Yellowstone Itinerary - Yellowstone National Park

Trail Highlights






Introduction.


Based on reader's feedback, the intent of this post is to provide a "quick guide" to Yellowstone National Park itinerary items, in a bullet format, which can be used for your planning purposes.

Yellowstone was the first National Park and attracts over 3,000,000 visitors each year, half of which visit in July, August, and September. The park encompasses craggy peaks, alpine lakes, deep canyons, and vast forests.

 

General Logistic Information.


Yellowstone National Park is in the northwest corner of Wyoming. There are 5 entrances to the park from the south, the west, the north, the northeast, and the east. This provides many options for access, regardless of your starting point. The roads are typically open from April through October, though you certainly need to check on conditions if your are planning your trip on the outer edges of this time frame. There are 9 lodges operated within the park along with 12 campgrounds. There are also other services for supplies and gas.

Note: Since Yellowstone is made up of a number of different sections, I do recommend you focus your plans on one area/region at a time.

 

Yellowstone Itinerary:


  • West Geyser Basin and Lake Yellowstone area.


  • West Thumb Geyser Basin
  • Take the trail around a number of geysers


Yellowstone Itinerary - Trail around West Thumb Geyser Basin



  • West Geyser Basin and Lake Yellowstone Area Continued.


  • Storm Point Trail
  • Take the trail for a great veiw of Yellowstone Lake
  • Yellowstone Hotel
  • Make a stop at the historic "Buttercup Behemoth"
  • Midway Geyser Basin and Lower Geyser Basin Area.
  • Grand Prismatic Spring
  • Take the boardwalk trail past Firehole River to Grand Prismatic Spring


Yellowstone Itinerary - View of Grand Prismatic Spring


  • Lamar Valley, Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin Areas.


  • Slough Creek or Pebble Creek campgrounds for trying to spot the Druid Wolf Pack
  • Tower Falls
  • Visit Tower Falls near Tower Junction
  • Mammoth Hot Springs Upper and Lower Terraces
  • Take the full trail to see all the highlights and the remarkable terraces


Yellowstone Itinerary - Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces


  • Lamar Valley, Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin Areas Continued.
  • Norris Geyser Basin
  • Boardwalk trail past numerous geysers in 2 sections - Porcelain Basin and Back Basin
  • Porcelain Basin
  • Black Growler Steam Vent, Ledge Geyser, Whirligig Geyser
  • Back Basin
  • Steamboat Geyser, Echinus Geyser


  • Canyon Area.
  • North Rim Drive
  • Lower Falls
  • Hike down to stand at the brink of the falls
  • Lookout Point
  • Great view of Lower Falls
  • Inspiration Point
  • Canyon and river views
  • South Rim Drive
  • Uncle Tom's Trail
  • Challenging steps down to an unmatched viewpoint
  • Artist Point
  • Over popular, but a "can't miss" view of the Canyon and Falls
  • Grand Canyon of Yellowstone



Yellowstone Itinerary - Artist Point & The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone


  • Upper Geyser Basin Area.
  • Trail around Geyser Basin
  • Take the full trail past all the geysers and pools
  • Grand Geyser
  • Don't miss the erruption here, the tallest of them all including Old Faithful
  • Old Faithful
  • View from the boardwalk or make the extra effort to view from Observation Point


Yellowstone Itinerary - Observation Point View of Old Faithful


  • Upper Geyser Basin Area Continued.
  • Old Faithful Inn
  • See the historic inn and maybe grab an ice cream cone

 

If this post sparks some interest, in what I feel is the ultimate National Park, then I recommend you review my detailed post on Yellowstone Adventures.


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