You will need to take warm clothes and a waterproof jacket even if you are visiting the Park in July or August. It still gets cold, especially at night and there is always a chance of thunderstorms. Make sure you carry layers with you in the car and in your rucksack if you go more than a few steps from the car. Even if you are walking one of the flat boardwalk trails carry clothing – we got caught in a hailstorm that blew up out of nowhere the far side of Norris Geyser Basin and were very grateful to be carrying additional layers and a waterproof. In spite of this we were still wet and chilled when we got back to the car and were glad we happened to have a towel and a partial change of clothing in the car – so, a towel and some spare clothes are really useful to have handy in the car.
Steamy interpretive trail
You should also carry plenty of water and snacks with you. You will need to drink more as your body acclimatises to being at a higher altitude, especially if you are exerting yourself more than usual. If you do decide to hike (and I hope you do) make sure you have the right equipment. You will need a rucksack and you will need to carry a waterproof and some additional layers of clothing. Again, the weather can change very rapidly and you need to anticipate this.
See our section on hiking in the US National Parks for more information.
General Checklist
- Water
- Anti bacterial gel
- Insect repellent
- Sunscreen
- Sun hat
- Sunglasses
- Binoculars
- Camera
- Waterproof jacket
- Warm clothes
For a printable list click here National Parks Checklist