In this article, we will go over some of the most beautiful features of the Yellowstone landscape, including geysers and hot springs. We will give you some helpful tips and tricks for navigating the park along with our top choices of must-see locations. If you’re planning a trip to Yellowstone National Park, you’re in the right place. Let’s get started and explore this landscape now!
Yellowstone Landscape: An Overview
One of the most popular National Parks in the world, Yellowstone sees millions of visitors annually for a number of reasons. Not only is the wildlife unmatched, but the landscape is also stunning and varied. Depending on the time of year that you visit, Yellowstone has plenty to offer. You can see rivers, lakes, valleys, mountains, and plenty of hydrothermal features, all in a single day! While this may sound enticing and simple, you’ll need to plan and prepare before visiting Yellowstone National Park. If you are planning your trip in the summertime, know that you’ll face plenty of crowds during the months of July and August. This may mean that you won’t be able to see everything you want to see, based on traffic or parking at popular locales. Seeing geysers and hot springs is of course a must in Yellowstone, along with its diverse wildlife. But what else is there to see while visiting Yellowstone National Park? From waterfalls to sweeping valleys, let’s talk about some of the most beautiful features in Yellowstone now!
The 7 Most Beautiful Features of the Yellowstone Landscape
If you’re planning a visit to Yellowstone National Park, here are some of the places that are most photographable and memorable.
Mammoth Hot Springs
Formed by rich travertine terraces, Mammoth Hot Springs is enchanting and elegant. It is also accessible year round, located just south of the northernmost entrances to the park. You can hike throughout this area, including interpretive boardwalk trails. Just keep in mind that you must remain on the trails given the sensitive thermal features and waters located in this region of the park!
Upper and Lower Falls
One of the most breathtaking features in Yellowstone has to be both the Upper and Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River. Also known as the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, these waterfalls cascade down the canyon, one of which reaches over 300 feet tall! You can view these waterfalls from a number of different hikes and overlook areas, suitable for people of all ages and capabilities.
Grand Prismatic Spring
While there are a number of fantastic places to take photographs in Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Prismatic Spring is definitely one of those places. Formed by thermal waters and bacteria, this spring is full of vibrant colors. You can see the Grand Prismatic Spring from an overlook trail as well as get up close and personal along a boardwalk trail. If you do the entire overlook trail, you’ll also be rewarded by a few more geyser sightings and waterfalls!
Lamar and Hayden Valley
Wildlife viewing is one of the primary reasons that people choose to visit Yellowstone National Park. The best place to see animals? Visit the Lamar or Hayden Valleys for some of the best wildlife sightings possible in Yellowstone. Bison, elk, wolves, and bears all enjoy these widespread and luxurious valleys, and it’s easy to get lost watching them! You can hike throughout both of these regions, or simply drive up and park for a while.
Old Faithful
Even if you didn’t know that this geyser is located within Yellowstone, you’ve likely heard of Old Faithful. Named because of its fairly consistent eruption times, Old Faithful is a must-see during your trip to Yellowstone National Park. Check in at the visitor centers or with Park Rangers for fairly accurate updates as to when this geyser might shoot its steam into the air!
Yellowstone Lake
Formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago, Yellowstone Lake is the largest high-elevation lake in the United States. There are a number of activities that you can do while viewing this spectacular location, including fishing and kayaking. You can also try searching for remnants of volcanic activity in the lake, including a sunken volcanic cone!
Norris Geyser Basin
There are a number of different geyser basins for you to explore in Yellowstone, but the Norris Geyser Basin is one of the most popular. This is the hottest and oldest section of hydrothermal activity found within the park, and it also holds the Steamboat Geyser. This is the tallest geyser in the world, but it erupts sporadically. You may get lucky enough to see it in action, but thankfully there’s plenty of other amazing sights to see should it not work out!
