap.
The best way to see these incredible natural wonders and explore the hot springs is via the terraces, boardwalks, roads, and paths that cross through them.
There are two official trails through the springs: Upper Terrace Trail and Lower Terrace Trail (which has Middle and South trailheads). In reality, you can follow as many of the paths as you like until your kids get tired or bored. There are several parking lots and restrooms dotted around Mammoth Springs.
There is a large parking area for the upper terrace. There is a smaller lot for the lower terrace. If you are staying in Mammoth Hot Springs, definitely consider walking from your cabin/hotel room.
9. Upper Geyser Basin Loop Trail
- Distance: 3-mile loop trail (approx. one to two hours)
- Difficulty: Easy
- District: Old Faithful
- Location: Old Faithful Lodge and Visitor Center
There are over 150 geysers in Upper Geyser Basin which means it’s one of the most concentrated geyser basins in the world! Hiking the Upper Geyser Basin Trail is one of the most unmissable Yellowstone National Park hikes for families.
This trail loops around Old Faithful, the most famous geyser in Yellowstone, before crossing Firehole River and looping around no less than 10 other geysers.
There’s almost no elevation change and most of the trail is on a boardwalk so it’s super accessible. Although it’s a busy spot, there are lots of parking areas and there’s a public bathroom at Old Faithful Visitor Center.
Expert Tip:
The biggest draw to the Upper Geyser Basin network of trails is having the opportunity to catch a geyser eruption. Although MANY of the geysers in this area are completely unpredictable, there are some that erupt in fairly predictable patterns.
Check in at the visitor center as soon as you arrive in the area for the latest predictions, and check out the website Geyser Times (there’s also an app called GeyserTimes) you can download. This app/site shares great info collected by lots of volunteer geyser watchers (you can help, too!).
Expert Tip:
Some of the best geysers to try and catch include:
- Old Faithful
- Grand
- Castle
- Daisy
- Riverside
- Beehive
- Lion
10. Norris Geyser Basin Trails
- Distance: 4-mile network of boardwalk trails (approx. two to three hours)
- Difficulty: Easy
- District: Norris Geyser Basin
- Location: Norris Geyser Basin Museum
Compared to Mammoth Springs and Upper Geyser Basin, Norris Geyser Basin is less visited. It’s a long hike compared to the others, but there is plenty of fantastic scenery on the Norris Geyser Basin Trail, including Black Hermit Caldron and Steamboat Geyser.
If you walk along all three loops of this boardwalk trail, you’ll see dozens of geysers. But you don’t have to complete four miles if you don’t want to and there’s next to no elevation change. There’s a fascinating Norris Geyser Basin Museum at this site with a parking lot and bathrooms.
Expert Tips:
- Like other geyser basins in the park, the Norris Geyser Basin includes lots of boardwalks. Be very careful with little ones on these trails as a slip or fall could have really bad consequences. Consider backpacks, harnesses, or a lightweight umbrella stroller for safety and peace of mind (though there are lots of uneven steps at the beginning of the trail, so keep that in mind if considering the stroller option).
- This geyser basin is also full of wide open spaces with direct sunlight. Pack plenty or water, sunglasses and sunscreen before starting your trek.
- Though Norris is home to the park’s tallest geyser, Steamboat, it and most of the other geysers in this area are far less predictable than those found in the Upper Geyser Basin, which makes it a little less “exciting” for the little ones
11. Observation Point Trail
- Distance: 1.6-mile out and back trail (approx. two hours)
- Difficulty: Easy
- District: Old Faithful
- Location: Old Faithful Lodge and Visitor Center
While there are lots of geysers you can hike to in the Old Faithful area, there’s nothing like seeing the original Old Faithful geyser erupting from the perfect vantage point. Observation Point on Observation Point Trail is that vantage point!
You can tag it onto the Upper Geyser Basin Loop Trail to see more geysers than you ever thought you would in your life.
It only has an elevation change of 200 ft and it’s a super short hike. This is great for families as it’s suitable for a variety of skill levels but it is a popular hike. Get here early! There are plenty of places to park and you can use the facilities at the Old Faithful Visitor Center.
Best Yellowstone National Park Hikes for Older Kids
12. Lost Lake Trail
- Distance: 2.8-mile loop trail (approx. two to three hours)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- District: Tower-Roosevelt and the Northeast
- Location: Roosevelt Lodge Cabins
Nestled in one of the least visited parts of the park, Lost Lake Trail is as hidden as it sounds! It has approximately 300 ft of elevation gain and the switchbacks also make it a little challenging. But many kids can finish this hike with lots of rest and encouragement.
This trail partly follows Lost Creek and you can take a little detour to see the Petrified Tree too. It’s not as maintained as other Yellowstone National Park hikes but it’s a great place to escape crowds. Plus, the parking lot, gas station, and bathrooms at Roosevelt Lodge are convenient.
Expert Tips:
- Couple this trail with a night at Roosevelt Lodge – one of my favorite places to stay in the park, it is rustic lodging at its best
- Also when in Rome…or this case, the Tower-Roosevelt area of the park…don’t miss the opportunity to take part in the Cowboy Cookout, which I discuss in our dining in Yellowstone article.
- Tower-Roosevelt is known to be a bear hot spot, so travel in a group (3 or more is safest), don’t hesitate to make your presence known on the trail (let the little ones talk and sing to their hearts content!) and carry bear spray.
13. North Rim Trail (to Lookout Point)
- Distance: 2.1-mile out and back trail (approx. 90 minutes)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- District: Canyon Village
- Location: North Rim Parking Lot
If you were to hike the entire North Rim Trail, it would be around 7.6 miles with an elevation change of 1,495 Feet. It’s probably a little too long, but there are two vantage points you could hike to instead: Lookout Point or Grand View. Lookout Point is the shortest distance, with an elevation change of 387 ft.
North Rim Trail follows the rim of the Grand Canyon of The Yellowstone with views over the Yellowstone River and Lower Falls. The North Rim trailhead has a parking lot with bathrooms.
This trail is better for older kids because, despite the fact there is a fence for most of the route, it’s still next to a sheer drop (Yikes!).
You can also take the spur Brink of the Lower Falls Trail…just know that it’s a steep descent with switchbacks and the view good from up top at the rim as well.
If you choose to take the trail to the Brink of the Lower Falls, it’s a 0.8 mile round-trip hike, which descends 600 ft with switchbacks. Although it’s steep, and a quad-burner on the way back up, it’s certainly not harrowing.
My kids loved this trail though as there’s something very powerful about getting so up close and personal to a huge waterfall like this one (see our video below).
Expert Tip/Alternate Trail: If the North Rim trail doesn’t sound appealing/you don’t fancy cliff faces mixing with your kiddos, I’m right there with you. And if the steep climb to/from the Brink of the Falls sounds too taxing, it’s still possible to catch the highlights of the North Rim trail, sans the high blood pressure and cramping thighs.
There’s a parking lot for Lookout Point, and a short (less than .25 mile) walk to the scenic view. Similarly, there are distinct parking lots for the other main attractions on this trail so you can catch them quickly without as much stress and exertion.
14. South Rim Trail
- Distance: 2.5-mile out and back trail (approx. 90 minutes)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- District: Canyon Village
- Location: Upper Falls View Parking Lot
A great alternative trail to the North Rim Trail is the South Rim Trail. It also offers incredible views of the Grand Canyon of The Yellowstone, the Yellowstone River, Upper Falls, and Lower Falls. This trail is 2.5 miles in total so it’s shorter than the North Rim Trail but has an elevation gain of 1,116 ft.
Some of this trail is through dense woodland but some of it opens out onto the edge of the canyon. It ends at Artist Point which means this is one of the Yellowstone National Park hikes with the best views. There is a big parking lot at the trailhead with bathrooms.
If the hike is too strenuous for your kids but you still want to see Artist Point, there’s a great solution. Drive up the scenic South Rim Drive to the Artist Point parking lot instead and hike the super short 0.2-mile lollipop loop trail instead.
15. Fairy Falls Trail
- Distance: 5.4-mile out and back trail (approx. three to five hours)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- District: Old Faithful
- Location: Fairy Falls Parking Lot
Fairy Falls Trail only has a 228 ft elevation gain. This is why, despite its length, it’s one of the most popular Yellowstone National Park hikes with families. It’s also a great place for families to hike because it includes the Grand Prismatic Overlook. Fairy Falls itself is an epic, 200 ft-high waterfall and one of the most spectacular in Yellowstone.
There’s only a small parking lot at the Fairy Falls Trailhead and the hike is closed in winter. But it’s extremely flat and well-maintained throughout the other seasons. The closest bathrooms are at the Midway Geyser Basin Trailhead.
16. Mystic Falls Trail
- Distance: 2.4-mile out and back trail (approx. two to four hours)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- District: Old Faithful
- Location: Biscuit Basin Trailhead
Mystic Falls Trail will take you and your kids through the geysers of Biscuit Basin and out to Mystic Falls, a beautiful double-cascading waterfall. The total elevation gain for this trail is around 606 ft. This might be a little steep for younger kids but this round trip is doable for pre-teens.
The path is a little rocky and uneven in places but well-maintained and shaded by pine trees in parts. There is a sizable parking lot at the Biscuit Basin Trail and the closest bathroom is at Old Faithful Visitor Center.
17. Lone Star Geyser Trail
- Distance: 4.8-mile out and back trail (approx. two to three hours)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- District: Old Faithful
- Location: Lone Star Trailhead
This is one of the Yosemite National Park hikes that is geared more toward teenage kids. Lone Star Geyser Trail is moderately challenging with an elevation gain of almost 700 ft but this hiking trail is through an incredibly scenic area that receives fewer visitors.
Lone Star Geyser only erupts up to 40 ft every three hours, so you’d need to time your hike just right. There’s a small parking lot at the trailhead with vault bathrooms. You’re not far away from the Kepler Cascade Waterfalls in the Firehole River and they are worth the short detour.
Yellowstone National Park Hikes That Aren’t Ideal for (Most) Kids
Some of the most strenuous day hikes in Yellowstone are also the most popular and well-known. Unfortunately, they often involve steep climbs over rocky cliffs and peaks which aren’t suitable for most kids.
However, if you’re planning a family vacation with your older teenagers who hike frequently, a tough, long hike might be doable! So, these are some more strenuous Yosemite National Park hikes and the best day hikes that you might want to consider:
- Specimen Ridge Trail: This is only a 3-mile trail in Lamar Valley, but it ascends over 3,000 ft up Amethyst Mountain in such a short distance. Plus, being a ridge trail, it has a narrow path and steep drop-offs.
- Bunsen Peak Trail: While this trail is often listed as a 4.2-mile moderate hike, it’s tougher than it looks. The elevation gain is 1,300 ft which is a lot for such a short trail. The path is also incredibly rocky and there are lots of switchbacks with steep drop-offs.
- Mount Washburn Trail: The hike from Dunraven Pass Trailhead up Mount Washburn is legendary. Climbing 10,243 ft, it’s one of the national park’s most accessible peaks. It’s a 6-mile out-and-back trail with over 2,200 ft of elevation gain, but it has expansive views across the entire national park.
Tips for Families on Yellowstone National Park Hikes
- Stop at a Ranger Station or Visitor Center: No matter the season, it’s always a good idea to check the weather conditions with the National Park Service before hiking in any of the national parks. Snowfall, road closures, forest fires, and wildlife activity can affect your visit to Yellowstone. Chat with a park ranger at one of the five entrances (North, Northeast, South, West, and East Entrance) or one of the ten information and visitor centers.
- Prepare for Bears and Other Wildlife: Yellowstone National Park is Bear Country as well as home to other wildlife like bighorn sheep, mountain goats, yellow-bellied marmots, and more. Grizzly bears and black bears both live in Yellowstone. Most bear activity is located at dawn and dusk and off main hiking trails so there’s a very good chance you’ll never see one. However, it’s a good idea to carry bear spray and know how to use it.
- Pack the Family Hiking Trip Essentials: Always carry plenty of water, trail snacks, insect repellent, sunscreen, and a first aid kit while walking one of the Yellowstone National Park hikes. It’s a good idea to bring a waterproof coat to shield from splashes.
- Drive the Scenic Canyon Rim Roads: As well as checking out all the scenic family-friendly Yellowstone National Park hikes, don’t forget the drives! South Rim Drive near the South Rim Trail has spectacular views of the Grand Canyon of The Yellowstone. Beartooth Highway, Chief Joseph Highway, and the NE Entrance Road near the Lamar River Trail are all winners.
- Don’t Hike Uncle Tom’s Trail: This was a steep, stairway trail from the South Rim to Lower Yellowstone Falls. It was closed in 2019 for construction but since February 2023, there has been no further work, and the path remains closed indefinitely.
- Visit Other National Parks Nearby: Planning an epic family road trip? Grand Teton National Park is just south of Yellowstone on the Wyoming-Idaho border and it’s a great chance to visit two national parks in one trip.
More Yellowstone National Park Family Travel Tips
Looking for more information about Yellowstone NP, or family-friendly hikes in more amazing US national parks? Be sure to check out these articles, too:
- 12 Best Places to Stay in Yellowstone [for Families]
- Dining in Yellowstone National Park: 21 BEST Options!
- 8 BEST Yellowstone Glamping Options For Families
- 13 BEST Yellowstone National Park Waterfalls To See
- Sunset in Yellowstone National Park: 10 BEST Family Spots
- Yellowstone National Park Entrances [Family Guide]
- Obsidian Cliff Yellowstone National Park: Why To Stop
- Yellowstone National Park Animals: Best Family Guide
- Yellowstone National Park Bears: Guide For Families
- Everglades National Park Hiking: 11 Best Family Treks
- 15 BEST Bryce Canyon National Park Hikes for Families
- 16 BEST Grand Teton National Park Hikes for Families
Pin this Yellowstone National Park family hikes information for later! And if you found this article helpful, leave a comment on the pin. That helps others decide whether to use this information, too!
I really want to make it there one year! These look like wonderful hikes.
Heather, your photos are stunning! Your detailed descriptions, tips and information are so appreciated.
Thank You so much for sharing this wonderful trip and article with Sweet Tea & Friends Link Up this month.
Thanks Paula! That’s so kind of you to say!