Packing lists

What to pack for Yellowstone in July

July is peak season in Yellowstone. All the roads are open, the wildflowers are out, and the days are warm and long. But most of the park sits above 7,000 feet, so mornings are cold, often in the 30s or 40s, and afternoon thunderstorms roll in quickly over the plateau.

So the list is built on layers for a day that might start near freezing and end in the 80s. Pack a warm jacket for dawn wildlife watching, a rain shell for the storms, and comfortable shoes for miles of boardwalk and trail. Everything in the park is casual, so hiking clothes work everywhere.

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The weather

Daytime high
78°F
26°C around Old Faithful. Cooler at higher elevations.
Overnight low
40°F
4°C. Frost is possible even in July.
Wet days
~9
Mostly afternoon thunderstorms.
Daylight
15 h
Sunset around 9:15pm. Wildlife is most active at dawn and dusk.

The capsule

A week, one traveler, Ranch palette. Chocolate, camel and washed denim, the colors of the Old West. A capsule is a few clothes in one palette (a base color, a neutral and an accent) that all go together. The full list below adds what sits outside it.

Ranch palette · 10 pieces · 18 outfits

Layers

  • Rain shellRain shell
  • Fleece jacketFleece jacket
  • Packable pufferPackable puffer

Tops

  • Chambray shirtChambray shirt
  • Cotton teeCotton tee
  • Long-sleeve teeLong-sleeve tee

Bottoms

  • Hiking pantsHiking pants
  • Light jeansLight jeans

Shoes

  • Hiking bootsHiking boots
  • Leather sneakersLeather sneakers

Three days from this capsule

Dawn wildlife watching
Thunderstorm on the trail
Boardwalks at Old Faithful

Shown for one traveler. Packlier packs a capsule like this for each person on the trip.

The full list

Clothes

  • Packable down or synthetic jacket
  • Fleece or midlayer
  • Rain jacket
  • Three or four T-shirts
  • One or two long-sleeve shirts
  • Hiking pants and jeans
  • Shorts, for warm afternoons
  • Warm hat and light gloves for dawn
  • Swimsuit, if you are visiting a hot spring swimming area

Shoes

  • Broken-in hiking shoes or boots
  • Comfortable sneakers for boardwalks

Park kit

  • Binoculars
  • Bear spray, bought or rented near the park
  • Refillable water bottle
  • Sunscreen and sunglasses
  • Insect repellent
  • Packable daypack
  • Snacks; services are far apart
  • Cap for the sun

Documents and tech

  • ID
  • Park pass
  • Lodging and campsite confirmations
  • Downloaded offline maps; cell coverage is patchy
  • Power bank and car charger

Toiletries

  • Lip balm and moisturizer for the dry air
  • Blister bandages
  • Any prescriptions

Gear worth the space

  • Good binoculars

    The single best upgrade to a Yellowstone trip. The Lamar and Hayden valleys are all about distant wildlife.

  • A packable puffer

    Warm at dawn, squashed into your daypack by 10am.

  • Comfortable hiking shoes

    For the boardwalks around the geysers and the trails beyond them.

  • An insulated water bottle

    The air is dry and the altitude dehydrates you. Fill it at the lodges and visitor centers.

Frost is possible even in July, and afternoons reach 78°F. Packlier packs your dates for the whole swing.

Tell it where, when, why, which bag and which palette, and it packs the capsule, checks it against the bag and adds everything that is not clothing. Launching this year on Android, with iOS to follow.

One email at launch, nothing else.