It’s hard to write about Yellowstone, it’s just too big! I’m not sure I have the appropriate adjectives to do it justice. When Kristy and I were discussing our experience at Yellowstone, the one word that best summed it up was wild. Please accept the below lengthy, but inadequate blog post, and if Yellowstone National Park is not already on your travel bucket list, do yourself a favor and add it.
Yellowstone was the first official National Park, established by congress and signed into law by Ulysses S. Grant in 1872. Our National Parks, as well as National Forests, WIlderness areas, Monuments and Memorial would greatly expand over the subsequent 50 years, but visiting Yellowstone it’s easy to understand why this land inspired our nation’s leaders to protect it first. There is a vast array of unique geologic features, plantlife and wildlife.
We started our exploration of Yellowstone on the West side, from just outside the aptly named town of West Yellowstone. We spent a week here, and then realized that was not enough time, and planned a second visit a few weeks later from the North entrance. In total we made seven day-trips into the park, and while we did hit most of the popular features, I feel like we only began to scratch the surface.
Here are some of the highlights of the trip, along with some family and toddler tips.
Old Faithful
Yeah, this is the #1 tourist stop in the park, but not without good reason. This geyser offers spectacular eruptions with reasonable regularity (every 30-90’ish minutes). We saw this erupt a total of three times over two days. The main viewing area is very accessible to all and offers a variety of viewing angles from as close as you can safely get. But for a more rewarding experience, consider the hike up to Observation Point. We managed this hike in about 15-20 minutes with Owen. There is also a substantial boardwalk system behind Old Faithful that runs throughout the basin. It’s worth spending some time walking around to check out some of the lesser known geysers and springs.
TIP: For an incredible experience, and a much safer one during COVID-19, arrive at Old Faithful at dawn. The viewing area was practically empty, perhaps 20-30 people there compared to the several hundred or even thousands that could be there later in the day.
Grand Prismatic Spring and the Midway Geyser Basin
Midway Geyser Basin, and Grand Prismatic Spring are a truly unique experience. Kristy described it as feeling prehistoric, like we could walk around a corner and come face to face with a dinosaur, and I agree. The steam coming up off the hot springs combined with the sulfurous odor and striking colors and textures makes you feel like you have been transported back in time.
We actually visited here twice, once in the very early morning, which was an especially memorable experience because we were literally the only ones there. The downside of showing up early here is that the cooler temperature caused thicker steam and fog, obscuring most views of the springs. We returned later in the day to view the basin from the Fairy Falls Trail (Grand Prismatic Overlook) and were rewarded with stunning visuals. For those that are curious, the vibrant rainbow colors found in the spring are from a type of bacteria referred to as “thermophiles”, which thrive in high temperature water. The different colors are associated with the different bacteria found in different temperatures. It’s really a site to behold and in my humble opinion this is a must see.
TIP: For the best view, and photo opportunity of Grand Prismatic Spring, hike .6 miles from the Fairy Falls Trailhead up the Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail. It’s a mild hike, although it does have some elevation gain. Totally doable with a toddler though.
Grand Canyon of The Yellowstone
Near Canyon Village we found a multitude of incredible trails and vistas around the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. While it’s not quite as grand as The Grand Canyon in Arizona, it’s still a sight to behold. There are a number of short hiking trails and scenic overlooks on both the North Rim and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon area. Each provides a unique perspective on one of the two waterfalls in the canyon (Upper Falls and Lower Falls). We also stopped at the Gibbon Falls overlook, which was less trafficked and right on the way to Canyon Village when coming from the West Entrance. All of the trails along the road were very accessible and as toddler friendly as a trail along a cliff can be.
TIP: Arrive early to avoid the crowds (as always). The North Rim Drive offers a quick looping drive with many short hike and scenic overlook options.
Norris Geyser Basin & Artist Paintpots
The Norris Geyser Basin has a few small buildings, including a gift shop and museum, but all were closed when we were there. In this basin area we completed a short hike along a boardwalk to see Porcelain Spring as well as several fumerols (steam vents). The fumerols in this area were much more active that the others that we had seen so far, and they lend the basin a distinct sound and odor. That sense of being in a prehistoric land was significantly amplified here.
The geologic features come in many forms at Yellowstone, and if what you are looking at is not a spring, a geyser, or a fumarole, it might be a mud pot. Mud pots are formed when the heat and minerals from a hot spring or fumerol dissolve the rock around it turning it into something that looks like a pot of boiling mud. Found just off Grand Loop Road near Norris Geyser Basin, the Artist Paintpots are a collection of colorful hot springs and a few of these mud pots. We completed the short hike through the forest to reach the Paintpots early in the morning. There were only a few other folks on the trail and it was a peaceful hike out to a very unique and interesting destination.
Tip: Walk along the boardwalk at Norris Geyser Basin till you reach Crackling Lake. Pause and stand or sit quietly to take in all the sights, smells and sounds of this uncommon ecosystem. We’ve taught Owen to do “two minutes of silence” to be still and appreciate nature.
West Thumb
The West Thumb Geyser Basin is centrally located in the park, making it a fairly long drive from any of the park entrances. But if you can plan out your day to accommodate it, it’s worth your time. West Thumb is situated right on the shore of Yellowstone Lake. There are a number of Hot Springs and Geysers right at the edge of the lakeshore, and some that are actually in the lake. One of the hot springs, which is named “Fishing Cone” bubbles to the surface from a cone just above the water level along the bank of the lake. As the legend goes, it used to be possible to catch a fish, then flick it into the cone where it would be cooked, then reel it ashore, without it ever leaving the hook. As you might have guessed, this practice is no longer allowed for a number of reasons.
Tip: Be sure to do the full boardwalk loop trail that goes down to the lake and then past the Abyss Pool, it’s a short and accessible hike, with up close views of the various springs and geysers.
Mammoth Hot Springs
We visited Mammoth Hot Springs on the second leg of our Yellowstone journey, changing campgrounds from West Yellowstone to the city of Livingston, so that we could come at it from the North Entrance. There is a small village inside the park in Mammoth, and in the future it might be fun to return and stay right in the village. Mammoth is another geologically unique feature in Yellowstone. It’s a vast area composed of various mineral structures, but the travertine “terraces” are the main attractions. The Hot Springs in this area bring with them minerals that create the stepped appearance you can see in our photos. We feel particularly thankful we visited Canary Spring, as just a few days later, Yellowstone NP tweeted that the spring had gone dormant!
TIP: Upper Terrace Loop Drive is closed (indefinitely?) but is walkable. Park at the entrance to the road, and take the trail/boardwalk that heads back towards the Lower Terraces. It’s a bit less busy than the Lower Terraces parking area, and you can still walk through the entire springs area.
Lamar Valley
We came at Lamar Valley from the North Entrance, as it would be a bit of a trek from the West Entrance. That said, we wanted to be there at dawn, and we were coming from Livingston, which is still a two hour drive…so we brewed some coffee, woke Owen up and hit the road at about 3:45am. It was a super early day, but it was worth it!
Lamar Valley is best known for being a place to experience the wide array of wildlife that call Yellowstone home. Bison, wolves, bears and other animals are often spotted here. We appreciated the low number of humans at the early hour, and while we didn’t see any wolves or bears, we did see hundreds of bison. Unbeknownst to us, we were there right in the middle of rutting season (i.e. mating season). There were multiple herds of bison roaming freely and the males were bellowing loudly. We got “stuck” in what Park Rangers refer to as a “wildlife jam”. Basically, the bison decided the road belonged to them, and we just sat there and waited till they decided they were ready to move on. We gave them as much space as possible, but some of them decided to pass us by, and walked incredibly close to the truck. It was humbling being in a 3/4 ton pickup and feeling vulnerable due to the size and power of these ~1,500 pound creatures.
Tip: Arrive just before dawn or dusk to miss the crowds, and have the best opportunity to see the wildlife here. If you are patient, there are several great pull offs along the NE Entrance Road to sit, wait, and watch.
This is the end
So that’s it! Our Yellowstone experience summed up in a long, but still somehow incomplete feeling blog post. Both Kristy and I agree that we enjoyed Yellowstone more than we expected. So let me leave you with one final tip, if you are going to make the trip to visit Yellowstone National Park, give yourself more than a couple days. Sure you can drive past all the touristy points in two days and snap a photo while hanging out the window of your car, but where is the fun in that? If you can, arrange to spend a full week here, I think you will be glad you did.