Yellowstone National Park Parks and Outdoors Travel Guide

Yellowstone National Park Parks and Outdoors Travel Guide

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Panoramic of the hot springs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Mammoth hot springs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (Adam Jones/Photodisc/Getty)
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Yellowstone National Park Parks and Outdoors Travel Tips

By Brian Kevin

  • Riding a rare "hot spot" in the earth's surface, Yellowstone's turbulent landscape—which remains among the most geologically active lands on the planet, with steam-spewing geysers, gurgling fumaroles, and frequent earthquakes—was protected as the world's first national park in 1872.
  • Don't try to swallow this amazingly diverse place in one gulp. Pick one part of the park, and then walk, or paddle, or ride the extra mile into all the wild country that's still back there.
  • Escape flocks of anglers, and get a bit of a workout hiking into the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone, where wide stretches of river and prolific hatches support a healthy cutthroat and rainbow population. The best stretches are pretty remote, so plan on making a multi-day trip.
  • A great number of stock outfitters are authorized to lead trips inside the park, and the National Park Service can provide you with a list.
  • Some places in the park are extra special for wildlife watching, and the Lamar Valley is one of them. Its inhabitants include grizzlies, wolves, bison, pronghorns, bighorn sheep, coyotes, and eagles. Bring along a good spotting scope or pair of binoculars and head for one of several turnouts between the Tower-Roosevelt intersection and the Northeast Entrance.
  • Camping in the park is the best way to get acquainted with its incredible variety of flora and fauna, steaming geysers and bubbling thermal mud pots, spectacular lakes and river canyons, and extraordinary vistas. Yellowstone has front-country camping facilities at a dozen sites scattered around the park. And backcountry permits are available at most ranger stations and visitor centers.

Yellowstone National Park

In many ways, Yellowstone is the epicenter of everything that's still wild and untamed in the United States, and everything that's right and wrong about modern-day tourism. Read More

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16 Questions | 13 Answers
  • My husband and I with our 3 kids (8,6, 4-ages they will be then ) will be traveling to Yellowstone in August of 2010 on our way to Oregon. We want to fly in perhaps to cody on a saturday then travel to Yellowstone the next day- We would like to stay in yellowstone until wed AM--1. Is cody worth flying into and staying the night? Or should we try to fly into another airport? 2. Where should we stay once we are in Yellowstone- I thought perhaps we would loop around and stay in a different spot each night?! 3. What would be the best places to see with the ages of my children? Thank you for any help you can give- I want to make this a memorible trip for the family and I am planning early.
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  • We are planning a visit to Yellow Stone National Park during January 2010. Our flight arrives at Cody-Yellow Stone Regional Airport at 11 o' clock in the evening. We are staying at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. Can you please tell me if there are transport available from the airport to the Hotel and how far is the Hotel from the Airport. This is our first visit to the Park and I am not keen to rent a car and drive ourselves to the park at that time of night and on roads that I do not know.
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  • I'm planning a solo road trip from Tennessee to Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Does anyone know of cheap hostels and good/safe camping?
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  • Read all questions and answers »

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Hotels

Big EZ Lodge

7000 Beaver Creek Rd.
Big Sky, MT 59716 Map

Distance: 32.5 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 2 class stars
expert favorite hotel
Expert Rated & Recommended
5.0
4.0

Elk Lake Resort

5200 Elk Lake Rd.
Lima, MT 59739 Map

Distance: 51.8 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
expert favorite hotel
Expert Rated & Recommended
5.0

Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel

Mammoth Village
Yellowstone National Park, WY Map

Distance: 33.9 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
expert favorite hotel
Expert Rated & Recommended
4.0
4.0
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Attractions

Museum of the National Park Ranger

expert favorite attraction
Norris Campground, north of Norris Junction
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190

Distance: 25.9 mi. (from destination center)

Description: The Museum of the National Park Ranger is housed in historic Norris Soldier Station. Exhibits... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
4_0
4_0
3_0

Yellowstone Institute

expert favorite attraction
PO Box 117
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190

Distance: 25.9 mi. (from destination center)

Description: The nonprofit Yellowstone Institute offers year-round field courses in natural history, cultural... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
4_0
5_0
3_0

Quake Lake

Off U.S. 287, 27 miles northwest of West Yellowstone and 43 miles south of Ennis
Ennis, Montana

Distance: 35.9 mi. (from destination center)

Description:

Just before midnight on August 17, 1959, a massive earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale... Read More

Expert Rated & Recommended
3_0
3_0
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Airports

Major Airports near Yellowstone National Park

Distance (mi.)
Boise Air Terminal Gowen Field 291.0 map

Other Smaller Airports near Yellowstone National Park

Distance (mi.)
West Yellowstone Yellowstone Airport 31.5 map
Bozeman Gallatin Field 56.3 map
Cody/Yellowstone Yellowstone Regional Airport 89.5 map

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