Yellowstone is the world’s first national park (opened in 1872) and in my opinion probably the best 😍 due to its unique hydrothermal and geologic wonders.
The park, located in Wyoming, spans an area of 8,983 km2 (23,468.4 sq mi) and includes lakes, canyons, rivers, and mountain ranges. The park sits on the Yellowstone Plateau, at an average elevation of 2,400m (8,000 feet) above sea level. Half of the world’s geysers and hydrothermal features are in Yellowstone.
Yellowstone is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978
The best time to visit is May/June & September/October when temperatures are milder, the park is less busy and fully open. Weather in Yellowstone is always unpredictable so be prepared for any weather conditions (from winter jackets to shorts). We visited at the end of May 2019 and it was very cold and even snowed on one day.
The park is very popular so expect to queue to enter. Try to arrive early to avoid long queues.
When planning your trip, keep in mind the park is very big (from South entrance to North entrance is around 147Km/90 miles), roads are small and travelling between places can be long due to traffic, roadworks, animals on the road etc. Also car parks are not very big and you might need to wait to get a space.
Yellowstone is accessible from five major entrances:
North (U.S. 89) from Gardiner open all year-round
North-East (U.S. 212) from Silver Gate open all year-round
West (U.S. 20) from West Yellowstone closed from Nov to mid April
South (U.S. 89) from Jackson closed from Nov to mid April
East (U.S.20) from Cody closed from Nov to mid April
At the entrance you will receive the visitor guide & map but if you prefer you can download it from the National park website and print it (A3 format).
Map https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/upload/YELL_Tear-Off_Map2016.pdf
SIGHTS TO SEE
- WEST THUMB GEYSER BASIN
From the south entrance West Thumb geyser is the first stop. It’s located on Yellowstone lake’s shore and holds lakeshore geysers, hot springs and bubbling paint pots. Fishing Cone is a shore geyser submerged until the water level drops in the summer. So called because in the old days visitors used to catch trout from the lake and drop then into its boiling water to cook.
Fishing cone 
West Thumb Basin boardwalk 
West Thumb Basin boardwalk 
West Thumb Basin boardwalk 
West Thumb Basin boardwalk
- YELLOWSTONE LAKE
It is the largest high elevation lake in North America. The shoreline is 227km/141miles long and the surface area is 132 square miles. A portion of the lake sits within a large caldera that was formed by a volcano and filled by glaciers some 14,000 years ago. When we visited at the end of May the lake was still partially frozen.
Yellowstone Lake 
Yellowstone Lake 
Yellowstone Lake – Fishing Cone
- OLD FAITHFUL & UPPER GEYSER BASIN
Old Faithful, located in Yellowstone’s Upper Geyser Basin, is one of nearly 500 geysers in Yellowstone and one of six predicted regularly. It erupts approx. every 90 minutes. Eruption’s times can be found at the Old Faithful Visitor Center and at the lodges. You can watch eruptions from the Old Faithful viewing area or along the boardwalks that weave around the geyser and through the Upper Geyser Basin. The Upper Geyser Basin is home to the largest numbers (around 150) of this fragile features found in the park. Only five major geysers (Castle, Grand, Daisy, Riverside, and Old Faithful) are predicted regularly. Below map is from https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/oldfaithfulaccessibility.htm#onthisPage-4
Old Faithful 
Old Faithful 
Upper Basin boardwalk 
Upper Basin boardwalk 
Upper Basin boardwalk 
Upper Basin boardwalk 
Upper Basin boardwalk 
Upper Basin boardwalk
- OLD FAITHFUL INN
The Old Faithful Inn, near Old Faithfull, was designed by Robert C. Reamer and built in 1903-1904 with local logs and stones. The Inn is considered the largest log structure in the world and one of the few remaining log hotels in the United States. The lobby of the hotel features a 20metres/65ft ceiling, a massive rhyolite fireplace, an hand-crafted clock made of copper, wood and wrought iron and railings made of contorted lodgepole pine. Old faithful anticipated eruption times are posted in the lobby. https://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodgings/hotel/old-faithful-inn/
Old Faithful Inn 
Old Faithful Inn from Upper Basin boardwalk 
Old faithful Inn lobby – Fireplace & clock 
Old Faithfull Inn lobby – lodgepole pine railings
- GRAND PRISMATIC SPRING & MIDWAY GEYSER BASIN
Yellowstone’s largest hot spring located 10 km north of Old Faithful can be accessed by taking the Midway Geyser Basin boardwalk. Grand Prismatic is probably the most photographed thermal feature in Yellowstone because of its bright colors and enormous size. In addition to Grand Prismatic Spring, you can see Excelsior Geyser, an enormous geyser crater, Turquoise Pool, and Opal Pool. Unfortunately when we visited it was very cold and the spring was covered by steam so not very visible. For the best view of the Grand Prismatic Spring drive to the Fairy Falls parking lot and take the 2.4Km/1.5mile hike to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook.
Grand Prismatic Spring as it should look like 
Grand Prismatic Spring as seen by us 
Grand Prismatic Spring as seen by us 
Midway Geyser basin 
Opal Pool
- NORRIS GEYSER BASIN is one of the hottest and most acidic of Yellowstone’s hydrothermal areas. It is part of one of the world’s largest active volcanoes. There are two main loops: one through the Porcelain Basin and one through the Back Basin. The Porcelain Basin is the shorter of the two.
- GRAND CANYON OF THE YELLOWSTONE is the first large canyon on the Yellowstone River downstream from Yellowstone Falls. The canyon is approximately 39km/24 miles long and includes the Upper Falls (33metres/109ft) and Lower Falls (94metres/308ft). The area is split in: South & North Rim Drive. The below map is from: https://www.nps.gov/features/yell/tours/canyon/map.htm
> SOUTH RIM DRIVE
Heading north on Grand Loop Road, take the right-hand turn to South Rim Drive. First stop is Uncle Tom’s Point. From the viewpoint near the car park you can see Upper Falls. You can also follow the trail down into the canyon to another viewing platform from which you can see and feel the power of the Lower Falls (note the trail is more than 300 steps and a decline of 150metre/500ft). Unfortunately when we visited (May 2019) the trail was closed due to snow. From the car park, you can also follow the Clear Lake trail to Clear Lake (3.6km/2.25 miles). From Uncle Tom’s car park continue on the south rim drive to Artist Point overlook on the edge of a cliff at the end of the Rim Road. From the car park to the viewing platform is less than 90metres/100 yards. The view is stunning.
South Rim Drive – Uncle Tom’s Upper Fall viewing point 
South Rim Drive – Artist Point viewing point
> NORTH RIM DRIVE
From the Grand Loop go north and turn right on North Rim Drive. This 4km/2.5miles one-way road takes you to four accessible views of the canyon. First Stop is Brink of Lower Fall where you can glimpse Lower Falls and Upper Falls from paved accessible trails at the top or you can descend to the brink of the falls on a steep trail that drops 180metres/600 ft. The view is definitely worth the effort. Lookout point offers the first unblocked view of Lower Falls and it’s the start of The Red Rock Trail. From the car park head towards the lookout and you will see the trail jutting off to the right. It is not signed. The trail is about 1.6km/1mile round trip, includes many steps and drops 150metres/500 ft . Next stop is Grand View offering spectacular views of the canyon and the river. Inspiration Point is the last of the overlooks along the north rim . Before Inspiration point stop to see Glacier boulder.
North Rim Drive – Brink of Lower Falls 
North Rim Drive – Brink of Lower Falls 
North Rim Drive – Brink of Lower Falls 
North Rim Drive – Lookout point 
North Rim Drive – Grand view
- MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS is near the north entrance so quite far from all other attractions but definitely a must-see as so different from the other thermal areas in the Park. It was created over thousands of years as hot water from the spring cooled and deposited calcium carbonate. It has been described as looking like a cave turned inside out. Approximately 50 hot springs lie within the area. Mammoth Hot Springs is split in Upper and Lower Terrace. The boardwalks cover about 2.8km(1.75 miles) with 91metres(300ft) of elevation change. Along the way, you can see Canary Spring colored by yellow bacteria, Cleopatra & Minerva Terrace, Palette Spring water cascade, Devil’s Thumb dormant hot spring and Liberty Cap dormant hot spring (named in 1871 for its resemblance to the hat worn during the French Revolution). The walkways can be accessed from the Upper Terrace Drive car park or from the Lower Terrace car park by Liberty Cap (map below). Upper Terrace Drive is a 1.5-mile one-way loop that can be explored by car or on foot. The paved circuit passes interesting features like Orange Spring Mound a giant brain shaped blob with steaming water leaking down its side, White Elephant Back Terrace, and Angel Terrace. Below map is from https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/mammothaccessibility.htm
Liberty Cap 
- TOWER-ROOSEVELT JUNCTION 29km (18miles) east of Mammoth on Grand Loop road. Tower Fall is located 2.2 miles south of Tower-Roosevelt Junction and the viewpoint is roughly 90metres (100yards) from the car park. Down the road from Tower Fall is the Roosevelt Lodge opened in 1920, 17 years after President Theodore Roosevelt camped in the area.
- HAYDEN VALLEY & LAMAR VALLEY For your best chance of spotting bears, wolves, bison, pronghorn, and many more species, head to Lamar and Hayden valleys, located in the northeastern corner of the park. Animals are most active at sunset and sunrise.
Chipmunk 
Elks 
Bisons 
Bisons 
Bisons 
Black Bear Cub 
Black Bears
More photos of the park. There are so many beautiful areas around the park you could stop every 5 minutes.
Winter wonderland in May 😁 
- STAYING SAFE
Stay at least 23metres/25 yards from most animals and 91metres/100 yards away from bears and wolves. Feeding wildlife is strictly prohibited. Be cautious and alert for bears. Make noise by talking or singing and if hiking in bear country always carry bear pepper spray. If you spot a bear do not approach it, do not run or make abrupt moves. Read more tips on bear safety on the following webpage: https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/bearsafety.htm
- ENTRANCE FEES
Yellowstone Seven day pass – Private vehicle: $35
If you are entering Yellowstone’s from the South Entrance you will be traveling through Grand Teton National Park first where you need to purchase a separate/additional entrance fee(seven day Entrance Fee for Grand Teton – Private Vehicle – $35.00)
Annual Pass valid to all NPS parks – $80.00 for the car and passengers. If during your trip you are planning to visit 2 or more NPS parks is probably worth buying the Annual pass. If you are not sure how many you are going to visit, keep the receipts as they will discount the price of the parks already visited from the $80.
- ACCOMODATION : “To stay in the Park or outside?”
We stayed just outside the park in West Yellowstone 2km(1.2 miles) to the west entrance because we enjoy being close to shops and restaurants and having a pool and hot tub to relax in the evening 😁. We stayed at the Holiday Inn walking distance to the village centre but there are many hotels in the town. https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/west-yellowstone/wysmt/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-HI-_-US-_-WYSMT
If you enjoy early morning or late evening wildlife watching and be close to nature, you should definitely stay inside the park. Check out the following websites:
Lodges https://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/
Campsites : https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm
Another great town is Jackson 92Km (57miles) to the South entrance and perfect for visiting Grand Teton National Park as well. We stayed at the Homewood Suites walking distance to the town centre. https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/jachwhw-homewood-suites-jackson/?SEO_id=GMB-HW-JACHWHW&y_source=1_MjA4MzM1MS03MTUtbG9jYXRpb24uZ29vZ2xlX3dlYnNpdGVfb3ZlcnJpZGU%3D
- USEFUL WEBSITES
National Park Services: https://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm
Wyoming travel board: https://travelwyoming.com/
FURTHER AFIELD :
- GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK blog : Grand Teton National Park in … 2 days
- JACKSON blog: Jackson
- CODY blog to follow
Enjoy Yellowstone 😊