The otherworldly place.
The story.
The show.
The memories made there.
OBSESSED!!!
We LOVE the shows....the original, 1923, 1883, and most recently, the documentary ‘Yellowstone150’ with Kevin Costner, named after how many years ago it was founded as the nation's first national park by Ulysses S. Grant.
It. Is. SO. Good.
The scenery! The wildlife! The history!
It goes deep into the journals of the Hayden expedition in 1871! The stories + original photos are just incredible!!
OMG!
It made me want to return ASAP and led me to reminisce.
43 National Parks so far, + this is definitely a fave!
It’s INSANELY fascinating...the bubbling ‘Artist Pots,’ the chalky whites of ‘Mammoth Hot Springs,’ and the “Grand Canyon” of Yellowstone, which can be seen best from ‘Artist Point’!
Watching ‘Old Faithful’ erupt will be the top of your musts. It explodes 17 times daily, every 35-120 minutes, lasts 1.5-5 mins + reaches 184 ft!
*You can check the park’s site to see when the next eruption is predicted on the day of your visit!
Two (of many) highlights-
Grand Prismatic
It’s the second most popular site after Old Faithful, positively the most vibrant + photographed, +my personal fave. It's not listed as ”Grand Prismatic” on the visitor’s map, but “Midway Geyser Basin,” so make sure not to miss it!! It’s unreal!
Those bold blues + oranges of this geological marvel are beyond striking + absolutely breathtaking! The colors are almost too insane to believe what you’re actually seeing!!
Be very careful here, especially with kids, as there are no guard rails, and the boards get VERY crowded in peak season! Also, hold onto your hats! The wind is rough!
Firehole Falls
is a 2-mile, one-way loop with a superb swimming hole just north of the actual falls on the right. You can’t miss it! You’ll parallel park on the side of the road + walk down a small set of stairs. Then you climb down rocks!! Hold on!! See the link for our favorite water sneaks below. They are super reasonably priced, have great traction + are perfect for transitioning from hiking to walking on the rocks into the water! (They are also fab for water parks and water days!)The water is crystal clear here + THE perfect temperature on a warm summer’s day.
The current is pretty rough at the base of the falls. Use caution. Floaties for wee ones are a good idea!! There’s a little “cave,” which leads to nowhere but is
Yellowstone has the largest number of animals in the lower 48. There are 300 types of birds, 16 types of fish, + 67 types of mammals, including wolves, coyotes, grizzlies, + badgers. We saw elk + bison, + fed a chipmunk!
TIPS:
• Arrive early (6-7 am), ready for a full day with everything you could need in your car. Bring a backpack and fill it as needed at each stop.
• If you are visiting Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, + Glacier, grab an America The Beautiful National Park Pass! It will save you money on admission! It’s $80 + good for 4 adults for a year over 2,000 sites across the US! (kids 15 + under are free.)https://shop.usparkpass.com/products/america-the-beautiful-national-park-pass
If you have kiddos:
• Stop by the ranger station for the Jr Ranger Program! Kiddos LOVE filling out the booklets and +earning badges! The ranger talks are informative and go hand in hand with restroom breaks and +water refills!
• Climb ‘Sheepeater’s Cliffs,’ which is a series of basalt columns made from lava over 500,000 years ago! The kiddos felt like such little badasses here! Great place to get some wiggles out!
WARNING:
Besides using caution on the boardwalk, avoid being on the roads at night!! They are very curvy do not, and there are no guardrails! Bison's eyes don't reflect like most animals, so you definitely do not want to come across them on a dark road. You're likely not to see them at all!
The campground inside the park is first-come basis and sells out very early in the am. Hotels in the park are usually all sold out a year in advance, so book early! I have a great campsite about 2 miles outside the park overlooking the Yellowstone River. The star-gazing is killer, and if you've booked with me, you know my fave app for it!
If you come from the north in Montana, you’ll pass a Subway/gas station. Hoagies make for a leisurely picnic lunch in the park where + whenever you want, + a rule when traveling in these parts is always fill up when possible! You never know when you'll see another gas station!
We always carry bear spray in parks during the summer months, especially if we have food! Good rhyme to keep in mind-” If it's brown, lay down. If it's black, fight back. If it's white, goodnight.”
Don’t be scared! Be prepared!!
That sulfur! The next time you make hard-boiled eggs, the scent will transport you right back here!
Let's see all the cool sh*t!
Please share this info with your adventurous friends with this park on their list!
XOX,
Sar
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