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.

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.

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.

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.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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.

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.

Bunsen peak is a lovely hike that I would consider to be moderate. I received the rec to do this…read morehike from a ranger at the station near West Geyser after I'd asked about Mount Washburn trail and Avalanche peak (recs from a friend). The ranger told me that the peaks were actually still covered in snow (per cameras they have) and that the trails would be icy even though it was the end of May, so they wouldn't be recommended. But she said that Bunsen offers a lovely landscape peak at the top and had almost no snow at all so it would be a good option. I'm glad I went! The trailhead has a small parking lot, there were a couple spots available when I came around 10am. It took me about an hour to go up the trail to the peak, and I did encounter some snow and slippery areas because of how steep they were near the peak, but it was navigable with just my hiking boots (I didn't have chains or crampons on). The view at the top was totally worth it, it was just stunning! You get a 360 view depending on where you're standing, and the weather was excellent too - clear skies with just a few clouds and a cool breeze but it isn't cold since you're moving around. Was a great place to stop for a snack, and I actually had 2-3 bars of signal so I FaceTimed my mom to show her the view. Would rec this trail to anyone visiting Yellowstone who wants a moderate hike with a gorgeous sweeping view of the park, including all the way into mammoth lake area and Montana!

Remember the old days in high school where you got to use a Bunsen Burner in science lab? Well this…read morepeak is named after the guy who invented it - German chemist Robert Bunsen. He was responsible for early work on volcanic geyser theories and got a mountain named after him for it. When I visited Yellowstone, my goal was to do a hike everyday. This one was probably my favorite. It's relatively short and gives you amazing panoramic views. The hike to Bunsen Peak summit is 2.1 miles (4.2 miles roundtrip). You can get there and back in 3-4 hrs. But you don't have to go all the way to the top to get great views. You can see Mammoth Hot Springs in the far distance within the first hour of the hike. The beginning part of the hike is filled with a lot of trees until you make a turn at Cathedral Rock. Then you hit a lot of switchbacks until you get to the top. You can continue on to Osprey Falls from the summit if you want to make your day a little longer. Parking for Bunsen Peak is right off Grand Loop Road. The lot is pretty small and fills up quick. There is another parking lot across the street and down the road a little bit if you don't mind the short walk. This hike was a lot of fun! I highly recommend you fit it in your day if you are visiting Yellowstone.

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

Mud pots and fumaroles? You got it! Mud Volcano got loads o' that and more. Also a breathing dragon…read morecave. ooh, ominous~ + Wild just seeing the mud ponds bubbling perpetually. - And you'll definitely smell the sulfur. It's like rotten eggs. pee-yew! . Moderately crowded. Not so bad. - Crowded parking fosho, but I fortuitously found a spot real fast. + Decent amount of restrooms.