ChatGPT's 3-day Itinerary

Question

I asked ChatGPT for an itinerary and here's it's response.  I know there are a ton of sites that suggest otherwise, but thought it'd be fun to see what AI came up with.  Thoughts?

Sure! Here's a detailed 3-day itinerary for Yellowstone National Park, starting and ending at Bridge Bay Campground. Please note that driving times may vary depending on traffic and road conditions. Also, keep in mind that this itinerary assumes you have your own vehicle for transportation.

Day 1:

- Morning:

- Start at Bridge Bay Campground.

- Drive to Old Faithful Visitor Education Center (approx. 1 hour).

- Visit the Old Faithful geyser and explore the Upper Geyser Basin.

- Lunch: Enjoy a picnic lunch in the area.

- Afternoon:

- Drive to Grand Prismatic Spring (approx. 30 minutes).

- Explore the Midway Geyser Basin and take in the vibrant colors of Grand Prismatic Spring.

- Drive to the Norris Geyser Basin (approx. 30 minutes).

- Explore the fascinating geothermal features in Norris Geyser Basin.

- Evening:

- Drive back to Bridge Bay Campground (approx. 1 hour).

- Dinner: Prepare a meal at your campsite or drive to Lake Village for dining options.

Day 2:

- Morning:

- Start at Bridge Bay Campground.

- Drive to Lamar Valley (approx. 1.5 hours).

- Enjoy wildlife viewing and the scenic beauty of the valley.

- Lunch: Pack a lunch to enjoy in Lamar Valley or grab a quick bite in Cooke City or Silver Gate.

- Afternoon:

- Drive to Tower Fall (approx. 30 minutes).

- Take a short hike to view the majestic Tower Fall.

- Drive to Mammoth Hot Springs (approx. 20 minutes).

- Explore the fascinating terraces and travertine formations.

- Evening:

- Drive back to Bridge Bay Campground (approx. 1.5 hours).

- Dinner: Prepare a meal at your campsite or drive to Fishing Bridge for dining options.

Day 3:

- Morning:

- Start at Bridge Bay Campground.

- Drive to Canyon Visitor Education Center (approx. 30 minutes).

- Explore the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and enjoy the stunning views.

- Lunch: Grab lunch at the Canyon Village area.

- Afternoon:

- Drive to Hayden Valley (approx. 20 minutes).

- Look for wildlife and enjoy the scenic beauty of the valley.

- Drive to West Thumb Geyser Basin (approx. 1 hour).

- Explore the geothermal features along the shores of Yellowstone Lake.

- Evening:

- Drive back to Bridge Bay Campground (approx. 30 minutes).

- Dinner: Prepare a meal at your campsite or drive to Grant Village for dining options.

Please note that this itinerary covers the major attractions and highlights of Yellowstone National Park, but there are many other smaller attractions and hiking trails you may want to explore depending on your interests and available time. Be sure to check for any road closures or alerts before heading out each day, as conditions can change in the park. Enjoy your trip to Yellowstone!

PeachBelle8288 · Accepted Answer

I can tell you that the drive times are off! Don't use Google maps but official Yellowstone mileage map.

D0bby · Answer

Well, it's better than some of the itineraries that people come up with on their own.

Day 0: Where will you have come from to Bridge Bay? Asking to see if you can work West Thumb Geyser Basin in today.

Day 1: Adding Norris is too much today. I'd spend time in the Upper Basin seeing if you can see some of the predictable geysers. I'd add in Fountain Paint Pots which has all 4 kinds of thermal features - geysers, hot pools, mud pots and fumaroles. I'd do the Midway Geyser Basin latest in the day as the traffic thru there is awful, parking is terrible and you'll want to see if you can wait until some day visitors have started back to the entrance gates and relieved some pressure.

Day 2: You'll drive past Tower Fall on your way to Lamar Valley. There is road construction on the NE entrance road which will probably cause a delay in both directions headed out to Lamar Valley.

Day 3: It's pretty funny on Day 3 as you have to drive thru Hayden Valley to get from Bridge Bay to Canyon Visitor Center. I'd start with the overlooks on the South Rim, then the North Rim then do the Visitor Center if you have time and energy. I assume the VC exhibits will be open this year although they've been closed a couple of years due to Covid.

Day 4: Where do you go today?

Here is the link to approximate drive times Peach was mentioning. All of us regulars have done some segments in less time but it is more accurate than googlemaps.

https://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/content/uploads/2017/04/Park-Map-with-mileage.pdf

Pam

backinthelab · Answer

I figured the drive times were going to be inaccurate, but thanks for the feedback! I wouldn't have realized the backtracking in Day 3 had you not pointed it out. Maybe I'll let the AI know so it's one step closer to global domination. lol

thbergs · Answer

It also isn't accounting for road work delays...

D0bby · Answer

BTW, backtracking in Yellowstone is not really a bad thing! I usually spend my days in the North end of the park driving back and forth on the Northern Range from one of the pond areas out to Lamar and back.

Pam

christinefH4429TD · Answer

I tried it too and mine suggests to "take a ride" at the Jackson Hole Rodeo. 😜 I guess it thinks we can ride the bulls.

CTravelc12 · Answer

It’s not too bad, but I would never have someone go out of their way to see Tower Fall. Since the trail to the bottom washed out, the main purpose of the area is a nice break from driving, and one can stop at the scenic pullouts enroute to the Lamar valley. Other than that, and the drive times being quite far off, it’s not a terrible itinerary. Did you specify Bridge Bay, or did it come up with that on its own?

backinthelab · Answer

Good to know about Tower Fall, thanks! I did specify Bridge Bay as that's where we'll be camping.

ChatGPT's 3-day Itinerary - Yellowstone National Park Forum

ChatGPT's 3-day Itinerary

8 replies to this topic

Yellowstone National Park Hotels and Places to Stay