Lamar Valley
Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park: Address, Phone Number, Lamar Valley Reviews: 5/5
Lamar Valley
Lamar Valley
5
About
Features animals
Learn more about animal welfare in tourismSuggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Lamar Valley
The area
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Attractions
4 within 6 miles
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
3,048 reviews
Excellent
2,563
Very good
404
Average
68
Poor
8
Terrible
5
Linda P
Massachusetts469 contributions
Aug 2021
To fully enjoy Lamar Valley, hire a driver or tour guide, do not driver yourself you will be doing yourself a disservice because you will not enjoy it at all. Being able to sit back with someone else driving and also giving you great information about what you are seeing is well worth the price.
Just amazing to see all these bison, wandering everywhere, down the street, traveling across the road, right by the side of the road. They were oblivious to all the cars and people, wish there was a regulation on the amount of vehicles that could travel this road so it wouldn't be like Disneyland to many. The amount of stupid things people were doing was insane, getting way too close to them. At one point our tour guide pulled over to a group of people and told them they shouldn't get that close since the bison were in rutting season and could turn on a dime but the people just kept on ignoring her. Some people have no common sense!!!
Just a comparison Lamar Valley had the higher concentration of bison when we were there than Hayden Valley did. I still think Hayden Valley is worth a visit though.
Just amazing to see all these bison, wandering everywhere, down the street, traveling across the road, right by the side of the road. They were oblivious to all the cars and people, wish there was a regulation on the amount of vehicles that could travel this road so it wouldn't be like Disneyland to many. The amount of stupid things people were doing was insane, getting way too close to them. At one point our tour guide pulled over to a group of people and told them they shouldn't get that close since the bison were in rutting season and could turn on a dime but the people just kept on ignoring her. Some people have no common sense!!!
Just a comparison Lamar Valley had the higher concentration of bison when we were there than Hayden Valley did. I still think Hayden Valley is worth a visit though.
Written September 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Melaney68
Chesapeake Beach, MD9,414 contributions
Aug 2020
I was captivated from the moment we came upon the herds and herds of buffalo. We were amused when the FedEx driver had to wait for a group of bison to cross the road and the bulls knew just the right sounds to get the calves moving. It was fascinating to watch the interaction among the herd. This part of the park is completely different from others and the vast immensity of the grasslands is stunning. We also saw pronghorn sheep as we drove to the east entrance for lunch. There were many trails along the way that we enjoyed exploring including Slough Creek which is known for fly fishing and Hellroaring Creek Trail that takes you to a suspension bridge over the Yellowstone River. (We walked about a mile past the suspension bridge and did not see or find anything of great significance.) This is a hike that takes you down to the bridge and the hike back to the parking lot is uphill so be sure to bring enough water.
Written July 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
126Robert
Park Ridge, NJ134 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
He got up extra early travel two hours from old faithful in to Lamar valley to see wildlife. We arrived at dawn and immediately were greeted by a heard of bison at the roadside. It was inspiring to watch the bull bison watch over the females and calves. A little later we came across a grizzly bear and a den of wolves with pups. On the way back through the valley, we came across a black bear eating from a huckleberry bush. Always be on the lookout as we saw elk, 2 more bears, bald eagle and osprey outside of Lamar.
Written August 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
BBG
Eden, WI15 contributions
Feb 2021 • Couples
3 days. Temperature 0 or below. What they don’t tell you is your sack lunch must be eaten outside of the bus. Only snowmobiles are allowed in the heated lodges except Old Faithful. They let us in the there the first day. Days 2 & 3 outside huddle along the highway at a turn off. Swallowing a cold deli sandwich at negative temps is like jugging an icicle. In hindsight a coffee thermos would have been nice. Wear insulated ski clothes. Our guide was fabulous. 1st day Old Faithful, mud pots, geysers, bison pretty good. 2nd day Lamar Valley & back total snooze. At one point we got out of the coach/mini school bus and counted the number of icicles hanging off the cliff. Lunch huddled off the highway. Then nestle your lunch bag in the snow drift while you chew your sandwich & walk to remain unfrozen. Day 3 stupendous ride amongst the bison. Stop at a lodge with heat & flush toilets. Then dine outside using the coach back grill to eat your food. I gave up in frozen disgust. Back at Mammoth Lodge by 2:30 - 3 you can only purchase a drink & appetizer at dinner. You can not buy a hot chocolate. You cannot pop microwave popcorn & your darling husband can not get lucky ‘cause his wife is beyond frustrated. All these charms are yours for $1K a day.
Written February 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Karen J
Colorado Springs, CO308 contributions
Jun 2021
We spent 4 days in the park and, honestly, the second day was THE BEST megafauna day! We saw Lamar Valley blanketed in buffalo, 5 adult bear, and 2 bear cubs. We at least drove all of the open major roads and walked almost all of the wooden paths. I think the best times were between 7 pm and 9 pm when most folks had gone home for the day. It was nice to have most of a national park to ourselves! NOTE: This is an exaggeration, but compared to blocks of backed up cars at the West Yellowstone entrance, occasionally passing someone else is almost alone. Some of the small areas we really did have to ourselves.
As for the unimproved toilets, most of them were quite nice. I looked for the ones with the newest “chimney” stack.
There was almost no cell signal for AT&T in the park.
As for the unimproved toilets, most of them were quite nice. I looked for the ones with the newest “chimney” stack.
There was almost no cell signal for AT&T in the park.
Written June 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
koabug
Honolulu, HI1,581 contributions
Jun 2021
we had a very early start (5:30 am) from our hotel in Gardiner to reach Lamar Valley before it got busy. Bison herds were along the road grazing. So many calves were playing with each other. We also saw a lone pronghorn deer and a coyote jumping around nearby. On the way back (around 12 pm) there was a line of cars but the herds of bison were farther away from the road.
Written July 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
MNMd
Minnesota60 contributions
Jun 2022
We started driving from Mammoth to the valley at 5:30 and I'm so glad we went early in the morning. We drove the day before Yellowstone closed (yes, we were kicked out) so it was raining but the animals didn't care. We saw 5 bears, a small group of elk and oh so many bison including multiple young bison. The bears were practically right next to the car (no, we didn't get out) so it was really cool.
Written June 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Tom L
Tyler, TX94 contributions
Sep 2021
This was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. We arrived before sunrise and hiked down to Lamar River and explored that area, with no one around it was peaceful. We saw thousands of Bison. They got pretty close to us as they were walking by so we had to back up a bit. Then on the drive back to mammoth, we saw a Grey wolf with a hurt leg stalking an Antelope, So many cars stopped just in the middle of the road. Then a mile or so later we saw a black bear eating some berries. The park rangers were on the scene so they kept traffic moving. It was a fun time would highly recommend it.
Written September 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Minnesota Traveler
Chanhassen, MN1,819 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
We entered through Cooke City and were immediately spoiled with tons of wildlife to look at Buffalo everywhere. This is the area we’re you will see the highest concentration of wildlife as well. Cool spots to pull off and hike down to the river or up in the hills.
Written December 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Traveling One
Greenville, SC740 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
This is definitely the highlight of our trip! We rode through at sunrise and saw a wolf pack playing by the river, grizzly bear running around, pronghorn, fox, moose (2 of them), and of course bison... very large herds of bison! The wolf pack, grizzly bears, and pronghorn were barely visible to naked eye so bring your spotting scope!! The next day we rode by again during sunrise and saw all that I previously mentioned but the wolf pack was even further away and the bison were not at the road like they were the day before.
Overall i highly recommend coming here during sunrise!! 2 hours or so after sunrise the animal seemed to disappear... probably resting in the shade for the day.
Overall i highly recommend coming here during sunrise!! 2 hours or so after sunrise the animal seemed to disappear... probably resting in the shade for the day.
Written September 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Tammy P
Canton, OH10 contributions
We are planning a trip to Yellowstone late July 2029 and will be staying at West Yellowstone. We want to spend a day at Lamar Valley. Where do we park to hike the Lamar Valley Trail and is there a road closure or single lane traffic that we should avoid?
Tammy P
Canton, OH10 contributions
We are planning a trip to Yellowstone late July 2029 and will be staying at West Yellowstone. We want to spend a day at Lamar Valley. Where do we park to hike the Lamar Valley Trail and is there a road closure or single lane traffic that we should avoid?
Tracey C
Colorado316 contributions
I think it is hard to answer this for a vacation 7 years from now. The roads/parking could be very different. I would suggest you check back with questions a year in advance. Best wishes!
GettinBye
Marblehead, Massachusetts310 contributions
Traveling from Big Sky to Yellowstone with concentration on Lamar Valley for animal sitings. First week of Sept day trip. Trying to decide if we should drive to the North entrance which seems a longer drive (is it a scenic drive??) ) or go the seemingly quicker drive to the West entrance and head to Lamar from there. Probably skipping the crowds of Old Faithful this time around.
Bob H
Watsonville, CA741 contributions
Hi,
Let me go over the road conditions in Yellowstone. The road between Tower Junction and Canyon Village is closed until 2022. The road going from Norris Geyser to Mammoth Hot Springs is being re-paved. Mind you, I was there from July 11th to 17th. Hopefully, they are done because it is the only road you can travel from West Yellowstone to Lamar. If they are still re-paving, the road is restricted to one-way traffic. Believe me, it was a nightmare. It took me almost two hours to drive from West Yellowstone to Lamar Valley. I left early morning to avoid the one-way traffic control but I could not avoid it coming back.
I have never been to Big Sky so I do not know about the drive to Gardiner. Plus, the little town had a major fire so you may want to investigate what options are still available in Gardiner. I hope this helps.
Good luck and have fun in Lamar!
Hi, I'm planning on making a trip to Yellowstone sometime in late may/early June. Just wanted to research as much as possible while planning my trip. We are flying from Pennsylvania to BZN (Bozeman Yellowstone Airport) as we figure it's the closest airport to Lamar Valley. My main concerns were car rentals,driving, and places to stay. Ive been hearing a lot about Gardnier Is there car/SUV rentals nearby? Is there enough gas stations in between? is it easy to get from Gardnier to Lamar Valley? I apologize if these questions seem tedious or novice as i am new to traveling and just trying to know as much as possible and research so im not going in blind. Thank you for any help or tips i appreciate it!
Linda K
Walkertown, NC98 contributions
We flew into Bozeman, too. It was a great place to spend some time; we stayed at the C'mon Inn if you are looking to stay. It's a great hotel We staying in the park at the Mammoth Inn 3 nights and then stayed in the four corners of Yellowstone, West Yellowstone, Cooke City, Cody and Jackson. All were lovely places and we enjoyed them additionally to Yellowstone. We rented a car at the airport which was more convenient and didn't seem much more expensive. You will love Yellowstone and see the Grand Tetons too if you have time. We had such a great trip and would quickly do it again.
kickstartmyheart7
Boise, ID82 contributions
We plan on traveling around Yellowstone in late May. We are coming from Boise, so we'll be starting at the West entrance, as we hop from one RV park to another every couple of days. We also want to visit Jackson hole. My question is, with the road closures at the northern end of the part of Yellowstone (Tower junction/Tower fall) what is the best way to get to Lamar Valley?? We want to see it really badly, and would hate to miss it!
Ymore05
Miami, FL4 contributions
Lamar Valley is open all year round. You would have to go through the North entrances. Have fun
Jacques G
2 contributions
We are traveling to Yellowstone with our RV (towing a car ) next summer and we're wondering is there are RV parks outside the Park but close enough to visit the Lamar Valley by car?
Also is the Lamar valley one of the best location to see wildlife?
Ymore05
Miami, FL4 contributions
Not sure about RV parking overnight near park. I know you can camp inside park but not sure about RV’s.
Lamar Valley is open all year round and yes it’s where you see the most animals. Summer is the time to go for wildlife so I hear. Pack snacks, water and look for animals. Just park at the pullouts, use your binoculars and you’ll most likely see something. Have a good trip.
Siennaskies
Henderson, NV119 contributions
I have 2 questions. 1st, will we be able to see alot of animals on our own (even possibly bears or wolves) on our own or do you need to take a wild life tour? 2nd, is Gardiner a good place to stay to explore Lamar Valley or do you recommend Cooke City? Thanks.
kyendley
Kelowna, Canada39 contributions
We saw a ton of animals on our own. No tours required, in my opinion. But - we did our homework and researched where and when it would be most likely to see animals (be in the Lamar Valley at dawn for best odds of grizzly, wolf and bison sitings). Sorry - can’t comment on accommodations in Gardiner - we camped in West Yellowstone.
Tarielovena
Seattle, WA125 contributions
Will be spending a few days exploring Yellowstone in a few weeks and would like to spend a few hours viewing wildlife. What would be the best time for us to get there in the morning?
Nick
Sydney, Australia11 contributions
Bisons are everywhere, even in the middle of the road. Drive carefully around the turning.
On late afternoon we saw many more wildlife(bears, elk, moose, deer).
They are not only in Lamar Valley, but on the way there.
Msbull1105
Columbia, TN19 contributions
We are planning a mid October visit . I know most of the Visitors Centers will be closed but getting gas is a concern for us. My understanding is that there are 24 hour pumps for credit card use at most of the centers. Is that correct?
GemmaTravels
Sydney186 contributions
Here is the itinerary for our October visit copied from my travel blog. We flew in late on October 7 2018, with 2 nights in Jackson, staying at the Parkway Inn.
Mon 8 October: Woke up to gorgeous weather, but storms are forecast this week, so tried to make the most of it. Hit the Visitors Centre, grabbed some maps and Bear Spray and headed out towards the Grand Teton Mountains. Stopped at an abandoned Mormon settlement, and saw some Prong Horn Antelope just beside the road. It’s the tail end of Autumn here, but there are still some beautiful fall colours on display. Crossed the Snake River, and came across a family of Moose grazing in a swamp (Note: this was just off the Moose Wilson Rd). We hiked up above Phelps Lake to see spectacular views out towards the Gros Ventre range, and some Mule Deer crossed the trail on our way down. Walked around Jackson township, and had a drink at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar before dinner. Quite a day!
Tues 9 October: Winter weather arrived today, with low cloud, rain and a little snow, so we came inside to the wonderful National Museum of Wildlife Art. Next we headed up into Grand Teton National Park, seeing a several Bison along the way. We‘re in a cosy cabin right on the lake at Signal Mountain for the next three days.
Wednesday 10 October: A bit of light snow overnight, but a lovely clear morning. Our cabin is right on Jackson Lake, and we walked along the shore before breakfast - just a bit chilly! Drove up to the top of Signal Mountain, then down to Jenny Lake. Did a long hike around the southern end to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point, and a quick walk around the Menor’s Ferry historic district. Saw some Mule Deer on our way back, just as it started to snow again.
Thursday 11 October: Woke to a winter wonderland. Light snow overnight, but thankfully the roads were still clear. Drove to Jackson Lake Dam, then back to Ox Bow bend to watch the bird life. We walked through pine forests to Swan Lake, with light snow falling - beautiful, but a little scary as we were the only ones out there, and on our return we saw (maybe) bear tracks. A sleek coyote ran across the road on the drive back, and its friend was a little further on, but they were too quick to take a photo. Did a more substantial hike out to Bradley Lake and Beaver Creek in the afternoon, with fabulous views of the mountains. There were more Pronghorns on the way to Dornan’s Bar, and we saw our first Elk the distance. As we headed home, another group of Elk crossed the road. Off to Yellowstone tomorrow.
Friday 12 October: Another sunny day, so we decided to hike before heading off to Yellowstone. We drove to String Lake, and walked along the eastern side. There was no wind, and the mountains were reflected in the water - gorgeous picture postcard stuff! We saw another moose wading near the edge, but she heard us and moved quickly into the forest. We went about halfway around Leigh Lake before returning. Great morning!
Later we drove back past the Snake River overlook and Ox Bow bend, then along the John D. Rockefeller Jr Parkway from Grand Teton into Yellowstone National Park. We stopped at Lewis Falls and the West Thumb Geyser Basin, and another coyote crossed our path just near the continental divide marker. Saw our first Bison just before checking in to our (very rustic!) cabin at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge.
Saturday 13 October: Snowing quite heavily this morning, and a lot of the roads through Yellowstone were blocked. We watched Old Faithful Geyser erupt, explored the village, and played a game of Scrabble. The sun came out in the afternoon, and we drove to Middle Geyser Basin, Firehole Lake Drive, Gibbon Falls, and the Artist’s Paint Pots area. Saw some more Bison on the way back.
Sunday 14 October: Gorgeous day, but a lot of the roads still blocked by snow, so explored the Norris Geyser Basin area. So slippery on the trail, and on the way out cars were sliding everywhere! However, they did open the road to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Just a little bit spectacular! Headed down through the Hayden Valley, and saw a herd of Bison running just beside the road, including a young calf and a huge bull, but unfortunately nowhere to pull up for photos. Stopped at the Mud Volcano area and Yellowstone Lake, but Craig Pass was still closed, so had to drive the long way back through Canyon, Norris and Madison.
Monday 15 October: Our last day in South Yellowstone. Climbed to Observation Point above the village to watch Old Faithful erupt, then walked the Main Geyser Basin. Packed up and drove through the beautiful Yellowstone Lakes area, stopping for lunch in a snowy picnic spot beside the river. We saw lots of bison in the Hayden Valley, and this time managed to take some photos. Dunraven Pass was supposed to be closed for winter a week ago, but luckily it reopened today, and we could drive over the mountains to Tower Fall, a waterfall which plummets between hoodoo rock pinnacles. Walked down the trail below the falls, and saw (yikes!) bear tracks in the snow. Headed through the historic Yellowstone North Gate arch to Gardiner, where we’ll be staying the next three nights. In a real hotel!!
Tuesday 16 October: Walked around the Mammoth Springs village, built in the early part of last century, with many Art Deco buildings. There are lots of elk around and about, but signs warn not to approach them. We hiked the lower terraces of the massive thermal area above the town. Later drove out to the Lamar Valley for a picnic lunch , and made friends with a raven. Saw big herds of bison throughout the valley. Drove as far as the North East gate of Yellowstone, with beautiful mountain and river views.
Wednesday 17 October: Our last day in Yellowstone. We had a look around the Gardiner township, then drove to the Upper Terraces above Mammoth Springs. The drive was still closed due to the icy roads, so we walked the circuit of the upper thermal area. Had a picnic lunch a bit further on next to Lava Creek, then hiked down beside it to Undine Falls and the river below. This time we saw a Grizzly Bear pawprint in the mud! Dinner and beers tonight were at Cowboys Bar.
Thursday 18 October: Drove through the Lamar Valley out of Yellowstone, seeing lots more bison along the way. There were a group of wolf spotters up on a hillside, and one of them let us use his field scope to watch a grizzly bear and a pack of wolves. Followed the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway over the mountains. This was the route a Nez Perce tribe took when trying to escape from the US Cavalry into Canada, but they were caught just 30 miles from the border. We watched a group of cowboys moving cattle along the road. One of them had a dog behind his saddle, who would jump down and round up any strays. Travelled to our next stop in Billings Montana, briefly visiting the Moss Mansion, built early last century, and walking around the neighbourhood.
We carried on from there to Devil's Tower, Lead/Deadwood, Mt Rushmore, Custer State Park and Badlands NP, before heading to NYC to meet my brother and his family, and spend the Halloween week with them in Bucks County PA. Amazing trip, and we loved it all!
Donald5343434
Charlottesville, VA11 contributions
Coming from Tetons to Lamar valley and back to Old Faithful any thoughts? Are we taking on to much in one day on May 27 2019 Thanks Don 😃
Mike D
Monmouth, OR399 contributions
IMHO,that's too.much for one day, mostly because Lamar deserves more of your time! Traffic can, at times be an issue also.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lamar Valley
- We recommend booking Lamar Valley tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 25 Lamar Valley tours on Tripadvisor
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Lamar Valley:
- Private Yellowstone Wildlife Sightseeing Tour (From $1,350.00)
- Yellowstone Custom Wildlife and Nature Tour (From $287.21)
- VIP Private Yellowstone Wildlife Safari with Guided Hikes and Lunch Included (From $1,750.00)
- 2-Day Yellowstone National Park Upper and Lower Loop Exploration (From $650.00)
- “ALL INCLUSIVE”Grand Loop Yellowstone Wildlife and Photo Tour (From $299.00)
- Attractions near Lamar Valley:
- (1.72 mi) Yellowstone River Picnic Area
- (3.09 mi) Trout Lake Trail
- (3.40 mi) Yellowstone Institute
- (7.76 mi) Slough Creek
- (7.13 mi) Safari Yellowstone Day Trips