This trail still exists, except it stops where the steps once existed. So it's a very steep trail,…read morea lot of switchbacks, leading to the top of the falls. Even without the stairs, it's quite a significant climb back to the parking lot so if you're not in good condition, don't attempt!

August 2022 Update: when my fiancé and I went, two rangers informed us that they are officially…read morePERMANENTLY closing this trail. They went down to take out the sign and will not be allowing anyone to go through the stairs. They said it is too expensive to fix and costs millions of dollars with the rescues, especially with the amount of money they are spending to fix the roads from the flooding. Obviously really sad but Uncle Tom's trail is no more :(

No wonder they call Lamar Valley, not Hayden Valley, America's Serengeti. There are a few bison…read moresitting beside the road, but not enough energetic ones for that road-crossing experience. Still a cool sighting nonetheless. They just lying there in the sun peacefully, watching drivers pass by. It's a pleasant drive between Mud Volcano and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

This is such a beautiful region in Yellowstone. It's centrally located on the grand loop between…read moreYellowstone Lake and Yellowstone Falls. It is also a great spot to see lots of wildlife. Bison, elk, ducks, wolves, and lots of birds roam around this Valley. There are several turnouts along the road that you can pull over and take pictures at. The Yellowstone river is on the east side of the road. I made quite a few stops along the way and enjoyed the scenic views and the breezy weather with my morning coffee. It was a nice way to start my day. I was even able to get close enough to capture a bald eagle in flight. This Valley is named for of Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden who conducted geological surveys in this region in the 1800's.

Artist Point has an amazing canyon view of a 308-ft waterfall. Easy to get to…read more We heard that Artist Point, near Canyon Village, was one of the best sights in Yellowstone National Park. The drive from the West Entrance was essentially west to east, with a jog to the north halfway-there. The elevation was increasing most of the way, getting as high as 8244-ft. We found the turns on the drive to be visually confusing, because the curving roads turned our sense of direction. At the Madison stop sign, though the turn seemed odd, we turned left onto Grand Loop Road. That was northeast. It's correct. Passing Norris Geyser, it looked odd but we turned right (east) onto Norris Canyon Rd. Coming up to the east branch of the Loop Road, we turned right (south). The entrance to South Rim Drive was then a left. It's even more confusing on the way back, because they never seemed to put a sign saying "to West Entrance" until a mile past the turns :-). Pro tip: Keep a map in front of you at those turns! Once we turned onto South Rim Drive, we drove the winding way for less than 2-miles to the end. There was a large parking lot with plenty of open spaces, plus outhouses. It was a high elevation there, about 7700-ft, and some of us felt it. Conveniently, we could drop off those who walk less comfortably at the furthest end of the parking lot, about 250-feet from the best vista. We walked to the overlook on the left. t. The 1-mile view to the west along the Yellowstone River was stupendous, with the huge crashing misting Lower Falls waterfall dropping 308-feet. We were awed by the midday view. In fact, three of our group had gone their separate way by now, and when they saw our photos, they drove here on their own the next day! They say that sunrise often creates a rainbow in the mist, but we could not manage to pass through the west entrance early enough for the at-least 90-min (usually longer) drive. From what I read, you need a low sun-angle (less than 45°) to get a rainbow in the mist. Based on a (very-)very-nerdy NOAA Solar Calculator webpage, using the Lat-Lon and time, we might have been able to see a rainbow as late as 8:50am in July. (2026). I won't say who in our group figured that out, because I'd also have to say it was After our trip :-)

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone -- Lower Falls Do it in…read morethis order. Trust me. If Yellowstone had a crown jewel, this is it. We hit the Lower Falls from two different angles, and the order we did it made all the difference. Start at Artist Point. From here, you get the full picture -- the entire canyon stretching out in front of you, walls layered in pink, red, orange, and white from thousands of years of iron-stained rock. The waterfall sits in the distance like something out of a painting, and the river winds through the bottom of a canyon that drops 800 to 1,200 feet deep. It gives you the context to appreciate everything else you're about to see. Blue sky, puffy clouds, massive scale -- this view alone is worth the drive. Then hike down to the Brink of the Lower Falls. This is where it gets real. You're standing right at the top of a 308-foot drop, watching the full force of the Yellowstone River launch off the edge. In early May, snowmelt had it absolutely roaring -- thick mist rising up, patches of snow still clinging to the rocks below, and if the sun hits right, a rainbow forms right at the base. See the canyon first. Then feel the power up close. That's the move. Absolutely mandatory stop in Yellowstone -- don't skip either viewpoint.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park is truly one of the most breathtaking natural…read morewonders you'll ever see. Located in the Midway Geyser Basin, this geothermal giant is the largest hot spring in the United States, measuring about 370 feet across and over 120 feet deep. Standing at the edge of the boardwalk, you're met with an explosion of color that almost looks too perfect to be real--deep blues at the center, shifting to greens, yellows, oranges, and fiery reds around the edges. The colors come from thermophiles, heat-loving microorganisms that thrive in the varying temperatures of the spring. The hottest part in the middle is a stunning blue because it's nearly sterile, while the cooler edges create the rainbow-like spectrum. On top of the beauty, the spring pumps out more than 560 gallons of hot water every minute, making it a powerful reminder of Yellowstone's geothermal activity. For the best view, hike up to the overlook on Fairy Falls Trail. From above, you can capture the full scale and see why it's the park's most photographed feature. If you're planning a trip to Yellowstone, skipping Grand Prismatic Spring would be a huge mistake--it's a bucket list experience. https://linktr.ee/reessroots

Maybe the most colorful pool in the Park!…read more Viewed from the Overlook, The Grand Prismatic Spring had such dramatic colors: deep blue in the center, then going through the rainbow to a red rim. It's a vast 300-ft across. You get the best view from the overlook. The colors are wondrous just as they really are. Many of the photos we saw before are amped up with increased vibrance and saturation, which really isnt necessary. We got to the parking lot around 10am on a weekday. The parking lot was completely full, so we waited around 15min for enough cars leave for those waiting to get spaces. This was the place where we wished we had gotten an earlier start in the morning. It was about a 15-min walk from the parking lot to the trailhead. From the trailhead, it was about a 30-min flat and moderately-uphill 3/4-mile boardwalk, finishing with another quarter-mile up a rather steep hill with no handrails or rope-guides. Then there were ten steps at the very end up to the viewing platform. Some of our group could not manage that hike, which is why i took one star off of this lovely view. The Park is pretty good at setting up access without harming the park or the experience, so we'd like them to figure out something here. Even railings and benches would help a lot.

We happened upon this overlook up the mountain. It was a nice panoramic view . We didnt do the…read morehike .. just drove and got out to look around on our way out of the park.

Mt. Washburn is one of the most popular hikes in Yellowstone National Park at 10,219 feet. It…read moreoffers panoramic views 20-50 miles in all direction -- really nice views of the Washburn range from up top. You climb about 1,393 feet. There is a Mt. Washburn sign at the top with the elevation and a fire lookout that has a small exhibit inside. Since it is pretty popular, I recommend hiking in the morning before 10am to avoid the crowds and get a parking spot! There are two ways to hike up to Mt.Washburn: 1) Chittenden Road: 5 miles roundtrip, roughly 2.5- 4 hours. The trail starts at the parking lot and is the shortest route up Mt. Washburn. The road provides a wide trail and a gradual steady incline. 2) Dunraven Pass: 6 miles roundtrip, roughly 3-6 hours. I heard this trail is steeper and more wooded and forest-like. Great views as you're ascending Washburn though. I personally hiked Washburn up the Chittenden Road and saw lots of ewes and lambs. It was a pretty easy hike since the incline was gradual. Beautiful views at the top! Make sure you stay on the trail for both paths to avoid destroying fragile alpine vegetation. There is a possibility to see grizzlies especially late summer and fall so remember to carry bear spray and make lots of noise! Stay 100 yards away from bears and wolves and 25 yards away from other animals in the park.

Biscuit Basin is Closed Due to a 2024 Hydrothermal Explosion! The parking lot, boardwalk, basin…read moreand Firehole River at Biscuit Basin, located north of Old Faithful, is closed to all travel until further notice due to the possibility of another event at this site.

This review is for Mystic Falls, Fairy Creek & Little Firehole Loop which was a ~3.5 miles round…read moretrip that took ~2 hours to complete. Trail begins along the flat boardwalks at the Biscuit Basin with a few smaller geysers and pools. This was where majority of the crowds were at. The dirt trail becomes narrow as you steadily hike towards the top and eventually loops down towards the waterfall. Stunning views of Mystic Falls and the surrounding areas of Yellowstone! Carry bear spray; the chances of encountering a bear is lower at popular trails but you never know. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/o2TcYheYtEk

Yellowstone National Park was well worth the visit. This park is MASSIVE. Due to its size there is…read morenever a shortage of things to do. Expect to drive hours each day as everything is far away. I underestimated how much driving there would be which was a little tough with small children. Make sure you GPS before you get into the park as there is no service. I highly recommend you fill up your gas tank and bring plenty of snacks! They do have food in the park but if you don't like hotdogs and ice cream I suggest you pack some food.

This should be on everyone's bucket list. You can cover one of the loops in one day, but if you…read morewant to do the entire 'figure 8' tour, I'd allow for two days. It's an amazing experience. I remember going there as a pre teen but haven't been back in decades...I brought my partner who has never been here. We're both now in our 50s. I'm not sure what the admission fee is as we have an annual America The Beautiful pass that gets us in to all the National Parks. I didn't see much staff except for the entrance kiosk buildings and the tourist trappy visitor centers. Every once in a while we'd see a ranger vehicle driving around. One actually interposed itself between a large buffalo waltzing down the road and a motorcycle rider it was overly interested in. O.O! The crowd here can be very, very busy. I highly suggest getting here as early as possible - right when they open preferably. It's still busy but gives you a few hours start on the REAL crowd and makes the day much nicer.

The Fountain Paint Pot area is a large part of the lower geyser basin with hiking trails and…read moreparking. The walk to three geysers is around 45min round trip on boardwalks among pools, springs, steaming mudpots and fumaroles. Most are not very colorful. A lot of greys, tans, chalky colors, huffing and puffing. Some reddish hues. The pool and the spring are a lovely clear blue, when their steam is not obscuring them from view. It was easier to see the blue color in the further-north Silex Spring, which you can also see from the road. It's all geologically and volcanically amazing. Interspersed, there are groves of live pines, and groves of skeletal trees with their bases stained white by evaporating mineral waters. Parking is just south of Fountain Paint Pot. It wasn't too crowded at 10:20am on a Wednesday. (Jul 2026).

Clepsydra Geyser FTW! At Yellowstone you'll see many perpetual fumaroles, sure. But perpetual…read moregeysers?? Try finding a tall one, ha! Well, Clepsydra's not *that* tall, but its height remains admirable, and hey, perpetual. + Spouting 40' behind the 3' Spasm Geyser. + Not so crowded. . Located in Lower Geyser Basin (5min 2mi north of Midway Geyser Basin (Grand Prismatic Spring)). + This trail is one of the shorter boardwalks of Yellowstone. A quick and easy visit.

+ Nice that there are multiple entrances to view this natural masterpiece. I went the North Rim…read moreside. - Crowded yet ample parking. And crowded trails. + Rainbow! Rarely do you get to view downward on one. Can you make out where it starts and ends? Tryna find that pot of gold. + The sounds and feel of the roaring, gushing rapids, the wind in the trees, and the sights of dazzling emerald of the water through and over the waterfall exude an elating, invigorating feel.

Snow and blue skies. 70-80F tomorrow. A stunning place…read more A stop on our adventures in the region. Mark & Nancy.

Madison Junction is a mountainous part of Yellowstone, on the west side of the park, just within…read morethe west entrance. It's the confluence of the Madison and Gibbon Rivers, where they go from snow melt and hot springs through the park, to ultimately merge into the Yellowstone River. This area is full of wildlife- including the great American Bison! They're out here in numbers. There's so many of them. Fortunately, there's lots of pull off opportunities to get a good gander at the bison without jeopardizing the traffic. Madison offers a smaller visitors center, but the real visitors center is in West Yellowstone. Madison Junction has become one of the more major entrances to the park since the floods washed out the roads from the North Entrance. The campgrounds here looked nice, lots of shade.

My favorite part of the park I start at the west entrance and travel to the Madison junction and…read moreback to entrance I see almost every animal in the park beautiful area