U.S. National Park Series (5) – Yellowstone National Park
Everybody knows about Yellowstone national park and everybody wants to go there. That’s why you always see a lot of tourists in Yellowstone no matter when you go visit the park.
When to Visit
The park is open 365 days a year but I personally feel the best time to visit Yellowstone is between July and August. We went in July 2006. It’s warm enough in daytime and we could wear summer clothes, but it’s still very chilly at night.
How to Get There
There are so many entrances that you can come to visit this national park from different states. We flew to Salt Lake City and one of my friends drove a whole night from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone. When we arrived at Yellowstone it was already in the morning and we entered the park from the West Entrance. It’s actually not a bad decision ‘cos the west entrance is really close to the Madison geyser area. There are also some hotels outside of the park west entrance.
We left the park from the south entrance because our next destination was the Grand Teton National Park. It’s a long drive from the Yellowstone lake area to the south entrance (~22 mi). We saw a lot of fallen trees on the mountains.
Tons of things you can do in Yellowstone. You should at least spend 3 days in Yellowstone, in my opinion. We spent four days there and here is a list of highlights that I think you definitely shouldn’t miss in Yellowstone.
What is Yellowstone famous for? Geysers! So, yeah, you wouldn’t miss it.
Midway Geyser Basin
Though it’s only a trail of 0.5 mile, you will be impressed by what you see.
Old Faithful
Most famous geyser in Yellowstone! A must visit place.
The geyser erupts every 90 minutes. You can get the schedule from the park visit center and time your visit that way.
West Thumb Geyser Basin
Driving southwest from Old Faithful for about 17 miles, you will arrive at another geyser basin named West Thumb. What’s special about this basin is that it’s located just beside the Yellowstone lake. And, if you remember the moon cone that appears on a lot of Yellowstone postcards, you should come visit this basin ‘cos the moon cone is located at the West Thumb Geyser Basin.
Yellowstone Grand Canyon
We stayed
in the Canyon Village camp ground, a few steps away from the Yellowstone Grand
Canyon. It’s such a beautiful canyon that you won’t want to miss. From there,
you can also visit the upper fall and lower fall. Don’t forget to go to the
Artist Point, a best spot to view the canyon and the waterfalls.
Mammoth Hot Springs
Another
unique and must go place in Yellowstone.
If you have some extra time, hike the Mammoth
hot spring terraces. You won’t be disappeared.
The Liberty
Cap at the Mammoth Hot springs is the first thing you will notice when you
arrive.
We also saw
a petrified tree fossil on our way to Mammoth hot spring (a short detour from
the main road).
Mud Volcano
Located at the
southeast part of the Yellowstone Park, this is another spot you should visit
if you love geysers and hot springs. It’s not far from the main road so you
will see a lot of cars parking at the roadside.
Don’t miss
the Dragon’s Mouth, the Mud Volcano, and the Black Dragon’s Caldron.
Have enough
to see? If you still have some time, don’t forget to try some hiking trails in
Yellowstone. I always feel that hiking is the best way to explore a national
park. We did a 6-mile round trip Dunraven Pass hiking on the last day of our stay
in Yellowstone.
The ending
point of the trail is the top of Mount Washburn. We also saw two bears during
our hiking. A lot of fun.
Finally, I
have to share some bison pictures with you. Yes, bison are everywhere in Yellowstone. J Remember, you are visiting their land as guests. Be patient and be careful.
Ever want
to go visit a U.S. National Park? Go to Yellowstone!
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