Yellowstone National Park
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I visited Yellowstone National Park back in the summer of 2017
and man was this park BUSY. Summer is hands down the busiest
time of year in this park, but also the time of year when everything
will be open (in the spring and fall the park does see some snow
so there may be certain areas of the park that are closed) and you
are more likely to see everything that your heart desires.
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Before I get into my time at Yellowstone I want to talk about
a highway that should not be missed if you ever find yourself in
Montana, Beartooth Highway (aka Highway 212). This was hands
down one of the most beautiful drives I have ever been on. This highway
curves its way through valleys and up to the top of mountains
providing you with breathtaking views.
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I even got to see a very photogenic marmot!
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Beartooth Mountain
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Couple quick things to note about this highway:
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It is 68 miles long with no internet and little to no cell service.
So if you plan on going on this highway download
your directions beforehand.
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Also, there is nowhere to stop along this road so fill up your car
before you leave and also take a pee break. The entire time
I was on the highway I only saw one outhouse.
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There are a ton of elevation changes and curves so this is
not a road you can or want to take at a fast pace.
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Best place to start your Beartooth Highway
adventure is in Red Lodge, Montana.
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The highway took me right into Yellowstone and I immediately
headed straight to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The Grand
Canyon of Yellowstone measures in at 20 miles long and is said
to have formed through erosion done by the Yellowstone River. My
initial plan was to get a closer look at the upper falls via Uncle Tom’s
Cabin Trail and the lower falls at Lookout Point, but construction
cancelled those plans. Instead I braved my way through the insanely
large mass of people to Artist Point and captured the infamous
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone view.
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After spending some time admiring the Grand Canyon I drove to
Old Faithful praying I wouldn’t have to wait hours until the next
eruption. (Unfortunately I didn’t have any internet connection within
the park so I couldn’t look up on the NPS website their next predicted
eruption time before heading that way.) Luckily I arrived at about
4:00pm and the board stated that the next predicted eruption
time was 4:54pm which gave me enough time to hike up to Observation
Point where I watched Old Faithful erupt from a bird’s eye view.
There were waaaay less people at Observation Point than there was
down around the actual geyser which was quite nice, however, I do
kind of think watching the geyser from this higher angle took away
from the experience. It made the eruption look less impressive than
if I had been right there in front of it. If I go back I will be fighting for
a spot on the ground to watch this Yellowstone tradition.
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Trail Name - Observation Point Trail
Length: 1.6 roundtrip
Estimated Duration: 1-3 hours
Notes:
SWITCHBACKS
How to get to trailhead: From the Old Faithful Visitor Education
Center, walk counter-clockwise along the Old Faithful boardwalk, turn
right at the Geyser Hill sign, and continue down the path. The trailhead
is just after the bridge crossing the Firehole River.
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Once Old Faithful was through I drove to Grand Prismatic Spring.
This spring is the park’s largest hot spring at 370 feet in diameter
and is over 121 feet deep and features gorgeous colors of
blue, yellow, and orange thanks to the thermophiles that live within
it. It wasn’t until I was right next to the spring that I truly realized
just how massive it is and when the wind blew in the right
direction I could feel the steam that was rising off the spring. It
was like being in a sauna and was one of the best facials I have
ever had (well...minus the slight sulfur smell). Lol
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One thing to take note, especially if you have kids, is that the
boardwalk that goes through the hot springs and next to Grand
Prismatic Spring does NOT have a railing. Be aware of where you
are walking, hold on to your belongings/children, and if
something happens to fall off the boardwalk into the springs...leave it.
Temperatures of the spring have been recorded to reach up to 459
degrees F so any part of you that touches them would cook faster
than an egg on the sidewalk in the dead of summer.
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Grand Prismatic Spring was the final sight I saw while in Yellowstone
and afterwards I made my way to Blackfoot, Idaho. Oh, but before I
end the article, I need to include my wildlife photos! Enjoy
my pics of some of the park’s residents!
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Have you been to Yellowstone National Park? What national park/vacation
spot would you have in your number 1 summer destination spot?
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