ICYMI: We did a round up of our entire Montana adventure HERE but for those who like lists like us, we decided to give you a breakdown of our favorite activities while in Yellowstone National Park!

1. Photography Class: Whether you’re an amateur photographer like me or an iPhone user like Kate, taking a photo tour is by far the best thing we did all trip. We opted for a sunrise/early morning tour which allowed us to get breathtaking photos as the sun came up and check out some popular spots before too many tourists were awake and the lighting was too harsh! Our guide was super knowledgeable as well and suggested a few other pretty spots to visit while in the park!
2. Drive Beartooth Highway: With plenty of spots to pull over along the way, this drive was by far the prettiest and most impressive one we’ve ever taken. We started out on the ground driving through the valleys of these enormous mountains and ended up on top of them with some of the most incredible breathtaking views of the landscape. For a couple of east coast girls, we totally understand now why our west coast friends make fun of our mountains, these things were HUGE!
3. Chuckwagon Dinner: Nothing makes you feel more a-tune with nature than riding a horse out into the middle of nowhere to eat a dinner made on an open grill by “cowboys.” We never really did any horseback riding growing up which is odd considering our mom was an avid equestrian back in the day. It was really an amazing experience and the food was also really delicious and totally beat what we would’ve eaten at the lodge.
4. Old Faithful: A classic stop and a must-see. We got there about 30 minutes before the very first eruption after sunrise and were surprised by how few people were around and were easily able to find good seats. When we stopped back after breakfast in the Old Faithful Inn, it was ridiculously packed so it’s definitely worth getting their early to get a good spot.
5. Visit the Various Lodges & Regions of the Park:  It’s truly amazing how different the park’s lodges and areas surrounding them are. For example, around Roosevelt Lodge, you can take a horse back ride, do some hiking, or drive a relatively short distance (for Yellowstone at least) to the Lamar Valley to see some wildlife.  Canyon Lodge, where we stayed, is only few minutes from the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone where you can do some hiking and get some great pictures.  Old Faithful Inn definitely has something for everyone, whether it’s taking a tour of the historic inn, watching the geysers, exploring the thermal features, or going to a ranger lead talk or hike. To minimize driving, we recommend picking 2-3 different lodge areas and splitting your trip among them. That way you can get that great sunrise shot without the 3am wake up call or star gaze over Lake Yellowstone without driving back home for 2 hours in the dark.

Did our list include your favorite things to do in Yellowstone? If not be sure to let us know what we should check out on our next trip!