It was difficult for me to come up with a headline for this post because it’s next to impossible to describe my favorite place in just a few attention-getting words.  It’s even difficult to express the magic of this special place in a few hundred words.  I think the only way for readers to really understand is to visit.  After spending four summers working as a tour bus driver/guide with some of the park’s most respected historians, the spirit of Yellowstone has entered my soul.  

Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872 as the world’s first national park.  Located in three states, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, it covers 2.2 million acres of the country’s most pristine landscape.  From mountains to valleys, to hot springs and geysers, to lakes and rivers, the park has topography to appeal to everyone.  Wildlife from the petite pika to the massive moose; the growling grizzly to elegant elk; and you can’t forget the beautiful bison (calling bison beautiful may be a stretch, but I felt compelled to keep the alliteration going) roam freely. In addition, nearly 15 years ago, wolves were reintroduced to the park adding a necessary element to the ecosystem.  Once considered an evil predator and exterminated, the wolves have flourished and now help keep nature’s delicate balance. 

With more than 4,000 miles of hiking trails and 230 miles of paved roadways, travelers should plan to stay at least three days to get a feel for what the park has to offer.  I encourage all first-time visitors to take a bus tour.   By hopping aboard one of the motor coaches, or even better yet, one of the historic yellow buses (below), you’ll receive a comprehensive history, an overview of the park’s geology and biology, and entertaining stories to boot.   The drivers will be able to point out areas where you can take short day hikes or where you’re most likely to see animals.

My favorite place to stay in is Old Faithful Inn (below).  Built during the winter of 1903 and opened for tourists in 1904, this structure is amazing.  I refer to it as the World’s Largest Log Cabin.  The lobby is a busy place during summer days, but at the end of the day, I recommend sitting by the hearth of the enormous stone fireplace to listen to the ghosts of all the past travelers.  (Free guided tours of the Inn are offered several times daily during summer months.)  The Inn offers a wide variety of room choices from large suites to rooms without baths.  Pricing is varied, but it is very affordable if you choose to stay in a room without a bath.  The shared baths are just down the hall way; are clean and provide more than adequate privacy. 

And of course, Old Faithful geyser is just outside the front door of the Inn.  Not the biggest geyser; not the most spectacular geyser and not even the most regular geyser (currently it erupts about 92 minutes); Old Faithful is just the most famous geyser.   My personal favorite is Great Fountain Geyser.  Located on Firehole Lake Drive between Old Faithful and Norris Junction, this geyser erupts spectacularly every 10 hours or so.  But even in its still state, it’s a beautiful sight, particularly when the colors of sunset are reflected in the surrounding pools of water from its last eruption. 

While the Inn is my favorite place to stay, my favorite part of the Park is the Northeast section.  It is much more scenic and I always found the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces (below) fascinating.  Basically, the terraces are created when hot water reacts with limestone, dissolving it and then depositing the chemically altered rock as travertine.  The color that you’ll see streaking the terraces is caused by bacteria.  Driving towards the Northeast Entrance will take you through the Lamar Valley.  And more often than not, you’ll find a group of wolf watchers staked out.  At dawn or dusk particularly, you may catch a glimpse of these majestic creatures.  And with luck, you’ll hear the howl of a wolf. I have a passion for Yellowstone and could write or talk about it for hours.  There are so many more places to mention including the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone; Yellowstone Lake; Norris Geyser Basin, Mud Volcanoes and the Hayden Valley, just to name a few.  If you’re interested in learning more about what to do and see on your visit, just stop by AAA’s Virtual Travel Show on May 12.  I’ll be on line to answer any questions you may have.  If I don’t have the answers, I’ll know where to find them.