Top Wow Spots of Yellowstone National Park
There are more things to see in Yellowstone National Park than you can count, but these 13 places—from giant geysers to valleys stocked with wildlife—can’t be missed
Courtesy of Bob Reynolds
In 1872, environmentalists succeeded in getting Yellowstone dedicated as the country’s first national park. The park’s geothermal sites—geysers, hot springs, steam vents, mudpots—still make it one of the most unique places you’ll ever visit. But, beyond its fiery features, there’s tons to see and do in this more than 2 million-acre lot filled with waterfalls, wildflower-stocked meadows, burly animals, deep canyons—and yes, those famous geysers. Whether you pass through on a road trip or opt to stick around and camp, this is the shortlist of 13 things you must see in Yellowstone.
Grand Prismatic Spring
The largest hot spring in the U.S. (and the most famous one in the West) looks almost other-worldly in its rainbow-like brilliance. It’s one you must see in Yellowstone. The Hayden Expedition in 1871 named this spring because of its beautiful coloration, and the fluorescent intensity depicted in artist Thomas Moran’s water-color sketches. Swimming is strictly off-limits, but it’s a beauty to gaze upon.
Artist Point, Lower Falls
Downstream on the Yellowstone River, Yellowstone’s 24-mile-long and thousand-foot-deep Grand Canyon is every bit as breathtaking as the one in Arizona (for reasons all its own), offering a supreme vantage point of several Yellowstone landmarks including the Upper and Lower Falls, Artist Point, Point Sublime, and Silver Cord Cascade. Both rims of the canyon offer spectacular views, but the north side is the most popular. On the south rim of the Grand Canyon, Artists’ Point commands a 700-foot vista down to the river.
Lamar Valley
Just east of Tower-Roosevelt, Lamar Valley, a must-see in Yellowstone, provides one of the most plentiful opportunities to catch a glimpse of Yellowstone’s exotic wildlife such as elk, bison, osprey, bald eagles, antelope, moose, black bears and grizzlies, as well as bears and wolves. Early morning and late evening are the times of day where you’re most likely to have the best luck to see epic wildlife in the park.
Beartooth Pass
Drive along Beartooth Highway to see a sea of wildflowers from June to July around Beartooth Pass and all along this scenic drive that stretches from Red Lodge, MT, to Cody, WY. You can start at the northeast entrance of the park, and drive up to the 1,100-foot elevation pass. Along the way, you’ll see alpine lakes, razor-sharp pointy peaks, and maybe even skiers (yes, there’s sometimes enough snow up here for summer skiing).
Mammoth Hot Springs
Yellowstone has many must-see attractions, and the Mammoth Hot Springs hydrothermal area is one you absolutely can’t miss. Several key ingredients combine to make the springs’ terraces: heat, water, limestone, and a rock fracture system through which hot water can reach the earth’s surface. The Canary Springs terraces (pictured) get its name from the yellow color, which comes from sulfur-eating bacteria and creates a creamy looking surface.
Grand Canyon
Don’t miss a trip to the park’s own Grand Canyon, whose walls, in certain light, shine the color of spun gold. The canyon also has not one but two magnificently cascading waterfalls.
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is something you must see in Yellowstone. It’s the force that created the canyon and the falls. It begins on the slopes of Yount Peak, south of the park, and travels more than 600 miles to its terminus in North Dakota where it empties into the Missouri River. It is the longest undammed river in the continental United States. The best fly fishing happens on the Montana side if you fancy a catch.
Castle Geyser
One of the oldest hydrothermal features in the park, Castle Geyser’s eruptions are a sensational experience in sight and sound―with a cone reaching up to 90 feet, it sounds like an oncoming steam train. And since the park is open 24 hours, you can see the show with the stars overhead.
Anywhere with Yellowstone Wolves
There’s no guarantee you’ll see wolves on a trip to Yellowstone, but they’re by far one of the best sights to catch in the park. Wolves are out from September to June and are mostly spotted in the Lamar Valley, Hayden Valley, and geyser areas like Artist Paint Pots (pictured). Hedge your bets by visiting in the snowy months, when their grey fur pops against the snow. Or, even better: travel with a wolf-watching tour pro.
Morning Glory Pool
Long a favored destination for park visitors, Morning Glory Pool was named in the 1880s for its remarkable likeness to its namesake flower. One of the best things to do in Yellowstone is to see this pool on the Old Faithful area tour. Through the years Morning Glory’s appearance has changed as its temperature dropped. Orange and yellow bacteria that formerly colored only the periphery of the spring now spread toward its center.
