Amazing! The rumors were true. + Bison nonchalantly…read morecrossing the road, slowing down lines of cars. My 3rd animal crossing this vacation! - The western entrance to Lamar Valley at Tower Junction (Tower/Roosevelt Service Station) was way backed up. Many cars, slow line. * Even with many families waiting behind you, savor the moments. Not often in your life you get to witness Bovidae walking right in front of you. . Tip: better replenish at the Sinclair gas station. Will be a long drive ahead. # Warning: Don't feed them, and certainly don't touch them. Ancestrally, bison had to view us hunters as predators. And mothers recognize their calves by scent. If you touch a calf, your human predator scent will alienate the mother; she may not even recognize her young anymore, and it won't be able to rejoin the herd Dx Disastrous fate for the calf afterwards... So yeah, stay in your car. Or exit at one of the pullouts, but keep your distance. Welcome to America's Serengeti!

We entered Yellowstone from the northeast entrance so that we could deliberately drive through the…read moreLamar Valley. We didn't start our drive until early afternoon, so we didn't see a great deal of wildlife, but we did manage to see several herds of bison. The views were very scenic, and we found ourselves pulling over quite frequently. Definitely take your time driving through this area and enjoy the sights!

This is a short .3 mile leisurely walk to the Upper Falls View from the parking lot of the Upper…read moreFalls Overlook on the South Rim Drive. Besides the Brink of the Upper Falls, this is the best spot to view the falls. There is also a left fork right before you get to the platform view that adds a nice walk along the river with great spots to view additional cascades.

We ended our first day in Yellowstone at Inspiration Point, and honestly, it was the perfect way to…read moreclose out an unforgettable day. After hours of exploring the park, nothing could have prepared us for what was waiting at the end of that drive. The view of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone from Inspiration Point is absolutely stunning -- one of those rare moments where you stop talking and just stare. The canyon drops away dramatically below you, the yellow and orange walls glowing warm in the late afternoon light, and the sheer scale of it all hits you all at once. It's breathtaking in the truest sense of the word. We came with family, including a young child, and even they were in awe. The viewing area is accessible and easy to navigate, which made it even better. No difficult hiking required -- just drive up, walk a short path, and let nature do the rest. Inspiration Point earns its name completely. This isn't just a scenic overlook -- it's a moment you'll carry with you long after you leave Yellowstone. Absolutely worth the drive. Don't miss it.

100% worth hiking past hidden falls. Saw a bunch of wildlife and the boat ride over was great. I…read morewill say that the wait to get back on the boat ride was about an hour. Veterans and active service members get a discount--you must ask.

After years of road tripping across this country, many of them having scheduled stops in…read moreYellowstone National Park, my family and I wanted to try something a little different this year. Mrs. Picante found this little campsite at Hebgen Lake. Assuming the whole area would be rather beautiful, we threw caution to the wind and booked it for three nights. The campsite is a couple of miles off the main highway, along a fairly well-maintained road that heads out into the wilderness. Our campsite was flat and very close to the pit toilets, but also very close to the Lakeshore. Our California plates got us a couple of second glances from a few folks, but nothing to worry about. All who love nature and respect her always seem to be welcomed among people who quickly become friends. I had heard whispers that this particular lake has a pretty good brown trout fishery, and I was not disappointed. Granted, a couple of locals and a multi campsite large family gathering we're overheard whispering to each other about "the guy with California plates and the long rod throwing the bass lure" ... but although this was not water I had fished before, I've learned a thing or two over the years. Patience and persistence paid off, as I landed quite a few fish including one of the largest I've ever caught. And I think I earned a lot of respect from those same locals, when I snapped a few nice pictures with my fish, turned back to the water, and watched her swim away, released healthy to fight another day. Fishing licenses can be purchased online, which is how I got mine. Notably, this is grizzly bear country, so putting your things away in the provided bear boxes is essential for the safety of other campers and of course the Bears themselves. There were quite a few jet skiers and other pleasurecraft folks on the water during the day, but things settle down in the evening, which of course lasts a long time during summer in those northern latitudes. My family enjoyed renting a paddleboard for the day, and I labored through blowing up their inflatable inner tubes at altitude, much to their delight. Absolutely beautiful country up here, and a place I hope I get to visit again.

I spent a day around Hebgen Lake learning about, finding, and exploring fault scarp and the…read moreaftermath of the 1959 earthquake at this location. This was as part of my geology field course in July 2015. When the fault formed part of the land moved down (slipped) relative to the other. You can think of it as the ground dropped down 10 feet along the fault itself. When the fault is fresh, the place where the land went swoosh is easier to identify. As time passes, the fault scarp slowly degrades and becomes less obvious. We also had to identify between which rock formations the slippage occurred. Some rocks are more slip prone kind of like some rocks are more prone to forming ridges. We also walked along the water's edge of the Lake and talked about the waves/seiches that formed as a result of the earthquake. The landslide dynamics were jaw-dropping. After the land slide, the land that was displaced sloshed in the valley. Imagine the amount of energy and precision of movement needed from Mother Nature to slosh the land and keep it in the valley. Worth a full day to explore!

Rustic Falls in Wyoming is a small roadside stop that many people pass by, but it's really worth a…read morequick stop. The waterfall is right next to the parking area, so you can see it instantly without any hiking. Because the parking is limited, it stays quiet and often feels like a hidden spot. While others rush to bigger attractions, this place gives you a calm, simple moment in nature. The waterfall itself isn't huge, but it's beautiful in its own way -- water rushing over the rocks, framed by trees and open sky. It feels natural, peaceful, and refreshing. If you're driving by, stop for a few minutes. It's simple, easy, and surprisingly memorable.

Another must do when visiting the Canyon area of Yellowstone National Park. A very easy walk to…read morethe Brink of the Upper Falls for a great view of the falls. Also recommend the the Upper Falls View, Uncle Tom's Trail (when it is open again) and Artist Point on the South Rim and Brink of the Lower Falls, Lookout Point (take the additional walk down to the lower viewpoint) on the North Rim.

The scenery was amazing- Bear Claw was easy to work with! We were told not to fill up the machine…read morebefore returning but then was sent a bill for fuel..? We also had a small hole in the tire and thankfully had another couple with us on a different machine- they actually sent that couple with the air handler to put air in our tire and didn't even send an employee out.... but then again charged us for the plug? The views were amazing and def worth it.

Our side-by-side rental from Bob at Bearclaw was the highlight of our trip to Cooke City. Bob has…read morebeen in business over 30 years in Cooke City and his prices are very reasonable. We would recommend Bearclaw 100%.

+ Nice vista of Grand Prismatic Spring, but not much better than from the GPS' boardwalk…read more . Bird's eye view (like in the photos) is best. - Bird's eye view G Maps doesn't show it, + but the park installed overflow parking by the entrance to Fairy Fall trail right along Grand Loop Rd, thankfully. - Crowded, + but decent amount of parking. - No restrooms.