(VIDEO) Yellowstone National Park Fountain Paint Pot Trail, Old Faithful, & Under Canvas Glamping

We did not expect this family adventure through Yellowstone in June to include SNOW!

August 19, 2019

Philadelphia Family Guide to Exploring Yellowstone Country Montana with Kids

This 7-day itinerary we mapped out with Yellowstone Country Montana helped us unplug and explore the region within AND beyond the park, through the diverse landscape for daily adventures and plenty of small town charm. If you’re considering a trip to the region they would be happy to send you a free travel packet by mail.

Download our 7-day itinerary, don’t miss our VIDEO, and explore Yellowstone Country Montana: DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3 | DAY 4 | DAY 5 | DAY 6 | DAY 7

Day 3: Philly Family Explores Yellowstone Country Montana

It snowed overnight, and the trees were silver-gray upon entering the park. We first visited the bubbling Fountain Paint Pot Trail. Since it was unseasonably COLD for the first day of Summer, the kids wore my wool socks as makeshift mittens. We drove to Old Faithful and discovered the perfect window seats in Old Faithful Lodge: the eruption was delayed and quite spectacular. Then we went to the historic Old Faithful Inn for a buffet lunch. If you visit Old Faithful, this is the must-see historic log hotel. Don’t miss it! On a nice day you might just want to sit and take it all in on their second floor viewing deck with espresso, ice cream, and/or a cocktail. After Old Faithful, we explored more of the park: scenic offshoots from the main road get you closer to bubbling pools, steaming towers, and rushing ravines. It didn’t take long for the kids’ interest in steaming pools and chilly hikes to wind down, so we headed for our glamping adventure with Under Canvas West Yellowstone.

Sleet greeted us at Under Canvas, for which we were barely prepared, especially on the first day of summer. We were skeptical about surviving two freezing nights in a tent. For dinner we headed back to town and found Bullwinkle’s Saloon & Eatery and popped in the Roundup Trading Post for some more warm socks–if you need general supplies on your trip, this is a great store to visit, they had a bit of everything! When we returned to our tent, we curled up with extra blankets from the staff and lit a fire in the wood stove. Jonathan set an alarm for every two hours to refuel the stove, which kept the tent cozy all night.