With the inception of the Yellowstone national park, the U.S. got its first National Park, and many believe that it is the first National Park worldwide. Counted among the best national parks in the USA, Yellowstone. The Park features a lush green space housing several wildlife species and popular geothermal features like the Old Faithful geyser. This flagship national park service welcomes millions of visitors each year. Irrespective of whether you have a young one or an older adult in your family, a visit to this National Park will surely enlighten all moods. This article will act like a Yellowstone national park tour guide to help you plan your trip to this iconic National Park and get the best of this journey.
Best Time To Explore
Every Yellowstone national park visitor guide would recommend visiting this National Park in April, September, and October. You will get a better glimpse of the local wildlife in their natural habitat with lesser crowds as these are counted as an off-season.
Best Way To Explore
Get your hiking shoes ready off the shelf because the Yellowstone national park visitor guide states that hitting the trails gives you a complete sense of the amazing geothermal features and beautiful landscape.
Entry Charges & Time
You can get a seven-day pass for private and non-commercial vehicles for $35 per vehicle, excluding the Grand Teton National Park entry. Therefore, one should plan a minimum of 2-3 days to explore the best of the Yellowstone National Park has to offer. Catch a glimpse of the popular destinations within and explore the off-beat paths and other attractions if you want more days.
Must To Do Activities
Old Faithful
Catch a glimpse of the Old Faithful either early morning or late in the evening to beat the crowd. Undoubtedly, the biggest attraction in the Park pulls in the majority of the tourist population all through the day. Visiting this show-off at either time helps smartly skip long queues and provides a more intimate experience.
Yellowstone Lake
This must be planned for the afternoon. The largest Lake in North America is spread over 136 square miles. The Lake has much beyond the shoreline. Take a guided boat tour that takes you all through the features. Your Yellowstone National Park tour guide also provides boats for rent.
Hiking Trail
Yellowstone boasts of several scenic hiking trails and offers one of the best adventure vacations in the US. You can get a sneak peek of the Park’s exquisite features by just driving through the roads. However, we recommend hiking through the trails to catch the off-beat paths. Everybody knows the Park’s major attractions, but the Park has much more to offer than the major attractions. Walking on the boardwalk or the trail gives you a wonderful sense of the incredible landscape that the Yellowstone National Park has been blessed with.
Be Watchful To Catch A Glimpse Of The Wildlife
Yellowstone houses an amazing wildlife species. Be Attentive to be there at the right time and catch a glimpse of the pack. The Haden Valley is one of the best observation spots to catch popular wildlife species. The legendary bison are best seen either early morning or in the evening.
Lamar Valley
One of the best observation points for wildlife watching, Lamar Valley can help you catch hold of the gray wolf, bears, bighorn sheep, and coyotes. The observation views are stunning at dusk and dawn – they surely need to be captured. These will surely be part of your memories down the years. Keep your binoculars handy for the best experience. You will never be comfortable getting up close with the wildlife.
Stopover At The Visitor Centres
Each visitor centre provides educational exhibits, activity booklets, and other offerings that give you deeper insights into the Park. Also, don’t miss the ranger walk and the evening program. Taking your kids off these visitors centres will be extremely tough.
Star Gazing
The mesmerizing landscape looks even more perfect when the starlit sky lightens the environment making it a must-visit activity. Stargazing is one of the least visited wonders within the Park. As the star keep popping up in the sky post the sunset, the landscape takes a magical turn. A telescope is an absolute must in your backpack.
A Flashlight would be handy if you are planning to spend the night at the Park
Many solo travelers consider Yellowstone as one of the best solo trips in the USA. Hence, it is important that you take care of your personal safety. The outdoor lighting within the Park is maintained soft to ensure the Park’s natural habitat is not hampered at any time. So, it would be ideal to carry a flashlight to guide yourself and your family through the Park, especially if you are traveling alone.
Pack Your Bags For Multiple Seasons
Rain gear and warm clothes are an absolute must in your backpack. Night temperatures can drop down faster than you think – mainly due to the surrounding mountain ranges and high elevation.
Key Highlights
- Every Yellowstone National Park visitor guide will state the following:
- The first National Park worldwide is spread over 2.2 million acres housing ungulates (moose, pronghorn, bison, and elk), mammals, bird & fish species.
- 1,100+ native plant species, of which 200 fall in the exotic category and 400 species of thermophiles.
- The largest calderas, 300+ geysers, and 10,000+ hydrothermal features are housed here.
- Being amid the most celebrated vacation spots in USA, this national park boasts of two hundred ninety waterfalls.
- Yellowstone Lake has the highest altitude and largest Lake in North America. Hot springs are the most common causes of injuries and accidents within the National Park.
- There are 12 campgrounds and nine visitor centres to cater to the visitor requirements.
- Yellowstone National Park tour guide is a wonderful way to explore the distinct regions, including the abundance of wildlife in their natural habitat. You will be indeed surprised by the variety and vastness of this Park.