Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, though it also extends into Montana and Idaho. Yellowstone was the first national park in the world, and is known for its wildlife and its many geothermal features, especially Old Faithful Geyser, one of the most popular features in the park. It has many types of ecosystems, but the subalpine forest is dominant.
Here are highlights of one special visit I shared with a friend in this amazing National Park.
Old Faithful & Lower Geyser Basin
Sixty percent of the geysers in the world are located in Yellowstone National Park with Old Faithful, the worlds most famous geyser, a must see.
We spent time in the Lower Geyser Basin where colorful geysers and hydro thermal activity can be viewed while strolling along a boardwalk. Plan to spend time viewing these incredibly unique geysers on your visit!
Firehole Canyon
Drive Head north from Old Faithful and enjoy a scenic side road along the Firehole River and views of the 40-foot Firehole Falls. Wildlife may surprise you along with the beauty of this protected environment.
Hayden Valley
Hayden Valley was a favorite place of ours to view bison, listen to the call of the coyotes and watch the birds. The valley is enchanting and peaceful, yet becomes frightfully exciting as you find yourself in the path of buffalo! To get to Hayden Valley head to the middle of the park above Bridge Bay.
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
From Hayden Valley, we headed north to view the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. This Canyon is about 20 miles long of stunning views. We hiked Uncle Tom's trail consisting of 300 stairs and a steep elevation change of 500 feet. If you are up for this hike, the spectacular view of the Lower Falls is well worth the adventure and views.
Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone lake, with it is 141 miles of shoreline, is the largest freshwater lake at an elevation above 7,000 feet. Drive and view the Lake in the southern part of the park.
Explore Yellowstone National Park