Old Faithful is probably the most well known attraction at Yellowstone, but to be totally honest, I…read morethought it was a little overrated. It's cool that the estimated eruption times are pretty accurate, but the actual eruption wasn't anything earth shattering. In my opinion, there are at least half a dozen or more other attractions at Yellowstone that I was more impressed by. The Old Faithful area does have a huge parking lot, plenty of bathrooms, and multiple gift shops & dining areas. So that's definitely a plus in helping with crowd control.

This was our main site seeing destination inside Yellowstone National Park. We got to the area…read moreright on time because about 5 minutes after we got to the geyser it went off. It was a really cool experience and a must when visiting Yellowstone. I know when my family came this way when I was a child, while most others got to see it, I wasn't feeling well so my mom and I hadn't gotten a chance that trip to come to Old Faithful. I'm glad I was finally able to see it in its full glory. It is quite crowded, so when it comes to pictures just try to stay aware of your surroundings. Try to stay out of main pathways as well as being conscious of the fact it's practically impossible to get photos without others in the background and you'll probably end up in some photos too. If you're already here, don't skip past this well known spot, it's a fun experience for sure. The park is big so if you want to see it all I can see it taking days, especially since the fastest you can go is 40-45 miles an hour with a lot of areas actually being closer to 25. Both my husband and I were so glad we stopped by.

Lewis, Louis, Louie, Lewis This river flows within…read moreYellowstone, along to the Lewis Lake, down the Lewis Falls. This river runs parallel to the John D Rockefeller Jr Memorial Highway. The Lewis that this river is named after is the Lewis of Lewis & Clark! It's a pretty short river. Only 18 miles. There's some class 4 rapids up in here. That water just looks cold. There's plenty of fly fishing that you can get up in around here. I wouldn't spend all my time here unless you have some secret fishing spot.

Great place to visit to learn more about Yellowstone National Park. This historic building was…read morebuilt by the United States Army in 1909 to house the troops who protected the park before the National Park Service was established. It's located next to Mammoth Hot Springs. The interactive displays tell the history of the park and about the landscape and wildlife. There are staff on hand to answer your questions and a bookstore inside that sells resources about Yellowstone.

In the first major stop coming from the NW entrance of Yellowstone is the Mammoth Springs Historic…read moreDistrict. One of the historic aspects of this community, besides the hot springs, is Fort Yellowstone, first started in 1872 and taken over by the National Park Service in the early 1900s. The Horace M Albright visitor center should be your first stop. It used to be a bachelor's officers quarters, with room for six, and is not only a good source of information about Fort Yellowstone, it a small museum with info on the park, the animals in it, and the nearby Springs. The Park Rangers operating the desk are a font of information. There are monitors near the desk that provide details of the camp sites, traffic and nearby lodgings. It's hard to reconcile the modern day technology in a building over a 100 years old. Many of the original buildings that make up Fort Yellowstone are still standing and although occupied by employees of the park and the district and not available for a tour, it's still worth a walk to interesting walk. As you walk, you'll probably also see a herd of resident elk, sometimes walking and sometimes sitting. (They aren't tame, though, and the signs at the visitor center warn you not to approach them.) On your way to the Springs and the hiking path around them, take a few extra moments and learn about the pre-park history.

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.

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.

This spot gives you an amazing panoramic view of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone from the north…read moreside. Lookout Point is one of a few lookout spots you can stop at when you drive on North Rim Drive (a one-way drive). Just heads up, the parking lot isn't very large. If you continue on with your drive on North Rim Drive, you will eventually end up in Canyon Village. If you want to make an adventure of your stop here, I suggest hiking the North Rim Trail east to Inspiration Point and enjoy the beautiful views along the way. There is also a paved path and some wooden steps below that take you down to a viewing platform called Red Rock Point. This will give you a close full view of Lower Falls. Lookout Point was one of my favorite spots to stop at on the North Rim. I highly recommend checking it out.

At the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone there is a lower and upper portion of the falls. This is the…read morelookout point on the lower falls and I think this is the best view of the lower falls. You can go to the brink of the lower falls to see the top of the waterfall, but this lookout overlooks the entire thing which I think is better. Another underrated view is the red rocks view which is right next to this lookout point. Instead of going straight to the lookout you go down the stairs, walk a bit and then get to the red rocks view which is a bit closer to the waterfall and more eye-level. There are also fewer people here so you'll have more time to take nice pictures and videos without the crowds.

If your visiting West Yellowstone it's a must see if your interested in the local history or the…read morehistory of the park. Lots to see but it's not an all day affair

This is a small but, very informative museum about the history and events that makes up…read moreYellowstone. There are artifacts. There are 3 videos in separate areas about the fires of 1988, the earthquake of 1959 and the changes brought about by the addition of hotels and the automobile. There is also a small gift shop. Worth a stop.

I was not sure about coming all the way out here because my original itinerary had me taking the…read moreroad on the other side of the park. However, I fortunately was informed by rangers that Bunsen peak (close to mammoth springs) was a better choice than the original trails I was gonna check out (they were still covered in snow!), so I came here because it's just minutes away from the Bunsen peak trailhead. I'm so glad I did! The formations of the hot spring are SO interesting, one of the coolest areas in the park in my opinion. The colors are lovely, and the path is very accessible (it's a big wooden boardwalk, like how the thumb geyser basin area is). There are a number of steps but parts of the path are flat/wheelchair accessible. There is sporadic parking throughout, and a lot of turnover so I got a spot reasonably easy. There are maps posted all throughout the area so you can walk the whole thing and not get lost. Overall, I would highly rec a visit to this area for anyone visiting Yellowstone, it's really cool and I've not seen any other natural springs before that are quite like it. 10/10!!!

# WARNING: lotta snakes at this section of Yellowstone. And temperamental geothermal ground. Stay…read moreon the boardwalk. Keep your eyes peeled. + Thank goodness for sufficient well-maintained restrooms. ~ Initially when I saw over 5 ppl lined up at the single vault toilet at the Upper Terrace Lot (X77R+PP Mammoth, WY), my heart sank. Since I really needed to go, I drove 5min farther north to MHS' other bigger parking lot, and huzzah! Enough restrooms to go around for everyone! (X7FW+X7 Mammoth, WY). + And about the bullsnakes or gopher snakes fighting, I'm glad they were doing it on the thermal ground, not on the boardwalk. Don't bring your pets, and watch your kids. Pets have died wandering off the boardwalk, and humans have suffered 90%-body severe burns following suit. Lotta aptly named palette springs here. Nature is wondrous!