Yellowstone National Park is a 3,500 square foot park that stretches all the way from Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho! Most people underestimate how big this park truly is. Once you pull up to the Yellowstone entrance you think you made it.. WRONG. You will be driving for hours getting from one side to the other. Once we made it to the North entrance sign it took us a few hours just to get to the Grant Yellowstone Campsite. A national park this big just means there’s endless amount of things to do and see. How do you decide? I’ve listed the 5 Best Things to Do in Yellowstone You Can Not Miss!
5 Best Things to Do in Yellowstone You Can Not Miss
- Old Faithful Geyser
- Midway Geyser Basin
- Lamar Valley and Hayden Valley – Animal Viewing
- Norris Geyser Basin
- Lower Falls
1. Old Faithful Geyser
Old Faithful Geyser, you can’t go to Yellowstone and not visit this classic! You’ve learned about Old Faithful in your second grade text books, which just makes this a must on your Yellowstone bucket list. It was the first geyser of the park to get its name in 1870 and it inspired the idea of the Yellowstone National Park in the first place
Old Faithful is one of 500 geysers in the park and is one of six that park rangers currently predict. It’s rare to be able to predict geyser explosions but Old Faithful has lived up to its name. The explosions happen roughly every 30 minutes. You can read more about the history, next explosion prediction, and watch it live from the Old Faithful web page.
Old Faithful is one of the largest attractions in Yellowstone. You can find seats, coffee shops, and other geyser walking paths which surround Old Faithful. So even if you arrive just after an explosion, and have to wait 30 minutes for the next, you will have plenty to do! The History of Old Faithful makes it number 1. on our list of the 5 Best Things to Do in Yellowstone You Can Not Miss!
2. Midway Geyser Basin
The Midway Geyser Basin is a must see because of the radiant colors. This Basin is home to four main attractions: Grand Prismatic Spring, Excelsior Geyser, Turquoise Pool, and the Opal Pool. The Basin has a walking path that goes along all four of these spots making it perfect for all ages.
The Grand Prismatic Spring is the most popular attraction because of its bright colors. You look at this spring and think you are on another planet! This Spring is deeper than a 10-Story Building and it is extremely hot. It is the 3rd largest spring in the world, bigger than a football field!
The Excelsior Geyser, Turquoise Pool, and Opal Pool are just as stunning with a soft blue hazy color with steam hovering above. You can read all the details about the Midway Geyser Basin on the Yellowstone Web Page! The stunning colors of this attraction makes the Midway Geyser Basin number 2. on our list of the 5 Best Things to Do in Yellowstone You Can Not Miss!
3. Lamar Valley and Hayden Valley
Lamar Valley and Hayden Valley are the most inhabitable locations in Yellowstone for all different kinds of wildlife.
The best chance you have spotting the animals is at dusk or dawn since this is when the animals are most active. Best odds are early in the valleys before sunrise! Check out the Lamar Valley and Hayden Valley Yellowstone Web Page for more details! Head to these valleys to get a closer look at the animals.
Lamar Valley
Lamar Valley is located in the Northeastern corner of the park, which goes along the Lamar River. It has been nicknamed America’s Serengeti for its easy-to-see view of large animals. If you are coming to Yellowstone, there’s a high chance you are looking for some wild life. Lamar Valley is the best location to spot some animals.
The inhabitants include: bison, badgers, deer, pronghorn, osprey, wolves, coyotes, osprey, bald eagles, and grizzlies! Many of the sightings are along the road so keep your eyes peeled and drive slow!
Hayden Valley
Hayden Valley is located in Central Yellowstone near Lake area and Mud Volcano. The Valley has been nicknamed bison central since there are hundreds of bison grazing here at all times! Hayden is also home to coyotes, waterfowl, grizzly bears, and wolves.
There are plenty of stops along the road to view the animals. If you want a closer look you can hike the Mary Mountain Trail which is 21 miles from the Hayden Valley to the Madison area.
The pure nature and active wildlife make Lamar and Hayden Valleys number 3. on our list of the 5 Best Things to Do in Yellowstone You Can Not Miss!
4. Norris Geyser Basin
The Norris Geyser Basin is the hottest and oldest thermal area in Yellowstone. The highest temperature recorded here was 459°F (237°C) just 1,087 feet (326 meters) below the surface! This area has shown to have thermal activity for over 115,000 years. You can read more about the details on the Yellowstone Norris Geyser Basin Web Page.
The basin is massive and looks like you are on mars. You will see different colors, rock formations, trees, mountains on the horizon, and bubbling acidic water and mud all around. There is a walking path so you can walk around the entire thermal area and the surrounded geysers.
The basin is made up of two different areas: Porcelain Basin and the Back Basin. Porcelain Basin is surrounded by trees with a variety of organic colors and smells and is a 3/4-mile (1.2-km) walk. The Back Basin is heavily wooded with geyser features scattered around, 1.5-mile (2.4-km) trail. The sheer size and organic features of this Basin make Norris number 4. on our list of the 5 Best Things to Do in Yellowstone You Can Not Miss!
5. Lower Falls
Lower Falls is the biggest waterfall in Yellowstone at 308 Feet. It is one of the most popular attractions and coming in at the 2nd most photographed spot in Yellowstone, right behind Old Faithful.
The Lower Falls area is located East of Canyon Village. There is a one way loop that takes you to the edge of the Grand Canyon and provides four different views. The last stop on the trail leads to the top of the Falls.
There are multiple viewpoints of the Falls:
- East Side
- Inspiration Point
- Grandview Point
- Lookout Point
- West Side
- Artists Point
The trail to the top of the falls is an absolute must for breath taking views. The trail is only 3/4 a mile roundtrip but there are some steep parts. Check out the Yellowstone Lower Falls Web Page for more details! The massive size of this waterfall makes Lower Falls number 5. on our list the 5 Best Things to Do in Yellowstone You Can Not Miss!
5 Best Things to Do in Yellowstone You Can Not Miss Conclusion
Yellowstone National Park is massive at 3,500 square feet stretching over three different states. You can spend days here based on all it has to offer. Since there are so many things to see we listed our top 5 you can’t miss! This 5 Best Things to Do in Yellowstone You Can Not Miss Blog covers the highlights of Yellowstone: geysers, thermal ares, animal viewing, and a waterfall! If you enjoyed this blog, make sure to check out the others on our Destinations Page!
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