For travelers looking for a place where they can embrace spectacular scenery and quality time in the great outdoors, there’s no place on the map quite like Yellowstone. Here, you can just as easily fill your days with time on the trails and wildlife watching as you can touring, fishing, or enjoying family friendly dining in town. No matter what your interests entail, when you have three days to spare to journey this way, the following guide is a good place to start to elevate the fun of every moment with a 3 day Yellowstone itinerary.
Day 1: Enjoy a Day of Fishing at Scenic Hebgen Lake
Begin your three day journey to Yellowstone with some much-deserved tranquil time on the water. You’ll want to head over to Hebgen Lake with a fishing line in hand to enjoy time out in nature, seeing what you might reel in. Hebgen Lake is situated in Southwestern Montana just north of the Idaho border and off Highways 287 and 87. Reaching the lake requires no more than a 10-minute drive from the heart of downtown West Yellowstone. Hebgen Lake is loved by those who are enthusiastic about Stillwater fishing and when you spend time casting a line here, there’s a good chance you’ll catch rainbow trout.
In total, the lake measures 15 miles long and four miles wide, giving everyone plenty of room to pair their fishing with recreational boating if they want to. You can rent a vessel for the day at the Kirkwood Resort and Marina on-site and they also have other fishing accessories and snacks available to purchase as well as stand-up paddleboards. In addition to rainbow trout, this man-made lake has a robust population of brown trout and cutthroat trout to try your luck at reeling in as well.
Hebgen Lake
Gallatin County, Montana
406-823-6961
Day 2: Book Your Place on a Fully Guided Tour of Yellowstone National Park
The second day of your journey is time set aside to enjoy the beauty and wonder of Yellowstone National Park. While you would ideally have multiple days to exclusively discover this incredible destination on your own, when you have a limited timeline on vacation, booking a fully guided tour of the park alongside a knowledgeable and friendly guide is always the way to go. The team over at Yellowstone Vacation Tours is ready and waiting to help you make the most of your tailored outing, offering daily tours focused on wildlife watching and swinging by all the most iconic landmarks that are within reach. When you book a tour of this type, you won’t have to worry about wasting any time navigating trails and roads on your own.
Instead, you’ll get right to the most memorable stops and gain valuable insight into the park’s history, wildlife populations, and geology along the way. Yellowstone Vacation Tours makes comprehensive sightseeing simple at Yellowstone National Park and they work exclusively with Certified Interpretive Guides. Tours typically kick off at 8:00 am and if you’re staying in West Yellowstone, they can organize free pickup options too.
Yellowstone Vacation Tours
415 Yellowstone Avenue, West Yellowstone, Montana
800-426-7669
Day 3: Dive into West Yellowstone’s Rich History
West Yellowstone is known for its incredible scenery, but it’s just as thrilling when you realize how much history there is to discover here. That’s why the third day of your stay is a chance to head out and dive into the area’s past. You’ll want to start at the Museum of Yellowstone where the region’s heritage is showcased through one-of-a-kind displays and exhibits to explore. As you browse, you’ll have an opportunity to travel a timeline back to 1908 when West Yellowstone was founded and learn about how the creation of the rail system made it all possible.
Afte you’ve explored all the museum has to offer, make sure to enjoy the self-guided West Yellowstone Historic Walking Tour. This can be done at your own preferred pace and focuses on the Oregon Shore Line Historic District. Brochures for the self-guided walk are readily available to pick up at the museum and you’ll simply follow the Painted Bear Paw Trail on the city sidewalks to get to each next fascinating destination.
Museum of Yellowstone
104 Yellowstone Avenue, West Yellowstone, Montana
406-646-1100
Book Your Yellowstone Adventure Today
There’s never been a better time to turn your West Yellowstone travel plans into a reality and no reason to wait when you’re excited to see everything this fascinating destination has to offer for yourself! At Sweet Home Montana, we have accommodation options available to travelers heading into town that infuse elevated standards of convenience, luxury, comfort, and style into your stay. Plan your Yellowstone 3 day itinerary journey today.
Reach out to our team today to learn more about our property selection across West Yellowstone and how we can help you create an unforgettable trip from start to finish. We look forward to seeing you in scenic Montana soon!