7 reasons to visit Yellowstone National Park, WY

  • Post last modified:August 16, 2023
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Yellowstone in Wyoming is a playground for nature lovers. The park’s tall mountains, dense forests, blue lakes and incredible wildlife are all great reasons to visit Yellowstone National Park. In the vast Yellowstone that even is larger than some states there’s always interesting activity to indulge in.

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1. The Hot Springs

Did you know that 60% of the world’s hot springs and geysers are inside Yellowstone? That’s how many there are. The most photographed thermal feature in the park is the Grand Prismatic Hot Spring. It’s bigger than a football field and its size makes it the third largest spring in the entire world. But as much as the size is impressive, the bright colors are stunning. The spring is blue in the middle with layers of orange, yellow and green around it.

The Grand Prismatic Spring
Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone.

2. The Geysers

Among all the geysers there is one that stands out a little bit extra as one of the best reasons to visit Yellowstone National Park. That’s the Old Faithful Geyser. The name is very suitable because you can count on that it will put on a show. Its intervals typically range from around one to two hours. If you missed an eruption, the next one shouldn’t be too far away.

The Old Faithful
Old Faithful erupts right on time.

3. Stunning natural beauty

There’s a lot of natural beauty to adore in Yellowstone. In the tough competition the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone stands out as one of the most scenic spots in the entire park. It´s so visually attractive that you will feel like you´re in a painting when you stand in front of it.

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

4. How huge Yellowstone is

In size Yellowstone National Park is larger than the states Rhode Island and Delaware. It’s so big that one day isn’t nearly enough to cover the park. The huge size is a great reason to visit Yellowstone as its largeness makes it possible for you to find peace in the park even though it’s drawing large crowds of tourists each year.

Forest in Yellowstone
Yellowstone is huge!

5. The Bison encounters

The bison that roam around freely in the park is one of the best reasons to visit Yellowstone National Park. The first time you see wild bison is a special feeling, and encountering them never gets old. Find a nice viewing point in Lamar Valley and watch them stampede below you. Just make sure that you plan your time wisely when you are in bison areas in Yellowstone. Bison jams occur all the time and when they decide to stop blocking traffic is up to them.

Bison hoard in Lamar Valley.
Lamar Valley, Yellowstone.

6. Beartooth Highway

The 68 mile (109 km) Beartooth Highway is known as one of the most scenic drives in America and a great reason to visit Yellowstone National Park. Beartooth Highway winds through the mountains in Southwest Montana and Northwest Wyoming. It starts near the picturesque mountain town Red Lodge in Montana and ends close to Yellowstone’s Northeast Entrance. In other words Beartooth Highway is a spectacular way to begin your Yellowstone National Park visit.

Mountain highway in Wyoming
Beartooth Highway, Wyoming/Montana.

7. Endless hiking trails

The endless hiking opportunities is one of the best reasons to visit Yellowstone National Park if you like to stay active when you vacation. Yellowstone encompasses more than 900 miles (1,449 km) of trails that are there to be explored. Some are easy hikes, while others are high altitude hikes at more than 7,000 feet (2134 m) above the sea level.

Narrow hiking trail in Yellowstone National Park
Hiking in Yellowstone.

Related: Also check our comprehensive list of the best things to do in the USA. Do you think Yellowstone is there?

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