Yellowstone: The first US National Park. Yellowstone is a massive park that extends into three states: Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. There is so much to see in Yellowstone National Park! It’s a very diverse park with mountains, canyons, waterfalls, geysers, and hot springs. We’ve visited Yellowstone several times. The first time we tent-camped inside the park. The second time we stayed in its neighbor to the south, Grand Teton National Park. On our third visit, drove into the park on the Beartooth Highway – a daytrip from our home base at Greenough Lake Campground near Red Lodge, Montana.
Hiking
For the most part, on our visits to Yellowstone we pull into several points of interest off the main roads and hiked out a bit to a lookout or a boardwalk next to a thermal feature. We have done one longer hike in the park and that was to the summit of Mt. Washburn.
Mt. Washburn
- Quick Facts
- Length: Approx. 7 miles roundtrip (Signs officially say 6 miles; we had 7 on our Garmins.)
- Elevation Gain: 1,500 ft
- Trailhead/Parking: Dunraven Pass parking lot
- Link to NPS site
This was a great hike! When I think of Yellowstone, I don’t often think of mountains. I think of geysers, steaming pools of water, buffalo, and grizzly bears. We didn’t see any of the above on this hike, but we did see expansive views all the way to the Teton Mountains to the south of the park. At the time we visited (mid-August) we also saw many wildflowers along the trail.
The hike begins at a steep grade and continues to climb up the mountain with a few flat sections of trail here and there. At the top of the mountain, there is a small observation building with restrooms. We saw this building from a distance. The trail winds around and eventually makes its way to the summit. We stopped here for some snacks and to enjoy the view. Several trails meet at the top of the mountain. We took what appeared to be the shortest route to the top. We approached the mountain from the south – parking at the Dunraven Pass parking lot.
Biking
On our second trip to Yellowstone, we were passing through with our camper, which meant we had to get a little creative with where we stopped. Not all pull-offs have over-sized vehicle parking. I really wanted to make it to Grand Prismatic Spring overlook because we hadn’t made it here on our first visit. However, the dedicated parking lot for the overlook appeared to be pretty tight on Google Maps satellite view. I scouted out the area and found an alternative option. This is where the bikes come in.
We took Fountain Flat Drive to the Fountain Freight Road trailhead. This is a bike-friendly trail in Yellowstone. For more info on Fountain Freight Road, visit the NPS Yellowstone website here. The trailhead had plenty of parking and an area for over-sized vehicles, so we were able to park the truck/camper and eat a quick lunch. Then we unhooked the bikes and set out toward Grand Prismatic Spring. It was about a three-mile ride (one-way) to the overlook. This was an unplanned adventure, but I’m so glad we did it! Biking through remote areas of Yellowstone was amazing! We did have our bear spray with us and kept it handy. We also kept an eye out for wildlife, particularly in the forested areas.
To read more about our bikes, bike gear, and bike racks, check out the blog post: Our Bikes, Bike Racks, and Accessories – Miles of Yellow Lines.
Things to See
There are so many things to see and do in Yellowstone! It would be almost impossible to cover them all here, but below are some of our favorite sights/activities.
Old Faithful
There are so many amazing things to see in Yellowstone! Let’s start with the obvious: Old Faithful. No trip to Yellowstone is complete without a visit to Old Faithful. Keep in mind, this is on everyone’s list, so it will be crowded! Arrive early to get a good seat. It erupts roughly every 90 minutes. You can visit the Old Faithful page on the Yellowstone NPS website to see predictions.
We made it a point to stop at Old Faithful both times we visited Yellowstone and didn’t worry about checking predictions ahead of time. We walked around the grounds for a bit, stopped at the gift shop, and then headed over to get a good spot for the next eruption.
The Old Faithful area has tons of parking. There was plenty of space for our truck/trailer combination, which is always a relief.
Grand Prismatic Spring
If you read about our biking adventure, you already know something about Grand Prismatic Spring. It’s worth checking out, both close-up on the boardwalk and from above at the overlook. The parking lot has been packed on both our visits. There’s plenty of parking on a fairly wide shoulder on the main road outside the pull-off parking area.
You’ll need to cross over the Firehole River bridge to access the Grand Prismatic Spring boardwalk. Eventually, you’ll reach a one-way loop that leads to the spring. In addition to Grand Prismatic Spring, this area is also home to Excelsior Geyser Crater and Turquoise Pool. More info on this area can be found on the NPS Yellowstone website here.
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
One of the biggest surprises I discovered while doing my research for our visit to Yellowstone was Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Artist’s Point is a great place to stop for an amazing view of the canyon. There are also several hiking trails around the canyon area. More details on those trails can be found on the NPS website here.
Mammoth Hot Springs
When we visited Mammoth Hot Springs, it was cold and rainy, but we still braved the elements to see the terraces. It was a unique area in the park, so it was worth getting a little wet to see it up close. In this same area, there is a visitor center and historical Fort Yellowstone. Click here for a link to Mammoth Hot Springs area on the NPS website.
Camping/Lodging
On our first visit to Yellowstone (May 2018), we tent camped inside the park at Norris Campground. On our second visit (August 2022), we camped in nearby Grand Teton National Park. Tent camping inside the park was fun, but it was chilly and rainy at the time. We were also on high alert for bears because the ranger at the campground told us a mother and her cub had been seen in the campground several times that week.
There are many options for staying inside the park. A list of campgrounds can be found here and a details about lodges within Yellowstone can be found here.
When to Visit
We’ve visited Yellowstone three times: May 2018, August 2022, and August 2023. Our August visits were short day-visits on the way to Grand Teton National Park and driving in on the Beartooth Highway. May was much cooler and rainier with fewer crowds- although certain locations like Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, and Artist’s Point (Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone) were still packed. Some areas we wanted to visit were still closed due to snow. For example, we weren’t able to venture up Mt. Washburn as we had hoped. The weather was much warmer in August, but it was so crowded!
Wish List
We’ve been to this park three times and there are still several items on my wish list for when we return.
- Hike to the top of Bunsen Peak
- Visit Roosevelt Arch