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Visiting America’s First National Park

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Photo by @cleipelt 

Visiting Yellowstone National Park is something everyone must do at least once in their lifetime. Spanning across three states, (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho) this American classic is a destination most people will remember for the rest of their life. Being the home to sites such as The Grand Prismatic, Old Faithful, & The Grand Tetons, bringing your camera and camera strap is a must. The abundance of wildlife you can find in the park is insane. Finding activities to do in Yellowstone National Park can be a hassle since there are so many. Good thing for you, we’ll be highlighting some of our favorites. Just be sure to prepare accordingly!

Best Time to Visit Yellowstone National Park:

Visiting Yellowstone National Park can be done at any time during the year. Although wintertime is doable, visiting during the summer will provide visitors with the most activities. Yellowstone also has over 9 different campsites, as well as multiple hotels across the park for visitors to stay in. Some of our favorite campsites include Grant Village, Mammoth, & Lewis Lake. All will provide visitors with a different experience and most sites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Just be sure to look online before heading out there. If camping isn’t your thing, there are plenty of hotels across the park. One of the most famous ones is the Old Faithful Inn. Located across from Old Faithful Geyser, this inn provides guests with iconic views as well as accommodations and a restaurant. Constructed in 1903, this inn is said to be haunted and is separated into an older portion and a newer portion. 

Attractions in Yellowstone National Park:

Yellowstone National Park is best known for its geysers & mountain ranges. Old Faithful is probably the most famous and erupts about every 10 minutes. Since the park is located on an active volcano, geothermal features can be found across the park. Hot springs such as the Grand Prismatic offers dreamlike colors to visitors. Just beware when hiking around some of these spots since some of the water is acidic and can be fatal. Another spot that can’t be missed is Mammoth Hot Springs. This multi-leveled area allows visitors to walk along the boardwalks through the hot springs created by the Earth. Be sure to use a camera strap when photographing here since it can get busy and dropping your camera into the springs would be devastating. 

Seeing Wildlife While Visiting Yellowstone National Park:

Hiking and seeing wildlife are two of the other popular things to do while visiting Yellowstone National Park. One of the best places to see wildlife is in Lamar Valley and Hayden Valley. Looking like a scene straight out of a movie, these two valleys provide visitors with views of bison, elk & many more animals. Make sure to bring a zoom lens since many of the animals can be seen farther into the valley. If not, no worries. More often than not, bison and elk can be caught crossing the roads and exploring the passing cars. Just make sure you stay in your car if they get too close! 

Must-See Hikes to Do While Visiting Yellowstone National Park:

North Rim Trail (7.6 Miles) - No trip to Yellowstone is complete without seeing the Yellowstone River. This round-trip trail gives hikers an amazing view of the valley as well as a couple of waterfalls on the way. 

Trout Lake (1.2 Miles) - This relaxing hike takes visitors around Trout Lake and is the perfect place to fish. If you’re lucky enough, you just might see a bear! 

Lone Star Geyser (5.2) - This short trail takes hikers through the land of the geysers as well as the famous Lone Star Geyser. This is one of the best hikes to do if you are trying to see geyser eruptions.

Uncle Tom’s Trail (.7 Miles) - Don’t let the shortness of this hike catch you off guard. This hike consists of hiking down a 500-foot metal staircase into the canyon to see spectacular waterfall views. Just be sure to take into account the crowds and the ascend back!

Visiting Yellowstone National Park is something you must do in your lifetime. Having spectacular views of wildlife, geysers, & mountains, this park has something for everyone. Just be sure to plan ahead of time, and have fun exploring America’s first National Park!

Written by @visualsbyry