If you’re planning a trip out West and trying to decide between Yellowstone vs. Glacier National Park, I’m in a pretty unique position to help you choose.
- Choose Yellowstone for wildlife, geysers and hot springs, and lots of sights you can see from the car or a boardwalk
- Choose Glacier if you love hiking and want jaw-dropping mountain views
- My pick: Glacier, because I’m a hiker (but both are incredible)
I’ve actually lived and worked in both.
Yellowstone was my first seasonal job, and I ended up working there for two summers. My first summer, I worked in the Canyon area, and my second year I worked at Tower-Roosevelt. Between those two summers, I got to explore a pretty huge portion of Yellowstone National Park, and it still has a massive place in my heart.
This year, I spent my summer working in Glacier National Park, and after living here and exploring as much as I possibly could, I’ve also become pretty familiar with the ins and outs of this beautiful place.
And I have some opinions.
I feel like when people plan a national park trip out this way, Yellowstone is almost automatically on the list. They might add Grand Teton National Park for a day or two, but Glacier National Park sometimes gets skipped altogether.
And after living here for a summer, I really don’t think Glacier gets hyped up as much as it should.
So, which is better: Yellowstone or Glacier National Park?
The answer is…
It depends.
Because these parks are VERY different.
Yellowstone National Park: Best for Wildlife, Variety & Sightseeing
Yellowstone is full of beauty, but what makes it special is how versatile it is.
You have hot springs, geysers, massive canyons, waterfalls, mountains, rivers, lakes and an insane amount of wildlife.
And when I say wildlife, I mean you can see just about anything.
Bison, wolves, coyotes, elk, bears, and of course… the evil ravens.
If you’ve spent enough time in Yellowstone, you know exactly what I mean.
There are also plenty of hikes throughout Yellowstone, along with some absolutely beautiful roads to drive.
But here’s where I think Yellowstone and Glacier really start to separate from each other.
You Don’t Have to Be a Hiker to Enjoy Yellowstone
I think Yellowstone is an amazing national park for someone who wants to see a LOT without necessarily hiking all day.
You can drive around the park, stop at viewpoints, see wildlife, walk the boardwalks around the geothermal areas, check out waterfalls and canyons, and still feel like you experienced an incredible amount of the park.
If you enjoy hiking, there are definitely trails worth doing.
But if hiking isn’t the main reason you’re taking this trip, that’s completely fine.
You can still have an amazing Yellowstone vacation.
And even though Yellowstone has hiking…
The hiking doesn’t even begin to compare to Glacier.
Glacier National Park: A Hiker’s Paradise
Glacier, on the other hand…
Glacier National Park is a hiker’s paradise.
If mountains and hiking are your thing, this is where I would send you.
There are easy hikes. Moderate hikes. Hard hikes. And hikes that will have you questioning every decision you’ve made that led you to that mountain.
There’s something for pretty much every hiking level.
And the reward?
Some of the most insane mountain views I’ve ever seen.
If you’re someone who doesn’t want to spend the majority of your national park vacation sitting in your car, I think Glacier is the better choice.
You’ll find some of Glacier’s best views outside of your car and on the trails.
Yes, sometimes that means hiking 5 or 10 miles.
But trust me.
It’s worth it.
Glacier National Park Stole My Heart
I didn’t expect to love Glacier as much as I do.
After spending a summer living and working here, this park has completely stolen my heart.
It is absolutely stunning.
Compared with Yellowstone, Glacier isn’t nearly as diverse in terms of the types of landscapes and attractions you’re going to see.
There aren’t geysers or colorful hot springs.
But what Glacier does have is mountains.
And a LOT of them.
Honestly, I would go as far as calling Glacier the Switzerland of America.
And before you come for me…
I’ve been to Switzerland.
I’m sticking with it.
The massive mountains, turquoise water, wildflowers and ridiculous views remind me so much of Switzerland. There have been plenty of moments hiking around Glacier where I’ve stopped and thought, How is this real?
What If You Don’t Want to Hike in Glacier?
If you don’t hike much, my 2-day, 3-day, 5-day and 7-day Glacier itineraries each have a non-hiker version.
Here’s the good news.
You can still enjoy Glacier National Park even if you don’t want to hike 10 miles every day.
Glacier has some absolutely stunning scenic drives, especially Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Even if all you did was drive Going-to-the-Sun Road, stop at overlooks and take your time enjoying the scenery, you’d still get to see some incredible parts of the park.
There’s also Looking Glass Road outside the park, which is another gorgeous drive if you just want to sit back and enjoy the mountains.
But personally?
If you’re coming all the way to Glacier, get out of the car and do at least a couple of hikes.
That’s where this park really shines.
Yellowstone vs. Glacier for Wildlife
Both parks are incredible for wildlife, but I’ve noticed some differences in what I tend to see.
In Yellowstone, I saw animals like bison, elk, coyotes, wolves and bears much more frequently.
And obviously, Yellowstone’s bison are hard to beat.
Glacier has its fair share of wildlife too, but I’ve personally seen a lot more marmots, bears, mountain goats and bighorn sheep here.
Those are animals I’ve seen pretty regularly during my summer in Glacier, while I can’t say I saw them nearly as often during my time in Yellowstone.
So if seeing wildlife is one of the biggest reasons you’re taking this trip, I’d probably give Yellowstone the advantage.
If spotting a mountain goat while you’re halfway up a mountain sounds more like your kind of day…
Welcome to Glacier.
Which Is More Crowded: Yellowstone or Glacier?
Another major difference I’ve noticed between Yellowstone and Glacier National Park is the traffic.
Yellowstone can be extremely busy.
I remember constantly trying to get around people on the roads and getting stuck in traffic jams.
And then there are the wildlife jams.
One animal appears anywhere near the road and suddenly everybody forgets how driving works.
Glacier definitely gets busy too, especially during the summer, but personally, I don’t notice the traffic nearly as much here as I did in Yellowstone.
There are certain areas where you can expect backups.
For example, between Rising Sun and St. Mary, there are constantly bear sightings. People pull over, cars slow down and traffic can build pretty quickly.
But even then, I haven’t personally experienced it to the same extent that I did living in Yellowstone.
Yellowstone vs. Glacier National Park: Which One Should You Choose?
Anyways…
Here’s the easiest way I can sum this entire comparison up.
Choose Glacier National Park if you:
- Love hiking
- Want dramatic mountain scenery
- Would rather explore on foot than spend all day driving
- Want trails ranging from easy to extremely challenging
- Love alpine lakes, mountain goats and those huge mountain views
- Want a trip where hiking is one of the main activities
Choose Yellowstone National Park if you:
- Want to see a huge variety of landscapes
- Are really interested in wildlife
- Want to see geysers and hot springs
- Prefer scenic drives and shorter stops
- Aren’t a huge hiker
- Want to experience a lot without having to hike miles every day
So… Would I Choose Yellowstone or Glacier?
This is hard because both parks have my heart for completely different reasons.
Yellowstone was my first seasonal job. I spent two summers there, made a ton of memories and got to experience a place that is unlike anywhere else I’ve ever been.
But if you told me today that I could only choose one?
I’m choosing Glacier National Park.
Glacier all the way.
Especially if you’re a hiking and mountain person like me.
And if you’re planning a trip to Glacier, don’t sleep on the St. Mary side of the park. That’s the side I’ve spent a lot of my time exploring, and in my opinion, it’s where you’ll find some of the good stuff.
At the end of the day, though, there really isn’t a wrong choice.
Yellowstone gives you variety, wildlife and some of the strangest landscapes you’ll probably ever see. Glacier gives you mountains, hiking and the kind of views that make you stop in the middle of a trail and just stare.
So the better question might not be Which national park is better?
It might be:
What kind of vacation do you want?
Because once you know that, choosing between Yellowstone and Glacier becomes pretty easy.
Yellowstone vs. Glacier FAQ
Is Glacier or Yellowstone better for hiking?
Glacier. It’s a hiker’s paradise, with trails like Grinnell Glacier, the Highline and Iceberg Lake. Here are my favorite underrated hikes in Glacier.
Which park is better for wildlife?
Yellowstone is easier for wildlife viewing, especially bison and elk you can see from the road. Glacier has plenty of wildlife too, like mountain goats, bighorn sheep and bears, but you usually see more of it on the trail.
Which is better for a first national park trip?
If you’re not much of a hiker, Yellowstone. If hiking is the main reason you’re going, Glacier. If you pick Glacier, check my guide to the best time to visit first.
