Staying in Pray puts you 37 miles from Yellowstone's north entrance at Gardiner — the only gate open to cars year-round. That proximity is the whole argument for basing yourself in the valley rather than inside the park, where beds cost more and book out a year ahead.
Leaving early
Head south on East River Road, rejoin US-89, and you are at the Roosevelt Arch in under an hour. Going early is not about beating traffic so much as animals: the first hours after sunrise are when you actually see things.
A route that works
From Gardiner it is about five miles up to Mammoth Hot Springs — the terraces are worth the stop and the boardwalk is short. From there the park's main road, the Grand Loop, makes a big figure eight through everything most people come to see.
Our honest recommendation is to drive the whole Grand Loop as one long day from the cabins. Leave early, pack food, and expect to be gone well into the evening. If that sounds like too much, break it into sections over a few days instead: the Lamar Valley and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone one day, the Firehole River and Old Faithful another.
East, through the Lamar Valley, gets you wildlife and far fewer people. This is also the road that stays open through winter, when the rest of the loop closes to cars.
South, toward Norris, Canyon and the Firehole, gets you the geyser basins, Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It is the postcard route and it is busy.
Before you go
Park passes are not transferable, so we cannot lend you one. What we do have is a good supply of bear spray left behind by earlier guests. You are welcome to take a can for the day.
Getting back
Chico Hot Springs is on your way home and open late. A soak after a long day in the park is the correct order of operations — do not drive past it intending to come back tomorrow.