Sightseeing at Yellowstone National Park

With so much to see and do at Yellowstone National Park, it's hard to know where to begin. No trip to Yellowstone is complete without a walk by Morning Glory Pool and Old Faithful. Second to the geological splendors of Yellowstone is the wildlife. Visitors to the north entrance of the park are often greeted by the spectacle of bull elk jousting a few feet from the steps to the park library or of a bull buffalo pensively ruminating near the picnic tables by the visitor center.

Mighty Old Faithful regularly sends majestic columns of water shooting as high as 200 feet into the Wyoming sky.
©2006 National Park Service
Mighty Old Faithful regularly sends
majestic columns of water shooting as
high as 200 feet into the Wyoming sky.

A few miles farther away, grizzly bears are often seen in Lamar Valley in the spring, chasing newborn elk calves. In the vicinity of the Lower Falls of Yellowstone, osprey and golden eagles dive for native cutthroat trout.

Hayden Valley is one of the best spots for wildlife viewing in the park. Shiras moose abound in the meadows near the Yellowstone River, and the rare trumpeter swan is also quite often seen.

Yellowstone is a hiker's paradise as well. For those wishing to walk near the road, a day's hike up Mount Washburn, covering about three miles and reaching more than 10,000 feet in elevation, provides a wonderful panorama of the northern range of the park, from Antelope Creek at the foot of the mountain to the distant snow-covered peaks of the Absaroka Range to the north.

One of the best medium-distance hikes leads from Lewis Lake to the Heart Lake Geyser Basin, which sits at the base of Mount Sheridan in the southeastern corner of the park. The Geyser Basin, about 1,000 acres in size, offers hikers a region of brilliant blue pools, boiling hot streams, and bright orange algae terraces. Heart Lake also provides some of the best fishing in the park.

Increasingly, visitors are coming to Yellowstone during the winter months when snow covers the backcountry and travel is restricted to those with cross-country skis, snowshoes, or snowmobiles.

Trips are also available on tracked vehicles. At that time of year, large numbers of elk, deer, buffalo, bighorn sheep, and antelope graze in the river valleys (especially the Lamar country), and the geysers and thermal pools are especially lovely, with steam clouds rising thickly into the frozen air.

Yellowstone National Park Photo Opportunities

There are an amazing number of photo opportunities at Yellowstone National Park. Here some that shouldn't be missed:

  • Morning Glory Pool: This beautiful boiling pool reflects three distinct colors: ultramarine blue, sap green, and cadmium yellow.

  • Old Faithful: Truly a must-see, this famous geyser attracts a crowd every hour or so when it spurts hot water 200 feet into the air.

  • Mammoth Hot Springs: Visitors to these hot springs can watch as hot water rises through limestone and dissolves large quantities of rock, leaving only a white chalky mineral behind.

  • The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River: This is the primary geologic feature in the park's Canyon District. It is roughly 20 miles long, 800 to 1,200 feet deep, and 1,500 to 4,000 feet wide.

At Mammoth Hot Springs, superheated water rises to the surface through limestone rather than lava.
©2006 National Park Service
At Mammoth Hot Springs, superheated water rises to the surface.

Yellowstone National Park in Winter

Many people who know and love Yellowstone believe that the park is at its best during the cold winter months, from December to March. The only road open runs across the northern tier of the park, from the north to the northeast entrance, providing access to the little town of Cooke City, Montana.

During these cold months, the park is more pristine than it is during the busy warm months. Rivers in deep valleys are covered by ice; snow-mantled mountains contrast brightly with clear blue skies; and wildlife, not people, predominate. The park is a fantasyland of snow, ice, and steam.

Lodging facilities within the park, although limited, are available. There are more than 50 miles of trails for cross-country skiers, and snowmobiling is permitted on many unplowed roads. There are also tours in heated snow coaches.

In addition to its breathtaking sights to see, Yellowstone National Park has a riveting history. We'll examine the history of the park in the next section.