Yellowstone National Park Sightseeing and Holidays

Yellowstone Holidays USA

Yellowstone National Park holidays involve quite a lot of driving as the National Park is located at the border of three US States, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Yellowstone is the oldest of the United States National Parks and with the ground level of the park approaching 8000 feet in elevation in parts, it is also one of the highest. Yellowstone National Park is, without doubt one of the best examples of 'Hydrothermal' effects in the World as well as America's largest mountain lake at this height (7,733 feet).

Yellowstone holidays offer some spectacular waterfalls and scenery; Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone at 308 feet is twice the height of Niagara Falls. Red Rock Point (accessed by 3/8 mile trail) probably offers some of the finest North Rim views of the Canyon. The Upper Falls (109 feet) and Tower Falls in the canyon are equally impressive.

The water from Yellowstone's many hydrothermal effects is nearly all from natural rain and snow precipitation, collected by the natural porous ground drainage system. The heat comes from the magna of the Earth or from hot lava deep underground. Scientists estimate that the molten rock and lava is between 5,000 to 20,000 feet underground. By drilling to a depth of three hundred feet, the temperature has been confirmed to be 400 Fahrenheit.

Hydrothermal Features

There are many fascinating hydrothermal features to see during your Yellowstone National Park holidays. Here are some of the main park attractions:-

Geysers

Some of Yellowstone National Park's geysers erupt to heights of over 200 feet. There are many examples of Mud Pots and Fumaroles around the park, making Yellowstone one of the most volcanically active regions in the World. "Old Faithful", discovered in 1870, is one of Yellowstone's most well known geysers. It erupts to heights of 184 feet every 33 - 120 minutes. It is unfortunately becoming more irregular, despite its name, due to the cone being partially blocked by coins and debris, in some part caused by tourists.

Hot Springs

These are Hydrothermal effects that form 'terraces' within Yellowstone National Park.  Mammoth Hot Springs in the North of the park is a good example. Here the underground plumbing system runs through soft limestone (calcium carbonate) and the numerous openings to the surface prevent the great pressures. Instead Carbon Dioxide issuing from the hot volcanic rocks below, bubble up through subterranean ground water forming carbonic acid. This acid then rapidly dissolved large quantities of limestone. The Mammoth Hot Springs were formed when this lime-saturated water seeped from the surface and down the sloped terraces.

Fumaroles

Yellowstone National Park's Fumaroles are holes or vents in the earth's crust from which hot gases escape. It is in effect a hot spring that has a depleted water supply. The water that is present is thus continually converted to steam and vents from the hole with a characteristic hissing sound..

Mud Pots

Yellowstone's mud pots are also known by their other names Paint Pots or Mud Volcanoes. Mud Pots are actually Fumaroles which lead to a hidden underground basin. Their activity is caused by steam rising through acidic underground water which dissolves certain underground minerals into clays. Various mineral types give rise to the different colours. Fountain Paint Pots in the park is a good example.

Planning Holidays to Yellowstone

Sightseeing Yellowstone National Park holidays explore the 300 miles of roads in the park. In reality, the main driving loop covers most of the more popular areas of Yellowstone and is about 180 miles round trip! The 'Grand Loop' as it is known begins at the West Entrance of the park. The speed limit in Yellowstone National Park is a sensible 45mph to allow all visitors to enjoy the park's unique natural geothermal effects.

It is sensible to take your time driving around the park to watch out for Yellowstone wildlife and to fully appreciate the beautiful Wyoming scenery. Remember that animals such as Buffalo, Elk, Moose and Bears are potentially extremely dangerous and close contact should always be avoided.

Yellowstone Driving Directions

Unfortunately, Yellowstone holidays involve some advance planning as the park isn't the easiest of places to get to, but it's well worth the effort.

The closest major city is Salt Lake City in Utah which is still about 400 miles away, from where it is possible to fly (or drive if you have the time) to Jackson, Wyoming which is located just south of the Grand Teton National Park. From there, you can take a one day drive through Grand Teton National Park and onto the South Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Remember to always pre-book accommodation at peak times as the park can be very busy during the summer months. It is always wise to bring warm clothes. Since the park is at a high elevation, it can be very cold at night as I found out when I visited in September and it was a hard frost every night! It is also worth bearing in mind that some of the park's lodging closes for the season at the end of September, although the park is quieter at this time. We stayed at the Yellowstone Lodge which was very basic, but had a good atmosphere.

Holiday Sightseeing Tips

In Yellowstone National Park, many great photographic opportunities exist in the early morning and just before sunset when the steam from the Geysers is more noticeable and the colours more vivid. Take a good insect repellent too as the large amounts of warm water lead to many flies and insects in the summer months.

Yellowstone National Park Highlights

Yellowstone holidays offer beautiful scenery and large areas of Wyoming and Montana wilderness to explore. Take a look at pictures of the main areas of the park by clicking on the hyperlinks throughout this Yellowstone holiday guide.

Highlights of the park are the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone with its impressive waterfalls and fantastic coloured canyon walls and the spectacular river valleys such as Madison River Valley. Take your time to really appreciate this area of the park and try to get away from the crowds on one of the many trails. The Morning Glory Pool not far from Old Faithful is visually very spectacular with emerald blue boiling waters and colourful terraces.

For a spectacular view of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, make sure you visit Artist Point which has a drop of nearly 700 feet to the canyon floor and the Yellowstone River below. Artist Point is considered to offer one of the finest views in the National Park. Click here for another fantastic scenic view of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

Yellowstone Lodging and Accommodation

Yellowstone National Park lodging takes the form of either cabin, lodge, resort hotel or camping type accommodation. We first summarise your lodging options inside Yellowstone National Park:-

Old Faithful Inn and Old Faithful Lodge Cabins

One of the most popular places to stay for holidays to Yellowstone National Park is Old Faithful Inn, which is one of the largest log cabins in the world. The Old Faithful Inn is a US National Landmark Hotel and is situated right next to the world famous 'Old Faithful Geyser'. The Old Faithful Lodge Cabins are adjacent to the main Old Faithful Inn and still retain impressive views of Old Faithful Geyser. Some cabins have en suite bathrooms.

Rooms at Old Faithful Inn were re-fitted in the early nineties and some now have en suite bathrooms (but some still rely on communal washrooms). There is a restaurant and a gift store at the property. The author has stayed in this property and found it fairly comfortable and fun, if a little basic.

Old Faithful Snow Lodge

The Old Faithful Snow Lodge is a heavy log cabin completed in 1999. It has a full service dining room and grill and is open year-round (including during the winter holiday season). Old Faithful Snow Lodge shares its winter season opening with only one other Yellowstone hotel - the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. Access to Old Faithful Snow lodge during winter is only possible by snow-coach.

Lake Yellowstone Hotel

Lake Yellowstone Hotel is Yellowstone National Park's oldest hotel completed in the late 1800's and possesses a unique 1920's feel and charm with an elegant dining restaurant. The hotel also has cabin accommodation for budget Yellowstone travellers.

Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel

For holidays to Yellowstone National Park during the winter season, it's important to note that only two hotels remain open for winter. Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel remains open and is located near the park's North Entrance and is normally accessible by car even during the winter. The hotel is situated close to the steaming terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs, which is a famous visitor attraction of Yellowstone National Park (described earlier in this Yellowstone National Park travel guide). The Mammoth Hot Springs hotel has various cabin lodging options and even has suites. Rooms come with or without en suite baths.

Yellowstone Camping and RV Parks

There are 11 campgrounds, ideal for backpacking holidays to Yellowstone National Park. An RV park is also available seasonally with 340 individual sites. Reservations for four of the largest campsites is possible through Xanterra Parks & Resorts Yellowstone Reservation Center. The other Yellowstone campgrounds take guests on a first come first served basis and no pre-booked reservations are thus possible. Camping sites are located at Bridge Bay (30 miles from the east entrance), Madison (centrally located inside the park), Canyon (near the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone) and Grant (about 20 miles north of the south entrance).

Yellowstone National Park Accommodation

To find cheap Yellowstone accommodation close to the National Park, click on the Ebookers banner below and enter "Yellowstone" as your destination. Ebookers will then list the closest gateway town or city with hotel availability:-

Other Yellowstone National Park travel and accommodation resources are provided below. Please use the pull-down menu to select them.

Yellowstone Car Hire

Visit our cheap USA car hire page for Yellowstone National Park car rental. Car rental pickup points are from towns and cities geographically close to Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Parks.

California and Arizona State Pictures

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