The great folks at Gaper Guide have complied a list of top attractions in Yellowstone National Park. The south entrance of the park is just 60 miles from the town of Jackson, Wyoming. You'll need to plan a full day to explore the park and below are some of the top attractions.
1. Old Faithful Geyser and Upper Geyser Basin
Yellowstone has almost 60% of the world’s geysers. The Upper Geyser Basin, home to the most famous geyser in the world, Old Faithful, has the most geysers in the park. Other than Old Faithful, which isn’t quite as faithful as it sounds, there are Castle, Grand, Daisy and Riverside. See the Web cam.
Things To Do In the Old Faithful Area:
• Check out the natural features such as Old Faithful, Midway Geyser Basin or the Firehole River
- Explore the geological points of interest including evidence of lava flows 600,000 years ago and reminders that 13,000 years ago, the area was buried under ice!
- Visit historic locations such as the Old Faithful Lodge
- Stop by the New Old Faithful Visitor Center
- Ranger-led programs
- Day hikes
2. Midway Geyser Basin
Midway Geyser Basin is relatively small, but if you take the walkway around it, there are two really impressive features there that are worth the stop. Probably the most iconic of Yellowstone’s hot springs, and certainly the largest, Grand Prismatic Spring is 370 feet in diameter and more than 121 feet deep. Walking around it is an otherworldly experience as the steam envelops you and the oranges, whites, greens and reds of the feature blend together.
3. Norris Geyser Basin
If you are interested in how exotic Yellowstone’s landscape can be, be sure to visit Norris Geyser Basin. It is the hottest, oldest, and changes the most of Yellowstone’s thermal areas. At just 1,087 feet (326 meters) below the surface a temperature of 459°F (237°C) was measured in a scientific drill hole. This is the highest temperature yet recorded in any geothermal area in Yellowstone!
Features of Interest
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- Steamboat Geyser
- Echinus Geyser
- Whirligig Geyser
- Cistern Spring
- Constant Geyser
- Porcelain Basin
4. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River
The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is not quite as big as THE Grand Canyon, but it is roughly 20 miles long, measured from the Upper Falls to the Tower Fall area. It is 800 to 1,200 feet deep, and 1,500 to 4,000 feet wide. The canyon is relatively young, in geological time. It is believed to be no more than 10,000 to 14,000 years old, but there are only a few studies that have been performed, and they are thought to be inaccurate. It is known that the canyon was formed by erosion rather than by glaciation.
Things to do in the Canyon Village Area
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- See the natural highlights
- Investigate the geology
- Visit historic locations
- Learn about the super-volcano at the canyon visitor center
- Join ranger-guided programs
- Hike in the canyon area
