We visited almost all areas in the Yellowstone National Park in 2 ½ days we had in our hand. We visited Madison as our first spot followed by Norris and Mammoth Area on our 2nd day. Along with Mammoth Hot Springs, we also visited Canyon Village and Fishing Bridge area on our 2nd day. To read about previous experiences, check previous blog posts here – Madison and Mammoth Hot Springs.
TOWER ROOSEVELT AREA:
Once you cross the Forces of the Northern Range trailhead, you will notice a mud one-way road known as Blacktail Plateau drive which passes through the Phantom Lake and Floating Island Lake and joins the Grand Loop road near to the Petrified Tree. We took Blacktail Plateau drive as we had rented SUV and also we wanted to spot at least a grizzly bear. The blacktail plateau drive is known as a famous spot for grizzly bear. But, unfortunately, we couldn’t spot anyone but the drive was scenic in the gravel road
Petrified Tree
PLACES TO EXPLORE:
- Blacktail Plateau Drive – 6-mile dirt road which passes through woods and meadows of Blacktail Deer Plateau. Watch out for the elks, bison, and bear that frequent this area
- Petrified Tree – a solid rock which was once a giant redwood tree surrounded by a forest of trees
- Roosevelt Lodge – near to the Yellowstone’s Tower falls area built in 1920 once used by President Theodore Roosevelt. The seats on the front porch provide breathtaking scenery
- Calcite Springs Overlook – A short walk along the trail will lead to the overlook where one can view Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Yellow stone river and columnar Basalt cliffs
- Tower Falls – a 132 feet waterfall located in the northeastern part of the Yellowstone Park near Tower Junction. The falls can be seen from the viewpoint which is roughly 100 yards from the parking area.
- Lamar Valley – huge and wide valley located along the Lamar River, known as America’s Serengeti for its large and easy-to-see populations of large animals.
Tower Falls
TIPS:
- Blacktail plateau drive approximately takes 30 – 40 minutes
- Driving along the plateau drive is usually slower than driving on the Grand Loop road as it is unpaved
- RVs, Buses, and trailers are prohibited
- Avoid driving in the Plateau drive if it is rained recently
- ALL wheel drive is highly recommended
- Stay alert on the roads
- Stay away from the wildlife
- Animals can be spotted at dawn or dusk. Ensure to be in the park before the sunrise to view the odds like wolves, coyotes, and bears
- Pack binoculars as animals cannot be seen through the naked eye
- Look for groups of people pulled over in the Lamar valley – they could have spotted a bison, wolf or any other animal
- Finally wait patiently to catch a glimpse of wildlife
We visited the petrified tree, calcite springs overlook, tower falls and by the time we reached Lamar Valley, it was almost dusk but we couldn’t spot any wildlife. We waited for a few minutes in the valley and we could spot only Bison in a long distance. Wish we had binoculars on our hand to view them closer. But then, I used a Zoom lens to view them closer. Our next stop was Canyon Village Area where we were completely taken by the beauty and the majesty of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone Park which is created by the Yellowstone River, a longest undammed river in the continental United States.
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
CANYON VILLAGE AREA
PLACES TO EXPLORE:
- Canyon Visitor Education Center – Visitor center where you can learn about the super volcano, geyser and hot springs of Yellowstone
- Grand Canyon of Yellowstone River – The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River expresses the park’s complex geologic history in dramatic colors and shapes. The upper and the Lower falls add so much beauty to the magnificent canyon created by the force of the Yellowstone River. A number of overlooks and trails are available to view and appreciate the beauty of the canyon
North Rim Drive – A 1.2 miles one-way road starts at the south of the canyon junction and takes you to four accessible views of the canyon – Brink of Lower Falls, Lookout View Point, Inspiration Viewpoint and Grand Viewpoint.
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
- Inspiration Point – a point where you can get the glimpse of Lower Falls of Yellowstone
- South Rim Drive – A 2.3 miles begins at the south of the Canyon junction and leads you to viewpoints – Artist Viewpoint where you can view the canyon and Uncle Tom’s Point where you can view Upper and Lower Falls.
- Hayden Valley – a huge valley to view wildlife including grizzly bears, coyotes, ducks, and American white pelicans.
Lower Falls – Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
One should not definitely miss the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone River at any cost. The North Rim and South Rim drive are prone to closures due to the descents and the weather. We took the trail to the Brink of Lower falls to view the falls – a 308 feet beauty and larger one among the two falls can be viewed from the viewpoint. You can walk down the trail to reach to the viewpoint where you can view the foot of the Lower Falls. Unfortunately, the Inspiration point is closed when we visited the Canyon.
We wanted to drive across the South Rim and view the Upper & Lower falls from the Uncle Tom’s Point and Artist Point, but then when we checked with one of the rangers in the falls about the trail, we came to know that most of the viewpoints across the drive are closed for the season and some for the renovation.
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
FAST FACTS:
- The Lower Falls is often described as being more than twice the size of Niagara, although this only refers to its height and not the volume of water flowing over it.
- Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River – one of the most photographed views in the park.
- Hayden Valley is famous for the concentration of wildlife.
- Check for the rim closures before planning your visit.
- Stay alert and stay away from the wildlife.
- Do not feed wildlife.
- Pack your binoculars to watch wildlife.
- Ensure to be in Hayden Valley either before sunrise or at dusk.
Lower Falls with a Rainbow
Foot of Lower Falls
TIPS:
- Take a drive along the North Rim to view the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone River
- Take a drive along the South Rim to view the Grand Canyon from the other side
- Take a stroll at the Brink of Lower/Upper Falls to view the falls
- Watch for wildlife in the Hayden Valley
Lower Falls – Grand View Point
FISHING BRIDGE, LAKE VILLAGE, AND BRIDGE BAY AREA
Whether the mentioned area doesn’t have many geysers or hot springs to look out, the area is known for fishing and Yellowstone Lake. Take a drive along the lake. A small walk along the lake is so soothing to the soul and reenergize yourself.
Yellowstone River
Yellow Stone River -View from road side Pullout
PLACES TO EXPLORE
- Fishing Bridge – A popular bridge built in 1937 to observe fish
- Yellowstone Lake – a 136 square mile basin of Yellowstone Lake
- Mud Volcano – Turbulent pools of hot, muddy water; hillsides strewn with trees cooked by steam; strange odors and a bizarre landscape. The area features many steam vents, mud pots, and fumaroles.
- Sulfur Caldron – Across the road from Mud Volcano, one can view the most acidic springs in the park; named after the large amounts of free Sulphur in its waters
- Pelican Valley – located three miles across the Fishing Bridge area; another famous spot for wildlife
- Natural Bridge – bridge formed naturally by the erosion of the rhyolite outcrop by Bridge Creek; a short one-mile hike takes you to the natural bridge
Sulphur Caldron
Sulphur Caldron Area
The Fishing Bridge can be traveled easily from the Canyon village, hence we decided to cover the area on that day itself. The Grant village and the lodge can be easily viewed from your vehicle itself. Never miss the lakeside drive along the Yellowstone River. We then visited Mud Volcano and Sulphur Caldron. Beware of the infamous aroma in that area. A pungent odor of rotten eggs in this area is caused by hydrogen sulfide gas. There is a short trail which takes you to the geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles. Some of the features in this area – Dragon’s Mouth Spring, Grizzly Fumarole, Black Dragon’s Caldron, Churning Caldron, Sizzling Basin, and Mud Caldron.
Mud Volcano
Dragon Mouth Spring
We also saw herds of Bison grazing in the area near to the road, crossing the road and blocking the traffic. Ensure to have buffer time when you drive from Canyon Village to Bridge Area as you will encounter herds on Bison on the roads. I was stunned by observing a Bison so close to our vehicle and was literally shaken by the sound and its eyes. Ensure to stay away from them. Usually, a park ranger will be available in the area to clear the traffic jams.
Mud Caldron
Bisons in the Hayden Valley
Since we were completely drained out for the day, we couldn’t visit Natural Bridge. But I would suggest taking this hike if time permits for you.
FAST FACTS:
- Sulphur Caldron is one of the most acidic features in the park.
- Trail in the Mud Volcano area is approximately 0.6 mile.
- The trail is less steep in the clockwise route compared to a counterclockwise route.
- If the aroma makes you feel uncomfortable, please leave the location immediately.
TIPS:
- Take a stroll along Yellowstone Lake
- Visit the Grant Village
- Watch wildlife in Pelican Valley
- Watch herds on Bison near the roads in Canyon Village area
- Take a trail to the Mud Volcano and Sulphur Caldron
- Take a short hike to view the Natural Bridge
- Observe fish from the Fishing Bridge
Hayden Valley
Bison – The Majestic One
Bison crossing the road
We then headed over to the West entrance for our stay overnight through the Grand Loop Road via Norris and Madison. It’s a 12-mile drive where you will pass through Virginia Cascades. Virginia Cascade is an old roadway between Norris and Canyon that provides a great view to one of the unseen waterfalls. We stayed in Rexburg, which was a small town with all basic amenities and superstores.
Calf Elk feeding on Mother Elk
Our plan for the third day is to visit the Old Faithful area and West Thumb Basin. To read about our experience in the other parts of the Yellowstone Park, do check out the blog posts here. We started earlier around 6 AM on that day with the thought of watching wildlife in Hayden Valley. We drove to Hayden Valley from West entrance of Yellowstone. We were in the park by 8 AM. When we were so close to Hayden Valley, we saw many pulled out from the road and what I saw on getting down from the car was a beautiful sight of herds of Elks gazing in the field. What would have I done on seeing them? Ran to the field with my camera and started capturing them. We saw a mother Elk feeding a calf Elk on the fields and on the other side, we saw two elks cuddling each other. After viewing such a beautiful site, we headed back to Rexburg where we stayed. We wanted to rest well for our third-day visit as the most spectacular area was on our third-day plan. Yes, we saved the best for the last!
Mud Caldron – Fishing Bridge
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Thanks,
Karthi
Facts gathered from the Park Website and the Pamphlets. The pictures in the post are clicked by me. The content and the pictures in the post belongs to the author. Reproduction and distribution of the content/pictures without prior permission from the author are prohibited.
