Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone is one of my favorite park and I had to dedicate it an article! Questions in the comments section are welcome!

First thing to know is that Yellowstone NP is the first National Park established in the USA in 1872.

How to visit Yellowstone

• Winter time:

Winter time is the hardest time to visit Yellowstone as the park is close around November to April, however you can visit the park by using different type of services. Departing from West Yellowstone, Jackson Hole or Gardiner you can choose from snowmobile or Snowcoach tour. Those tours are pretty cool as not that many people goes in the winter. When I went I saw some coyotes, bison, elk, wolves, foxes etc. You can see moose up north but you will find them more in Jackson Hole/Grand Tetons National Park area.

I personally love going to Yellowstone and Tetons area during winter, the landscapes is breathtaking and it is not over populated! It also allow you to try new activities and feel the cold that animals endure during those months. It is also the best time to go to see wolves are they are more easily spotted, February is known to be wolves month as they are catching more meals than the over months due to their facility to run on the snow!

 

• Summer, Spring, Fall:

  

Springs/Summer is pretty busy in Yellowstone but around June you can see the newborns which is pretty cool and unique! However expect some crowds! Those months are also the best time to see bears in action and a lot of people are visiting the park hoping to spot them. You can found a large population of black bears but also Grizzlies!

Those months are the most popular ones because of the quantity of wildlife you can see such as elk, bison, coyote, fox, wolves, bears…

A lot of hikes are open as well as backpacking (with permits) which is not the case during the winter.

I can recommend few hikes/areas to check:

• • Lamar Valley: You can hike, look for bears and wolves all day! You will also spot a lot of Bison – and if you are lucky, you will experience the Bison Jam!
  • Grand prismatic and Old faithful are mandatory to check when visiting Yellowstone!
  • Hayden Valley
  • Grand Canyon of Yellowstone – Yes this park has its own Grand Canyon!

Where to stay when visit Yellowstone:

When you visit Yellowstone you have a few options in the park but they can be expensive and get booked fast. You can find them in the Old Faithful area, the Yellowstone Lake, Mammoth Hot Springs or near the Canyon.But you have other options in West Yellowstone town and Gardener.

Fun facts:

• Yellowstone contains about half of the world active geyser
• Yellowstone is a super volcano as it sits on over 240 cubic miles of magma!
• Yellowstone contains the largest concentration of mammals in the lower 48 ( the USA states without counting Alaska and Hawaii)

Visit the National Park Website here

Learn more about bears: here