Yellowstone National Park is one of the top travel destinations in the United States, and for good reason. Each year, over 4 million visitors are treated to some of the most unique and beautiful wilderness in the entire country including forests, grasslands, canyons, geysers, waterfalls, and lakes just to name a few.
And that doesn’t even include the incredible wildlife diversity in the park. Yellowstone is home to over 5,000 bison, 700 grizzly bears, and 30,000 elk, the largest elk herd in the country! When you visit, you should count on wildlife encounters so be prepared, and make sure to follow the rules!
Yellowstone Safety Rules
The recommended safe distances for wildlife viewing are at least 300 feet from bears and wolves, and at least 75 feet away from bison. You should also never feed the wildlife, because this leads to habituation which is dangerous to both visitors and animals. There are several stories of wildlife encounters gone wrong in Yellowstone, and you don’t want to be the subject of one.
Another rule to live by in Yellowstone is to STAY ON THE BOARDWALKS AND DESIGNATED TRAILS!! This is for both your safety and the safety of the delicate flora throughout the park.
I cannot stress the importance of this enough. As beautiful as the hot springs and canyon views are, they can also be incredibly dangerous. Many have perished at the hands of these natural features. But as long as you follow the rules you’ll be fine.
Check out some of the stories of the crazy incidents that have occurred in Yellowstone HERE!
Okay, with the important stuff out of the way, it’s time to get to the fun stuff; our must-do itinerary for your visit to Yellowstone National park.
The Timing of Our Trip
Devin and I had an blast during the three days we spent in the park. We went in June and the weather was absolutely perfect. We also squeezed our visit in right before most schools got out for the summer, so the crowds were definitely manageable. (The best time of year to visit based on crowd size is April-May or September-October.)
The west entrance is also often the busiest, so consider one of the other 4 entrances if you travel during peak season. We drove down from Montana and entered through the historic Roosevelt Arch at the north entrance!
Our Yellowstone Must-See List
There are SO many things to do and see in Yellowstone, but if you don’t have time to do it all, we’ve put together a list of 5 things you must do when you visit.
1. Grand Prismatic Hot Spring
Grand Prismatic Hot Spring is probably one of our favorite spots in the entire park. It’s located in Midway Geyser Basin close to the west entrance of the park.
Grand Prismatic is the largest hot spring in the United States, and the 3rd largest in the entire world! You’ll be stunned by the rainbow of colors that give it it’s signature look. The heat-loving bacteria that live in the hot spring, along with varying water temperatures are what create the prismatic effect. It seriously looks like it’s from another planet. So definitely block out some time to meander around the boardwalks at Grand Prismatic and take in the sites.
2. Old Faithful
A trip to Yellowstone isn’t complete without visiting her majesty, Old Faithful.
Old Faithful is a cone geyser located in Upper Geyser Basin. It erupts up to 180 feet high, and is a truly magnificent thing to experience. Interestingly, Old Faithful erupts on a very predictable schedule about 20 times per day, so there are plenty of opportunities to see it in action.
We were literally just driving by and noticed that it was scheduled to erupt in like 10 minutes, so we parked, took a seat on the easily accessible bleacher seating, and watched the show!
3. Mammoth Hot Springs
One of the coolest, albeit stinkiest features in the entire park. The Mammoth Hot Springs sit adjacent to Fort Yellowstone in the North Western area of the park. The smell of sulfur hangs thick in the air in this area, but the natural structures are totally worth it. Here you’ll see colorful, cascading limestone terraces created by calcium carbonate deposits from the hot springs over thousands of years. Algae living in the springs are what create the incredible orange, red, brown, and green color palate that you’ll see all over the limestone.
Parking is a little tight in the area, but the experience is totally worth it. So stop in and explore Mammoth Hot Springs via the boardwalks weaving throughout the area!
4. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
You can’t consider your trip to Yellowstone a success without experiencing the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Formed by millennia of erosion from the Yellowstone River and lava flows from the caldera eruption that occurred 600,000 years ago, the canyon is just massive.
At 24 miles long, 3/4 of a mile wide and 1,200 feet deep in areas, it is one of the star attractions of Yellowstone National Park. It also boasts the 308-foot Lower Yellowstone Falls which marks the beginning of the canyon, and there are several viewpoints where you can enjoy this spectacular feature.
The 34-mile Island in the Sky scenic drive is the best way to experience the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. There are several viewpoints along the way, and it culminates in the Grand View Point and the 100 yard Grand View Point trail, which offers incredible views of the canyon and falls. The trail is paved and very handicap accessible.
5. Lamar Valley
Finally, you can’t leave Yellowstone without experiencing the wildlife. Though it’s not exactly hard to find, Lamar Valley offers some of the best opportunities to experience the massive bison and elk herds for which the park is known.
Lamar Valley is a vast grassland which was carved out by glacial activity over the centuries. You can drive right through the valley via Rte. 212 in Yellowstone and you’ll be treated to incredible views of bison and elk grazing, and potentially even grizzly bears and wolves, if you’re lucky.
(Or unlucky if you come across a grizzly in the woods. It does happen from time to time, sometimes with lethal results. Make sure to bring your bear spray when hiking!)
And don’t be surprised if you get caught in a bison traffic jam either. They are constantly crossing the road and stopping cars. In fact, it happened to us and it was awesome. We were just a few yards from these massive animals and got to view them up close and personal from the safety of our car.
Conclusion
A visit to Yellowstone is a truly immersive wilderness experience and there is something for everyone to enjoy. When you visit, you’ll definitely have a blast! For any questions, comments, or additional recommendations when visiting Yellowstone National Park, make sure to hit us up in the comments section below.
Stay Safe & Stay Alive,
Cody
The Wild Bites Back