My mom (love her) is one of those moms who has weird, specific obsessions and espouses them to my brother and I whenever possible. One of her fascinations is with Yellowstone National Park. So a few weeks ago, we packed our bags and flew to the middle of nowhere – also known as Billings, Montana – to see what the fuss about this park was all about.
I can tell you now that I have never seen anything like Yellowstone. It’s a vast expanse, exponentially larger than anything in California and full of many different climates, landscapes, and wildlife. It was one the first spaces to be deemed a national park by the US government, and with good reason – with rolling hills, deep canyons, geothermic activity, and lush forests, it’s a place worth exploring and protecting.
We spent two hectic days winding between the Montana and Wyoming borders. To get the full experience while making sure you are getting enough rest (there are quite a few trails to hike on), here is my guide on how to plan your trip and what to do in Yellowstone Park:
When to go: I’m not a cold weather girl, so I prefer spring and summer where you can get a good amount of sun and walk around.
Where to stay: You can fly into Billings or Bozeman and pick up a rental car from there – you WILL need a rental car, as Yellowstone is too big to do by foot alone. Some hardcore visitors camp and bring their own bicycles or motorbikes to get around, but if you enjoy glamping like my family and I do, then rent a car. There are hotels and lodges in small towns like Cooke City that place you within 20 minutes of the park entrance.
I recommend going for 3 to 4 days. Any less and you risk driving a lot between landmarks and cutting out on hiking time (as we did), and any more and you’ll start to miss city life and having a stable phone signal.
What to See (besides Old Faithful):
The Landscape Going up to Yellowstone: The drive to get into the park is just as beautiful as the actual park itself. Take time to stop and look at the valleys and small lakes that go until the horizon.
Lamar Valley: I’m positive that the song “Home on the Range” was written about Lamar Valley. Here is where you’ll see bison roaming in packs, and they are not shy about blocking the road if needed. Case in point.
Norris Geyser Basin: This part of the park made me feel like I was on another planet. The geothermic activity is eminent, with hot springs, pools, and fumaroles erupting spontaneously and dangerously close to you as you walk along the thin boardwalk. It’s beautiful and terrifying at the same time.
Grand Prismatic Spring: This is the largest hot spring in the world, and it is massive. The vibrant blue water is so hot and steaming that nobody has been able to determine how deep the spring goes. You can walk around it and see how the boiling water empties into the river, which seems cool, but is still unsafe due to high sulfur levels.
Leave a Reply