Yellowstone – Skyscraper Geysers galore, Bison and Bear spotting, plus how to experience Yellowstone with small children.
We are on a 7,000 mile Great American Road trip. You can catch up on our last post: Driving through Washington, Idaho, and Montana – Wrangling Cattle at the Grant Kohrs Cattle Ranch and Discovering the petrified wood of Ginkgo Petrified State forest! here.
Driving into the park from Bozeman Montana weaves through Wyoming and Montana, following the Gallatin River through Big Sky and opening up to Hebgen Lake in Montana. The entrance to Yellowstone is in West Yellowstone a city situated just outside the park – your last stop for phone reception.
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is the nation’s first National Park, signed into law in 1872 to be protected by federal government by Ulysses S. Grant. Early explorers of Yellowstone were captivated by it’s beauty and unique geologic features. Today Yellowstone delivers well beyond it’s expectations.
The highlights of the park are:
- Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
- Extremophiles at Mammoth Hot Springs
- Camping at Grant Village
- Geysers at West Thumb
- Wildlife, running wild
- Good Old Faithful
Why is Yellowstone is Unique this year?
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the park’s opening, and evidence of this is sprinkled throughout the park. Secondly, this is the year of the floods. Both of the North entrances are closed due to extreme flooding wiping out the roads.
Things that you simply must know about Yellowstone…
1. It’s a Super Volcano
Yellowstone is geologically unique. Yellowstone is situated on a dormant super volcano almost ~50 miles wide. Last erupting 640,000 years ago, what is left behind is a wonderland of mountains, geysers, wildlife and striking beauty.
You are literally camping in the caldera of a volcano!
2. It’s Big Park!
The park is massive! It is divided into two loops the Northern Loop and the Southern Loop. To grasp it’s scale, a drive from Grant Village Campground (where we stayed) to Mammoth Hot Springs is 2 hours!
And then you need to get back to camp!
Top Experiences to Visit In Yellowstone
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
Perhaps you have seen our post about the Grand Canyon on our trip. Yellowstone has a Grand Canyon of their very own. A very short hike from the parking lot takes you to Artist’s point.
Here is where Thomas Moran first attempted to capture Yellowstone’s beauty. The result is the very painting that inspired American Congress to sign into law the protection of Yellowstone. While painting, he famously said he did not have enough colors on his palette to truly capture everything.
You will have to visit and decide for yourself.
Wildlife of Yellowstone
In the park, we saw: Bison, Elk, Black Bears, Yellow-Bellied Marmont, Mule Deer, Pika, Chipmunks, Squirrels, Pelicans, Cutthroat Trout, Cranes, Magpie, and Ravens.
Driving around the park, you will literally run into the wildlife if you are not looking where you are driving. This is why it is especially important to obey the speed limit. Particularly if you have to drive at night.
Majestic Bison
Our favorite animal is the Bison.
Bison were hunted to near extinction in the 1800’s. Population of Bison in America went from 10’s of millions to less than 1,000. Early settlers and cowboys wildly hunted these animals for game, meat and for their furs.
Native American’s treasure these animals, as they provide their tribes with food and the skins provide warmth.
When Congress protected Yellowstone, they also protected the Bison. This last herd of Bison became the ancestors of all the Bison now inhabiting the entire US (including the ones you eat). Pretty cool fact, and glad we saved these guys!
Bears
Spotting a bear is extremely rare. Madison’s doctor mentioned traveling to Yellowstone 54 times and only 4 of those actually seeing a bear.
Bears are also very dangerous. They love coming around when you leave food out for them (so don’t do it). Apparently when my mom was about 3, she was riding in the car with the windows down eating a snack. A bear came right up to the side of the car and swiped the snack out of her hand.
Extremophiles
What is an Extremophile? Extremophile’s are bacteria that thrive in conditions that are lethal to humans. Often at hundreds of degrees, highly suphurous or acidic waters. The result is a panoply of color on display. None is this more clear than at Mammoth Hot Springs or at the Grand Prismatic Spring.
Geysers, Hot Springs, Everywhere!
Over half the Geysers in the world are located in Yellowstone. With over 10,000 thermal features to choose from, narrowing down the options of what to see can be daunting. Our top pics are below.
- Old Faithful
- Fountain Paint Pot
- Biscuit Basin
- Grand Prismatic Springs
- Mammoth Hot Springs
- West Thumb Geyser Basin
Camping at Grant Village
Grant Village is among the most scenic campgrounds at Yellowstone. Situated on Yellowstone Lake, it’s beauty makes up for it being located on the far south part of the southern loop. Accessing the North loop can be up to 6 hours of driving round trip.
Grant Village is dry camping. Meaning it has no services available at your campsite. However, they provide a water filling and dump station. This makes for a nice rustic camping experience. Of course, we brought our generator.
Luckily, we found ourselves with a view of the lake from our camper. This made for excellent sunrise and sunset viewings. Lincoln found a land bridge that we accessed by fallen tree. Alas, we did not have our camera on us – so it will live on in our memory.
Experiencing Yellowstone with Small Children
You can practically drive up to all of the geysers, hot springs and significant features of Yellowstone. Each are within a mile or two of the parking lot. Practically, all of the hikes around geysers are on raised walkways and at a safe distance.
Here are the Top Experiences recommended for small children:
- Become a Jr Ranger at Old Faithful – the visitor center hosts the Jr. Ranger program*, an excellent way to learn about the park. In the Old Faithful visitor center is a museum with interesting learning opportunities from the many exhibits on display and theatre.
- Spot Wildlife – Drive around the park, and identify the wildlife right from your car.
- Hike West Thumb Geyser Basin – Hike around Geysers at the edge of Lake Yellowstone. With this beautiful backdrop you can explore the many thermal features within a 2 mile drive of Grant Village. The entire hike is about a half mile.
- Visit Grand Canyon of Yellowstone – hold your little one’s hand as you hike near the cliff’s edge. See where the yellow in Yellowstone came from.
* The Jr. Ranger program activity books are available from any of the Visitor Centers. You can turn in completed ones or mail them in for the prized badges.
Safety Third
Although the walkways and hikes are accessible for small kids, be safe as some walkways do not have railings. Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen. And keep a safe distance from the wildlife.
They recommend renting a can of Bear spray as a bear encounter can happen at any time. However, I would likely only do this if I were going on a backcountry hike.
As we pack up camp, our 4 day stay at Yellowstone comes to an end. Now we continue the Journey East towards Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills!
