What's up guys! We just finished a trip to Yellowstone National Park,
and in this video, we're going to show you the best things to
do there as well as some things you should know before you go! So hope you enjoy it.
Yellowstone National Park is a huge area. It spans almost 3,500 miles or 5,600 kilometers
across the state of Wyoming, and extends into parts of both Montana and Idaho.
Established in 1872, it's America's first national park,
and to this day it also remains one of the largest and most popular ones in the country.
In fact, Yellowstone sits on top of a dormant volcano and is home to more hydrothermal features
than anywhere else on earth. On top of that, the park is home to diverse landscapes and activities;
from lush valleys with an abundance of wildlife, to spectacular canyons and waterfalls you can hike
to, deep lakes, and rivers for fishing. In this video, we highlight 10 of the best things to do
in the park. Make sure to watch until the end, because we also share five useful travel tips
so you can maximize your experience and time in Yellowstone. Now let's dive in!
We are Zac and Ine. We make helpful videos about
destinations around the world so you can easily plan your own adventures.
The most famous site in the entire park is undoubtedly Old Faithful,
which is located in the Upper Geyser Basin. The geyser erupts around 20
times per day with steaming hot water shooting from 106 to 180 feet high,
that's equivalent to between 32 and 55 meters for our non-American viewers. It's a true spectacle
that cannot be missed, providing evidence of the active volcano that is sitting below your feet.
The eruptions are predicted and you can check the forecasted times at the visitor Education Center.
Just a few minutes walk past Old Faithful, the rest of the Upper Geyser Basin also boasts a
variety of other geysers which are worth checking out before or after the eruption.
Centrally located in Yellowstone, Hayden Valley is generally the first place to see wildlife in the
park. As you drive through the lush valley, you're likely to see bison, elk, and the occasional bear.
The Yellowstone River lies on the east side of the roadway and you can admire the
landscape from several overlooks. We visited at sunrise, when wildlife tends to be more active.
At the edge of the valley, you can find another interesting hydrothermal feature: the Mud Volcano.
This area has many mud pots and some are among the most acidic in the park.
Situated at the Midway Geyser Basin, Grand Prismatic is Yellowstone's largest hot spring,
measuring 370 feet or 110 meters in diameter. It's the most photographed
thermal feature in the park, thanks to its bright vivid colors and enormous size.
In addition, the Basin is also home to the colorful Turquoise Pool and Opal Pool,
as well as the gigantic Excelsior Geyser Crater. A short boardwalk takes you past all these features.
Standing next to the boiling Grand Prismatic Spring is a thrilling experience in itself.
But, for an iconic and jaw-dropping aerial view, you have to walk to the Grand Prismatic Spring
Overlook. From the fairy Falls Trail parking lot, it's only a 15-minute walk to get to the
viewpoint. Once you make it out there, you can easily combine it with a hike to the Fairy Falls,
one of Yellowstone's tallest waterfalls. The trail winds through a forest and is relatively flat.
Overall, it's about 5.5 miles or 8.5 kilometers round-trip and takes about 2.5 hours to complete.
The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River showcases this park's complex geologic history.
It's multi-hued colors and dramatic shape result from the hydrothermally-altered volcanic rock and
sediments. An the Upper and Lower Falls add to the splendor of this unique natural landscape.
The canyon can be admired from a variety of overlooks along the North and South Rims.
Highlights include the Grand View and Canyon Lookout Point along the north rim,
as well as the Upper Falls View and the iconic Artist Point along the south rim.
Besides the ones we've already mentioned, Yellowstone National Park is also home to
hundreds of other beautiful waterfalls. Some of the most scenic falls consist of the Lewis Falls,
Undine Falls, Gibbon Falls, and Tower Falls. All of these are easy
to get to via a short walking trail, but located in different corners of the park.
Sitting to the west of Canyon Village, the Norris Geyser Basin is one of Yellowstone's hottest,
oldest, and most acidic hydrothermal areas. The Basin comprises of two distinct sections.
The Porcelain Basin is the most impressive one as it has no trees and offers a sensory
experience in sound, color, and smell. You can only access this section by boardwalk.
In contrast, the Back Basin contains geysers and hot springs in a forest setting.
You can find the tallest Geyser in the world here, which is the Steamboat Geyser.
Located to the north of the caldera, Mammoth Hot Springs is a unique site in Yellowstone National
Park. You can find travertine terraces here, which are hot springs that rise up through the soft rock
of limestone. There are two terrace boardwalks, the upper and lower, taking you to approximately
50 hot springs. Some of the springs look colorful and others look like frozen waterfalls.
The truth is, Yellowstone National Park is home to the most extraordinary
collection of hot springs, geysers, and mud pots in the entire world.
Over 10,000 hydrothermal features are found here of which more than 500 are geysers. That being
said, you can find many others scattered across the park besides the most famous ones. Overlooking
Yellowstone Lake, West Thumb Geyser Basin is one worth visiting thanks to its unique location.
And the road running from Norris Geyser Basin to Old Faithful also has a large concentration
of them, including the Black Sand Basin, Lower Geyser Basin, and Biscuit Basin.
You can't leave Yellowstone National Park without visiting the breathtaking Lamar Valley.
Located in the northeastern corner, this was our favorite place in the entire park.
Often referred to as the American Serengeti, Lamar Valley is known for its wide-open landscape
where you can easily spot populations of large animals. We encountered massive herds of bison,
pronghorn, grizzly bears, deer, a fox, and even wolves. Many pullouts line the road
so keep your eyes open, be patient, and park in the nearest one if you spot any wildlife.
Our favorite encounter was seeing a black bear with her two cubs climbing a tree.
As we promised at the beginning of our video, we'll now share 5 travel
tips for Yellowstone National Park. First, there are five entrances to the park and
we recommend checking the National Park website for any closures or road work.
The West Entrance is the most popular one near the town of West Yellowstone.
This is a great town to spend a night at before or after your trip in the park. You can also
find the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center here, which is worth visiting if you didn't get to see
any wolves and bears in the park, or if you just want to learn more about these special animals.
Second, the park is immense so you should try to stay at least three days there if possible.
There are lodges and campgrounds scattered around the park, and we recommend combining a
few different places. For example, spend a night or two at Canyon Village which is more central
and combine it with a stay at Tower-Roosevelt or Mammoth Hot Springs in the north.
Third, don't expect any Wi-Fi or mobile reception in the park if you're camping.
Some of the lodges have Wi-Fi if you stay there, but none of the shops or campground headquarters
had reception when we visited, so make sure to notify your family and friends before you enter.
We learned this the hard way and our family got pretty worried.
Fourth, the weather is very unpredictable in this area so be prepared for all seasons.
Bring enough warm clothing as well as a rain jacket.
If you're camping, bring a waterproof tent and some extra warm sleeping bags. We honestly would
have preferred to stay in a campervan or RV as you're more protected from the elements.
We included a link to some campervan rental options in the description below the video.
Finally, bring binoculars or a good camera with a zoom lens for wildlife watching.
Also, carry bear spray and a mosquito repellent, you'll thank us later!
We put a few essential items on the screen here to keep in mind.
If you're planning your Yellowstone National Park trip, we recommend keeping things organized
with our interactive travel planner. Find a discount code in the description below.
We also included other important links in the description that will help you with your own trip.
We'll catch you on the next adventure!