Yellowstone National Park
The world's first national park - a supervolcano of geysers, hot springs and canyons roamed by bison, bears and wolves, a UNESCO site.
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Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
UNESCO World Heritage
Yellowstone, the first national park in the world, sits atop a giant volcano, and its heat drives half the planet's geysers, painted hot springs and bubbling mud. Add canyons, waterfalls and vast valleys roamed by bison, elk, grizzlies and wolves, and it is one of the greatest wildlife and geothermal landscapes on earth, a UNESCO site.
What you actually see
- Old Faithful and the geyser basins - the famous geyser and the steaming basins around it.
- Grand Prismatic Spring - the huge rainbow-ringed hot spring.
- The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone - the yellow-walled canyon and its waterfalls.
- Lamar and Hayden valleys - the great wildlife valleys of bison, wolves and bears.
When to go
Late spring to early autumn for full access and wildlife; September for the elk rut and fewer crowds. Winter transforms it into a snowbound world reached by snowcoach, with steaming geysers in the cold.
Honest expectations
It is enormous, so distances between sights are long and a rushed day barely scratches it. Summer brings heavy traffic and crowded boardwalks and parking. The wildlife is genuinely wild and dangerous, so keep well back from bison and bears and never approach them.
Nearby
Grand Teton National Park adjoins to the south; Jackson and Cody are gateway towns.
What to pack for Yellowstone National Park
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
