Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Yellowstone is one of the treasures of the United States and the sights here are unique to any other national park in the country. If you're researching and finding yourself a bit overwhelmed, like I did, as to which of the airports you should fly into, that's exactly how I felt .
Yellowstone is in Wyoming, but sits on the border of Montana and Idaho as well, so there will be several options to choose from: (1) Jackson, Wyoming (JAC), (2) Cody, Wyoming (COD), (3) Bozeman, Montana (BZN), (4) Billings, Montana (BIL), (5) West Yellowstone, Montana (WYS) but this is a seasonal airport. I can't say much about the rest, since we flew into Jackson, and stayed near there in a rustic/charming airbnb near Victor, Wyoming. This made it quite convenient to visit Grand Teton, but we were quite a bit further from the West Yellowstone entrance, which is the entrance I'd recommend. We really had no choice though to get closer since we booked relatively last minute and went over 4th of July weekend. All of the airbnb and hotel lodgings were full.
Also, since there isn't a major metropolitan super close by, everything in this area is catered to tourists who come from all around the world, so expect to pay more for lodging.
Here's a list of our points of interest for Yellowstone, which a friend passed along. We saw all of these except the Chico Hot Springs. Hopefully this will help you plan your trip.
If you're traveling by plane, you will need a rental car. Everything is spread out and you will have to drive to see all the sights. I am not sure if there are bus/shuttle options available, but half the fun here is driving at your own pace and stopping when you see wildlife. It's pretty easy to know when there's wildlife nearby since there will be cars pulled over and congregating, or when traffic suddenly comes to a crawl.
Old Faithful
Undoubtedly the most famous sight at Yellowstone. If you are in Yellowstone for multiple days, then I would put Old Faithful at the top of the list in the morning on whatever day you are there, as it gets crowded. The nps website has predictions on eruptions, but currently it's about every 30 minutes and that's how it earned its name Old Faithful. While geysers are normally difficult to predict, Old Faithful has been erupting at regular intervals for more than 100 years. This means that you could arrive right after an eruption and need to wait around for the next one. We were lucky to have arrived not long before the eruption and thus did not have to wait long.
Some of the hot springs in Yellowstone. Please remember not to get too close. There are signs around the park about people who have been seriously injured and who have also died each year because of carelessness around the hot springs. The temperatures will literally melt the flesh off your bones, and that is a horrifying thought.
Morning Glory
This was probably one of my favorites of the hot springs at Yellowstone because of how unimaginably vivid and neon the colors are.
Wildlife at Yellowstone
The wildlife at Yellowstone roam all over the park, and it really is any possible moment that you might see something. We spent a lot of time suddenly pulling over because of these sightings. Having a telephoto lens camera helps too, as sometimes the animals are a little distant and you can't get closer.
Lamar Valley
I'd have to say that Lamar Valley was one of my favorite areas because it really felt like the Serengeti of the park - it is also referred to as America's serengeti, with wide open spaces and animals easy to spot because of it. There are also campgrounds here. You will possibly spot wolves, herds of bison, pronghorn, badgers, grizzly bears, bald eagles, osprey, deer, and coyotes.
Interesting fact- gray wolves were systematically exterminated in the mid 1900s. This was done during a time when people had less understanding of the interconnectedness of species and the ecosystem. At the time, westward expansion destroyed much of the wolves' prey base, which caused wolves to prey on domestic stock. Hundreds of wolves were killed in the park, and by the mid-1900s, these wolves were almost entirely eliminated from the lower 48 states. However, the cascade effects of the removal of wolves as a top predator began to show themselves as time went on. Deer and elk, which are the wolves' natural prey, began to multiply substantially, as they were no longer afraid to graze in the open. This resulted in overgrazing, leaving the land open to erosion. When wolves were reintroduced in 1995, this changed their prey's behavior patterns, and as a result, those areas began to regenerate, and species such as birds, beavers, mice, and bears returned. Plant life once again thrived and erosion decreased significantly. The reintroduction of just a small population of wolves transformed the whole park!
Artist Point
Artist Point is one of the exceptional overlooks of the park. The view is accessible from a nearby parking lot and requires literally no effort to get to. My friend liked this one the best of the many things Yellowstone has to offer. It is probably one of the most photographed places in Yellowstone. The view allows you a great perspective of the 308-foot lower falls. Beyond the paved trail, you can continue hiking along the south rim.
Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth Hot Springs was one of my last stops at Yellowstone. Terraces made of crystallized calcium carbonate on a hill of travertine, created over thousands of years. The hot water comes from Norris Geyser Basin. This area is really unique, and although it's located quite a bit from the other attractions, it's definitely worth it to stop by here. The hot springs are divided into two terraces and it is about a 1.75 mile walk throughout.
