Plan a Trip to Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park is located mainly in Wyoming and contains over 300 geysers. This article will help you plan a vacation to Yellowstone.
Steps
- Decide how you will get there. The north entrance is near Gardiner, MT, the west entrance is at West Yellowstone, the northeast entrance is near Cooke City, and there are the east and south entrances. The north entrance is the only one that is open all year. Nearby airports are at Cody, WY; Jackson, WY; Idaho Falls, ID; Billings, MT; and Bozeman, MT.
- Decide when to go. During the winter, all park roads are closed except for the one going from the north entrance at Gardiner to the northeast entrance at Cooke City. Also, roads may be closed due to snow in winter, spring, or fall. Roads will open to non-motorized vehicles first. Most people visit during July or August.
- Reserve a campsite or hotel, or plan to get to a campsite early in the day. The campgrounds are Bridge Bay, Fishing Bridge (RV park), Canyon, Grant, Madison, Norris, Mammoth, Tower Fall, Lewis Lake, Slough Creek, Pebble Creek, and Indian Creek. Hotels are located at Canyon, Grant Village, Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, Roosevelt, and Lake Village.
- Decide what areas you will visit. These are some places on the Grand Loop Road.
- Old Faithful – There are quite a few geyser basins in the Old Faithful area. Old Faithful, the most famous geyser in the world, is in the Upper Geyser Basin, the Midway Geyser Basin contains the Grand Prismatic Spring and Excelsior Geyser, and there is the Lower Geyser Basin, Biscuit Basin, and the Black Sand Basin. You can see all of these by boardwalk. Lone Star Geyser Basin is reached by a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} round-trip hike. There are also some waterfalls: Kepler Cascades is right by the road, and Mystic Falls and Fairy Falls are both reached by a few miles of trails.
- Madison – The Fire hole Canyon Drive, near Madison, goes along the Firehole River, and passes Firehole Falls. Near the falls is a swimming area, most popular during July and August. At the Artist Paint Pots, there are colorful mud pots and hot springs, and are seen from a short 1-mile trail.
- Norris – The Norris Geyser Basin is the hottest thermal area in Yellowstone. It can all be seen through about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of boardwalk. There are two sections: the Back Basin and the Porcelain Basin. The Back Basin includes Steamboat Geyser, the tallest geyser in the world, Echinus Geyser, Emerald spring, and many other thermal features.
- Tower-Roosevelt – Tower Fall, located here, has a 132-foot drop. In this area, there is also the petrified tree. Specimen Ridge, reached by a long trail, contains the largest concentration of petrified trees in the world, and also has petrified conifer needles and microscopic pollen.
- Mammoth – Here, there are the Mammoth Hot Springs. Sometimes, they will be filled with water, and sometimes they will be completely dry. The Upper Terrace is seen from a road, and includes Canary Spring and Angel Terrace. The Lower Terrace is seen from a boardwalk. Some springs here are Minerva Terrace, Opal Terrace, and Palette Spring.
- Canyon – The Yellowstone Falls are located here, in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Also, there is Hayden Valley, where there are herds of bison.
- Plan what activities you will do there.
- Back country camping – This requires a permit, which can be obtained from most ranger stations and visitor centers. Here is information on backpacking, including maps, information about permits, and a trip planner.
- Bicycling – This is only allowed on paved roads and bicycle trails, which include the Old Gardiner road and Bunsen Peak road at Mammoth, the Riverside Trail near the west entrance, Black tail Plateau Drive, the Lone Star Geyser road and the Fountain Freight road near Old Faithful, the Natural Bridge road near the lake, and the Old Chittenden Service road and the Rose Creek Service Road at the Tower Area. Biking is not allowed on boardwalks or back country trails.
- Boating – Motorized boats are only allowed on Yellowstone Lake and Lewis Lake. Permits are required for all private boats, and boats can be rented. There are boats for rental at the marina at Bridge Bay.
- Hiking – There are boardwalks at most geyser basins and hiking trails at all areas of the park.
- Fishing – Fishing is allowed in some areas; a fishing permit is required.
- Wildlife Viewing – Stay at least {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} away from bears and wolves and at least {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} away from other wildlife.
- If you have time, plan to go to some other places nearby. The Grand Teton is just south of Yellowstone.
Tips
- When there is a crowd, there is probably something interesting there, such as wildlife or an erupting geyser.
- Use a map to help in planning.
- Dress in layers so you can be prepared for weather changes.
- Bring binoculars, since wildlife will usually be far away.
Warnings
- Never get too close to wildlife. They may seem harmless, but they aren't.
- Do not swim in Yellowstone Lake; although it is allowed in some areas, the water is very cold.
- Always stay on the boardwalks or trails. The ground temperature in thermal areas can be above boiling.
- Before drinking water from a lake or a stream, make sure you boil or filter it first.
- Always store food or any other odorous items, including garbage, cooking gear, and toiletries properly.
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