Yellowstone National Park Must Sees
- nicole elizabeth
- Jan 12
- 7 min read
Updated: Jan 18
I got the chance to visit Yellowstone for the first time in September 2023 during my family vacation, and I absolutely fell in love! Granted, I only spent 2 days in the park, so I know there is so much that I didn't get to see, but these are some of my must-sees if you're visiting the park!
Table of Contents:
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park was founded in 1872 and is actually the world's first national park! A majority of the park is located in Wyoming; however, it also covers parts of Montana and Idaho. Yellowstone is a huge park, covering about 2.2 million acres, and has five main entrances: North, South, East, West, and Northeast. This park is home to over half of the world's geysers, a diverse wildlife population, and geothermal features. The best time to visit depends on what you want to get out of your trip to the park. Spring offers fewer crowds, and is a great time for wildlife viewing, especially if you are trying to see bison calves, elk, wolves, and bears. However, because of yearly snowfall, several roads in the park are closed until around May, and the weather can still be a little unpredictable. As with the Spring, visiting in the Fall will also typically offer fewer crowds, cooler temperatures, and prime wildlife viewing (Fall is elk rutting season). Fall is a great time to visit for photographers or anybody looking to enjoy the beautiful fall color, especially in Lamar and Hayden Valley. As with Spring, though, weather can start to be unpredictable in the Fall, so there is a chance of experiencing snow and road closures. Visiting in the summer will most likely offer the most access to the park with the best weather; however, there are significantly more crowds. Visiting in the summertime is also the best time to see the geyser eruptions, and it is a great time to visit if you're looking to do some great hiking. Lastly, visiting in the winter provides the best opportunity for wolf tracking, and you will have much fewer crowds than in the warmer months. However, a majority of the roads are closed and inaccessible to visitors during the winter without a guided tour or snowmobile. This is such a beautiful park at all times of the year, and it will typically see about 4.5 million visitors a year! The entrance fee to the park is $35 per vehicle, or free with an annual Yellowstone or National Park pass. More information on the different types of park passes can be found on https://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm
Northern Yellowstone (North & Northeast Entrance) -
Mammoth Springs
Mammoth Springs is located in the Northeast region of the park, close to the Montana border. The best place to access this part of the park is through the North entrance near Gardiner, Montana. , All of the geysers in this park are different, but this area is unique in that it's primarily made up of layered limestone formations with a boardwalk that allows visitors to walk throughout the geyser area. This is one of the most accessible areas of the park and is located within a small "town-like" area next to the Yellowstone Headquarters. There are a few shops in this area to explore as well! This is a great spot to check out if you are also planning on spending some time in Lamar Valley on the same day.
Lamar Valley
This was easily probably one of my favorite parts of the park that I got to see, and I highly recommend it if you have the time to check it out! Lamar Valley is located in northeast Yellowstone and stretches about 7 miles long. This area is best accessible by the Northeast entrance near Cooke City, Montana. This area is one of the best spots in the park for wildlife viewing, including bison, elk, wolves, bears, and more! The views driving through this valley are absolutely spectacular! If your goal is to see wildlife here, I recommend visiting in the early morning or late afternoon, as those are typical feeding times for most of the animals. The entire landscape is essentially just made up of rolling valleys surrounded in parts by mountains. Pictures don't even do this area justice!
Wraith & Undine Falls
These two waterfalls are not as well-known as some of the other waterfalls in the park, but still beautiful and worth a stop if you're in this area of the park! These falls are located minutes apart in the Northern part of the park. Wraith Falls is a pretty accessible waterfall and can be seen after a short, flat walk from the parking lot. These waterfalls are beautiful and calm, located in the heart of meadows and marshlands. This isn't a crazy, spectacular, strong waterfall, but it still stands at 79-feet tall, and flows down a beautiful rock cascade.
If you're planning on adding Wraith Falls to your itinerary, you have to check out Undine Falls as well. A short 2-minute drive from Wraith Falls, Undine Falls stands at about 60 feet high and is a little bit more powerful than Wraith Falls. You can admire these falls from a viewpoint up above or by taking a short hike to a lower viewing area. Both of these falls are located on the Grand Loop Road.
Central Yellowstone (North, East, or West Entrance)
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is such a beautiful site and has the park's most complex geologic history! I think this area is a tie for my favorite with Lamar Valley. This canyon is carved by the Yellowstone River and stretches about 20 miles long. This area is home to an upper and lower falls, as well as a north and south rim, just like the real Grand Canyon. The lower falls are taller, standing at about 300 feet high. This is also the most photographed waterfall in the park! The upper falls stand at about 100 feet high and can be seen from different viewpoints near Canyon Village. The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is located in Central Yellowstone and can be reached from several of the park entrances. There are a couple of different viewpoints in this area, including Artist Point, Lookout Point, and Red Rock Point.
Hayden Valley
Hayden Valley is located in central Yellowstone between Canyon Village and Yellowstone Lake. Similar to Lamar Valley, it is a giant, open, grassy valley area covering about 50 square miles and is home to several different species of wildlife. We saw so many bison here! Bison and elk are the most common wildlife to spot here; however, it is possible to see coyotes and the occasional wolf or bear. Hayden Valley is best accessed through the East entrance, but can also be reached from the North, West, or South entrance. It's located pretty close to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, making it easy to see both areas in one day, which is what we did!
Geysers (Southwest Yellowstone)
Old Faithful
I feel like, before visiting, whenever I heard the name Yellowstone, Old Faithful was the first thing I associated with the park. There are over 500 geysers throughout this park, and only six predictable geysers, this one being one of them. Old Faithful erupts every 60-110 minutes, and you can find the schedule online at https://geysertimes.org/geyser.php?id=Old+Faithful or posted at the Old Faithful Visitor Center. This area does get very crowded, so I recommend checking the eruption schedule ahead of time to plan your stop here. Geysers are evidence of ongoing volcanic activity below the surface, and Yellowstone is able to preserve those natural geologic processes. When it erupts, Old Faithful can shoot water up to 180 feet in the air! The eruption times can be predicted at the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center.
Grand Prismatic
Grand Prismatic is Yellowstone's largest hot spring and is about 250 feet in diameter; it's also the third-largest hot spring in the world. Because of the microscopic organisms known as thermophiles that call these hot springs home it causes a unique coloration of the springs and the rings around them. You can view this hot spring from the boardwalks or from the overhead viewing point, a short half-mile or so hike from the parking lot. It's much easier to see the colors from the viewpoint up above, but I definitely recommend walking around both areas if you have the time, because it's interesting to see it from both perspectives. Grand Prismatic is located very close to Old Faithful in Southwest Yellowstone and is best accessed through the West Entrance. To see the best lighting of the hot spring, it's best to visit in the early morning or early afternoon, and late spring and early fall offer the most vibrant colors.
Norris Geyser Basin
Norris Geyser Basin is the hottest and oldest thermal area in the park; it truly felt like I had stepped onto another planet walking around here. There are about 24 different geysers here, and you can explore them by walking along the boardwalk trail that weaves in and out of the geothermal areas. Norris Geyser Basin is divided into two different areas, the Porcelain Basin and the Back Basin. While all of the geysers here were cool and unique, my favorite was probably Steamboat Geyser. This geyser basin shows evidence of having thermal features for at least 115,000 years, and these features change daily. Norris Geyser Basin was our first stop in the park on day one and is located in Central-West Yellowstone. I recommend getting here early to avoid the crowds as much as you can! This area is also most easily accessible from the West entrance, making it easy to combine with some of the other sites in this area.
Final Thoughts and Highlights
This park truly is so unique and so unlike any other national park that I have ever been to. Between all of the history, beautiful landscapes, wildlife, and geothermal features. etc., it truly was hard to pick my favorite thing we saw here! This park is huge, and there are so many other sites to check out that I didn't mention or get to visit during my trip that are worth checking out. No matter how you plan your trip to Yellowstone, I promise you will not be disappointed! As with any park visit or anytime spending time in nature, remember to leave no trace and be respectful and cautious of the wildlife. Not only is this their home, but a lot of these animals can be dangerous, and it is important to follow park guidelines when viewing these animals. We were able to enjoy so much of the wildlife from our car! I hope this guide helps you plan your own trip to Yellowstone. Thanks for reading, and remember, there's always more to be explored! :)
-nicole elizabeth
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