Many people think of beaches and the ocean when they are planning vacation. However, some of the best vacation destinations in the US are at the numerous national parks. When you plan a trip to Yellowstone National Park, you will have so many different activities to choose from. There are plenty of things to do in Yellowstone. As you are planning your trip, you must first check out the Yellowstone National Park location. Knowing the Yellowstone National Park address will allow you to book your accommodations nearby. Plus, it will allow you to know whether or not you must enter the park through the Yellowstone south entrance. There are plenty of Yellowstone must-see sights and they all should be on your Yellowstone, Wyoming itinerary.
Tips & Tours – Yellowstone National Park in US
Where is Yellowstone National Park?
The very first thing you must know as you are planning your Yellowstone National Park vacation is the Yellowstone National Park location. The address of Yellowstone National Park is actually a PO Box. However, one of the roads you will be looking for when you arrive is Grand Loop Road.
Yellowstone National Park covers more than three thousand square miles. The majority of space in this park is located in Yellowstone, Wyoming and the surrounding area of the state. However, a small portion of Yellowstone National Park is also located in Montana and Idaho.
Must-See Attractions in Yellowstone
There are so many things to see and do in Yellowstone National Park. This is the oldest national park and it is filled with natural wonders. You could spend weeks roaming around this park and still not see every inch of it. With so many options, it can be difficult to narrow down your list to the must-see items in Yellowstone if you are short on time.
Thankfully, I did the hard work for you and discovered three must-see attractions in Yellowstone.
1. Old Faithful Geyser
Old Faithful is the one attraction in Yellowstone that you must take the time to see during your visit. If you need to skip the rest of the park, you can, as long as Old Faithful is on your list. This is the most predictable geyser in the park. The staff can usually predict when the geyser will erupt each day. They are off by ten minutes at times, but hey, it happens!
Basically, Old Faithful erupts every hour and a half. Thousands of gallons of water shoot up in the air. That water reaches heights of at least one hundred feet and sometimes gets close to two hundred feet. A few of Old Faithful’s eruptions are short at less than two minutes. But some of them last as long as five minutes. You will never know how long the eruption you see will last. So, you might want to plan on stopping there a few times during your visit.
2. Grand Prismatic Spring
The best place to see the third largest hot spring in the entire world is from the Grand Prismatic Overlook. The Grand Prismatic Spring is one of the infamous attractions at Yellowstone. This hot spring is approximately one hundred sixty-five feet deep. The diameter is about three hundred and sixty feet.
The entire spring is filled with vibrant colors. Those colors are created by the microorganisms that grow in the hot water. As the temperature of the water changes, the colors change. You must not enter this hot spring, because the temperatures are way too hot for humans.
3. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is twenty miles long. The depth of this canyon is one thousand feet. It is definitely not as large as the real Grand Canyon, but it is still just as incredible to stand near. While you should see the entire canyon area, there are a few areas you should focus on the most. Those areas include Artist Point, Lower Falls, Upper Falls, and Uncle Tom’s Point.
Here are other gems to visit in the USA:
Things to Do in Yellowstone
Once you have seen the Yellowstone must see attractions, you will be free to explore a little more. Of course, some things to do in Yellowstone are better than others. I have a few favorites that I think you will want to add to your list of things to do.
1. Go Hiking
There are approximately one thousand miles of hiking trails in Yellowstone National Park. You can choose to hike near the canyon, Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful, or another area of the park you have fallen in love with. I recommend doing a few hikes during your visit, so you can see as much of the park as possible.
One of the favorite hikes in Yellowstone is the hike to the summit of Mt. Washburn. This hike is between five- and six-miles round trip, depending on where you start. The Dunraven Pass Trailhead is the longer option, while the Chittendon Road trail is shorter.
2. Check Out the Wildlife
There is a lot of wildlife roaming around Yellowstone National Park. You can see many different birds, amphibians, and reptiles during your visit. However, you will also see bison, moose, black bears, coyotes, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and deer. There are many other animals that you can see too, so you will want to keep your eyes open.
3. Take a Bike Ride
Taking a bike ride is one of the best things to do in Yellowstone. You must use caution though, because you will be riding on public roads. You must remember that you cannot ride a bike on the boardwalks or backcountry trails. If you do not take your bicycle with you, it is easy to rent one at the Yellowstone National Park Lodge by Old Faithful.
4. Go Camping
There are plenty of accommodations around Yellowstone National Park. However, you can also choose to do a little camping during your visit. There are twelve different campgrounds located at Yellowstone National Park. There are also three hundred backcountry campsites for you to choose from if you want a rustic experience.
5. Go Rafting
Rafting trips are available down all the rivers near Yellowstone National Park. You can easily choose a rafting trip near the Yellowstone south entrance or one of the other entrances.
Tours to Take Inside Yellowstone National Park
There are many different tour options available in Yellowstone National Park. You can choose the type of tour that will allow you to do the things you want to do in Yellowstone National Park.
The road-based tours are the most popular. This is because you can sit in a vehicle and listen to your guide share information about everything you are seeing. However, you can also choose from numerous other tour options that include:
- Bicycling
- Backpacking
- Snowmobile & Snowcoach
- Skiing
- Snowshoeing
- Fishing
- Day Hiking
- Boating
- Painting
- Photography
Tips for Visiting Yellowstone National Park
There are a few tips that you must be aware of as you are planning your trip to Yellowstone National Park. You do not need to take advantage of all these tips. However, if you do, you will find that your trip is much better than you thought it could be!
1. Start Early Every Day
There is a lot of things to do in Yellowstone, so you must start early every day. Some of the popular destinations within the park are difficult to reach once the crowds arrive.
2. Begin at Old Faithful
Old Faithful is one of the destinations that will be packed as it gets later in the day. If you begin your adventure there, you will avoid the crowds and have this majestic geyser mostly to yourself.
3. Pack Food and Drinks
There are places to eat inside Yellowstone National Park. But you may need to drive for a while before you can get anything. I recommend taking a cooler filled with foods and drinks you love, so you are never hungry or thirsty.
4. Bring Sunscreen, Hat, and Sunglasses
The sun will most likely be shining during your visit. This means you will be out in it all day long! The sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses you bring will go a long way in preventing sunburn.
5. Take Your Time and Don’t Overstuff Your Days
It is so easy to say you are going to see ten different sites in Yellowstone National Park in your first day. Imagine your disappointment when you realize it will take you a quarter of a day to reach just one of those sites. This happens more than you think. It is best to keep your itinerary light and simply see what you can each day. It is also best to plan for more days inside the park than you initially think you need. Trust me, you will thank me for that tip later!
6. Plan on Seeing Animals Early in the Morning or Later in the Evening
The animals that live in Yellowstone National Park are out more in the mornings and evenings. This means you will want to plan your wildlife sightings for those times.
7. Do a Little Stargazing
The limited lighting in Yellowstone National Park makes it an excellent area for stargazing. You can easily venture out a little way from your lodging at night to look up at the stars.
8. Be Prepared for Cold Temperatures
It is not uncommon for it to be colder at Yellowstone than you expect. It is best to bring warmer clothes with you in case the temperatures do drop during your visit. Layers are always best, because you can take a couple off as the weather warms up during the day.
You now know much of what you need to for a visit to Yellowstone National Park. Simply begin your planning with the Yellowstone National Park address. Then determine the Yellowstone National Park location you will be spending the most time in. Once you know all that, you can easily determine if you are entering through the Yellowstone south entrance or one of the other entrances. Your Yellowstone, Wyoming itinerary will have many things to do in Yellowstone on it. However, make sure you have the Yellowstone must see sites that I listed above. After all, a trip to Yellowstone isn’t perfect without those three destinations!
