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Overview

Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming (spilling slightly into Montana and Idaho) is the United States’ first national park, a living geology lesson where geysers roar, rivers steam in winter, and bison hold up traffic with regal indifference. I came for the technicolor hot springs—yes, the Grand Prismatic Spring is as surreal as the photos—but I stayed for the way the park rearranged my sense of scale and time. Here’s my take, from planning to bucket‑list highlights, the good, the gripes, and whether it’s worth your precious vacation days.

Getting There & First Impressions

• Access: Multiple entrances—West Yellowstone (Montana) is the busiest and often the most convenient for services; Jackson Hole/Grand Teton to the south is the scenic gateway. Roads are generally seasonal; many close in deep winter.
• First look: Sulfur-scented air, a skyline of lodgepole pines, and the feeling that the earth here is breathing. Steam curls from roadside vents even on mild days, and it’s disorienting in the best way.

Headliners & Highlights

• Grand Prismatic Spring: The aerial‑like boardwalk view is fine, but the elevated overlook on the Fairy Falls trail is the showstopper. Those concentric rings of blue, green, and orange are microbial art.
• Old Faithful & Upper Geyser Basin: Old Faithful’s reliability is comforting, but the surrounding basin steals the show—Castle, Grand, and Riverside geysers can upstage the headliner if you catch them.
• Norris Geyser Basin: The park’s hottest, starkest basin; a moonscape where the earth hisses in stereo. Steamboat Geyser is a diva—spectacular but unpredictable.
• Hayden & Lamar Valleys: Wildlife central. Dawn and dusk are prime for bison, elk, pronghorn, and, if you’re patient and lucky, wolves and grizzlies. Bring binoculars.
• Yellowstone Lake & West Thumb: A serene counterweight to the steam and rumble, with hot springs right on the lakeshore.
• Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone: The pastel canyon walls and the thunder of Lower Falls are worth lingering over. The Artist Point view earns the name.

Trails I Loved

• Fairy Falls to Grand Prismatic Overlook: Easy, popular, and worth weaving through the crowds for that elevated perspective.
• Uncle Tom’s Trail (if open): A calf‑burning stair descent to a misty, intimate angle of Lower Falls.
• Mount Washburn: Broad views across the park; start early for solitude and cooler temps.
• Lone Star Geyser: A gentle bike or hike through forest to a backcountry geyser with periodic eruptions—bring a snack and wait it out.

Practical Tips

• Timing: Shoulder seasons (late May–June, September) balance access with fewer crowds. Mid‑summer is glorious but busy. Winter is magical by snowcoach or guided snowmobile.
• Safety: Stay on boardwalks—ground can be thin and water scalding. Keep 25 yards from most wildlife and 100 from bears/wolves. This is not a petting zoo.
• Logistics: Lodging inside the park books months ahead; consider Gardiner, West Yellowstone, or Jackson as bases. Gas is available but spaced—top off when you can.
• Weather: Four seasons in a day. Layer up and pack rain gear regardless of the forecast.
• Photography: Heat shimmer is real—shoot early. For Grand Prismatic, the overlook mid‑morning often gives the richest color once steam lifts.

What Could Be Better

• Congestion: Popular pullouts and basins can feel like theme parks by mid‑day. Embrace early starts or commit to less‑trafficked corners.
• Food: Inside‑park dining is improving but still uneven. Pack picnics to keep your day flexible.
• Cell Service: Spotty. Download maps offline and let your phone go feral.

Who Will Love It

• Geology nerds, wildlife watchers, landscape photographers, families with curious kids, and anyone who secretly hopes the planet is a bit weirder than it looks from the highway. If you hate sulfur smells, crowds, or long drives between sights, calibrate expectations.

Sample 2–3 Day Itinerary

• Day 1: Upper Geyser Basin (Old Faithful area) in the morning; Midway/Lower Geyser Basins by late morning; Fairy Falls overlook; sunset at Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
• Day 2: Sunrise in Lamar Valley for wildlife; brunch in Cooke City or back in Mammoth; wander Mammoth Hot Springs terraces; soak (legally) at the Boiling River when open.
• Day 3 (optional): Norris Geyser Basin early; drive to West Thumb and Yellowstone Lake; finish at Hayden Valley for dusk wildlife.

Sustainability & Respect

• Trails and boardwalks exist to protect you and the delicate features—stay on them. Pack out trash, go low‑impact, and give wildlife space to be wild.
• Consider off‑peak visits or shuttles where available to reduce congestion and emissions.

Verdict

Yellowstone is not just worth it; it’s foundational—a place that redefines “national park” as a living, rumbling, technicolor organism. Despite crowds and logistics, it delivers moments that feel prehistoric and personal at once. I’d return in a heartbeat, preferably with a thermos of coffee for those blue‑hour Lamar stakeouts and an extra memory card for when the earth decides to put on a show.