A Year in the Making: Yellowstone, Here We Come! (Part 1)
It’s September, and after planning it and changing our itinerary multiple times, my husband and I are finally on the road—we’re heading to Yellowstone!
This isn’t a trip you take on a whim. It’s been a year in the making. We wanted to stay inside the park and knew that reservations needed to be made about a year in advance.
After watching way too many Instagram videos about the geysers, wildlife, and grizzly encounters, we were armed with cans of bear spray and hyped about visiting the world’s first national park…
We’re driving from Colorado to Yellowstone. And September seemed to be the perfect time to go. The summer crowds should begin to thin, the temperatures are cooler and we hope to see the Aspens changing to a golden color.
As we drove north, we spotted pronghorn—tons of pronghorn. They paused long enough to check us out-wondering what in the heck were these people looking at.
And then…. came the views.
In the distance, the Tetons rose above the landscape. We had to stop and take it in. The rugged peaks of the Tetons are spectacular. Jackson Hole is a large valley with the Bridger Teton range on the east side and the Grand Teton range on the west.
And Then-We Arrived!
After a year of planning, we finally pulled up to the South Entrance of Yellowstone.
Wait! Where is everybody?!
We expected cars lined up for miles. Instead, it was surprising that not many cars were entering. Wow, we thought. We picked the right time to visit, the middle of September. (Later we found the joke was on us). The swarm of visitors were coming in from the West and North entrances.
Three Days in Grant Village: Our Yellowstone Home Base
We continued north into Yellowstone, headed for Grant Village, our home base for the next 3 days.
Grant Village is located near the southwest shore of Yellowstone Lake and the southeast corner of the Grand Loop. We decided to stay here thinking it would be a perfect spot for exploring the southern and central parts of the park.
The Reality of Yellowstone: It’s HUGE!
We learned very quickly: Yellowstone is enormous. The park is 2.2 million acres.
We discovered that Grant Village was a little too far south for what we wanted to see.
We spent a lot of time in the car—especially when we wanted to explore the eastern and western parts of the park…nothing says vacation like spending hours in the car.
Our Yellowstone Tip: Stay at Canyon Village
If you want to explore more of Yellowstone in a few days, we’d recommend staying at Canyon Village as your first home base. I will warn you that it’s more crowded.
But the more central location makes it easier to reach many of the park’s major highlights without spending quite so much of your vacation behind the wheel.
Lesson learned: Yellowstone may look manageable on a map…until you’re actually driving it.
First Stop: West Thumb Basin
Even after a 7 ½ hour drive we still had plenty of daylight left, so after we unpacked, got our bearings, we hopped in the car, (yep, back in the car) and headed to West Thumb Geyser Basin.
Set along the shore of Yellowstone Lake, West Thumb is a unique geothermal area. You walk along the boardwalk with the lake on one side and steaming geysers on the other. What a view!
The steam rising from the thermal features, and the deep blue of Yellowstone Lake made this one of our favorite stops. The thermal pools are exceptionally clear and blue.
It was pretty incredible standing next to a steaming geyser while looking out at a huge mountain lake.
First day in the park, first stop-and already a favorite.
West Thumb is officially on our “don’t miss it” list!
Sunset on the Way to Grant Village
After exploring West Thumb, we climbed back into our car and headed toward Grant Village for our 5:30 dinner reservation (you need to make the reservation before your trip, otherwise you’ll eat at 8:00 pm or later).
And then Yellowstone gave us one more surprise.
The sun started setting, turning the sky at Fishing Bridge into a beautiful backdrop. We couldn’t resist stopping and taking pictures.
Day Two: Up Before the Bison
Day two started early—really early.
We were up while it was still dark, around 6:00 a.m., fueled by yogurt (not enough food for Chuck) we had picked up at the village store the day before. Not exactly a breakfast of champions, but we’re on a mission: a wildlife mission.
We headed toward Hayden Valley, hoping to catch some wildlife before the day got busy.
Our First Yellowstone Traffic Jam
We found ourselves in what we’d seen in videos, a bison jam.
Lots of bison.
Early morning the bison are near or on the road. Cars stopped. People pulled over. Cameras taking pictures in every direction.
So much for beating the crowds. We realized that a herd of bison can bring an entire Yellowstone road to a standstill-and unlike other traffic jams I’ve been in, nobody seems to mind. We certainly didn’t either.
The mature male standing up to 6 feet tall at the shoulder and weighing anywhere from 1,800 to 2,400 pounds, shrouded in the morning geothermal steam looked almost prehistoric. We had one lumber across the road right in front of our car.
Sitting in our car, watching these enormous animals completely unfazed by the commotion around them was a reminder that Yellowstone belongs to the wildlife, and we’re lucky enough to share it with them.
If there is one thing we’d definitely recommend, it’s getting up early and heading to Hayden Valley. This was one of our favorite Yellowstone experiences.
Put it on your don’t-miss list-but set your alarm!
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone: The Views Were Worth the Early Start
After our early-morning adventure in Hayden Valley, we headed north toward the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone turning off on the South Rim Drive. And once again, being up early paid off.
It was right at 8:00 a.m. so the crowds were still light, which made exploring the canyon even better.
South Rim: Artist Point—A Postcard View
Our first stop was Upper Falls Viewpoint, and then we continued to Artist Point.
If you only have time for one classic view of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Artist Point is the one.
The walk from the parking lot is easy, and then suddenly—there it is.
The 308-foot Lower Falls plunges into the canyon below, surrounded by those incredible yellow, orange and pink canyon walls. It’s awesome. I took a zillion pictures and never did capture its beauty.
And because we arrived early, we didn’t have to fight through the crowds to enjoy it. Plus, a bonus was we had no trouble getting a parking spot.
Looking out, I felt it was one of those ‘this doesn’t even look real’ Yellowstone moments.
Here come the people. Time to move on.
North Rim Drive: Time to Get a Little More Adventurous
From there, we drove around to the North Rim Drive, where the views just kept coming.
Brink of Lower Falls: “How Hard Could It Be?”
Next up was the Brink of Lower Falls trail. At only 0.7 miles round trip, we figured, we’ve done tougher hikes in Colorado. This should be easy peasy.
Haha. Famous last words.
The trail is short, but it drops about 600 feet through a series of tight switchbacks, and you definitely feel the climb on the way back up.
There are benches at nearly every turn, and we saw plenty of people taking advantage of them to catch their breath. We were beginning to understand why!
But the payoff at the bottom made us forget about the impending climb for a while. Standing right near the top of the falls hearing the powerful roar of the water crashing down into the canyon was incredible.
You can feel the force of the Yellowstone River and see the falls from a perspective that you can’t get from the overlooks above.
Would we do it again? Absolutely.
Our advice: Get there early and enjoy the canyon before everyone else arrives.
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is officially on our “don’t miss it” list!
When the Yogurt Runs Out…
By now, our 6:00 a.m. yogurt breakfast was a distant memory, and our stomachs were making it clear it was time to eat ‘real’ food.
We headed toward Canyon Village and stopped at the Canyon Fountain and Grill.
The restaurant has a 1950’s diner vibe, with old-fashioned counter seating—the kind of place that feels a little like you stepped back in time. After a chilly morning of hiking and sightseeing, I ordered the chili, and it hit the spot.
With full bellies, we were ready to get back on the road.
North on the Grand Loop
We headed north along the loop toward Tower Junction, taking our time and enjoying the scenery along the way.
The Road Became Our Classroom
One thing that really added to our Yellowstone experience was using the GuideAlong app as we drove. It gave us directions, but it was so much more than that—sharing history, geology, science and stories about places we were seeing. We’ve used the GuideAlong app several times on different trips, always the same voice…we call him Bob. (Don’t know his real name)
In Yellowstone, there’s a lot to learn! So the app is quite the learning experience.
We quickly realized that the park isn’t just spectacular because of its scenery. It’s one of the most geologically dynamic places on Earth, and once you start learning what you’re actually looking at, the landscape becomes even more fascinating.
A Rock Formation That Stopped Us in Our Tracks
While driving through the Tower-Roosevelt area, we stopped at Calcite Springs Overlook.
From the overlook, there’s a striking cliff formation that almost looks like someone built a giant rock fence post around it. What exactly were we looking at?
Then we read the sign—about 1.3 million years ago, as lava cooled and contracted, it developed cracks that formed those distinctive hexagonal columns of basalt.
Suddenly, we weren’t just looking at rocks.
We were looking at millions of years of Yellowstone’s geological history.
And that’s one reason we’d definitely recommend stopping at Calcite Springs. Understanding why the landscape looks the way it does makes the experience so much more interesting.
Heading Home for Dinner…With One Last Bison Sighting
After a full day of exploring, it was time to make our way back to Grant Village. We had a 5:45 dinner reservation at the Grant Village Dining Room, so we had time to enjoy the drive back.
Off in the distance, we spotted a herd of bison peacefully grazing and having their own dinner.
A Little Bison Perspective
We later learned just how special the Yellowstone’s bison herd is.
Yellowstone is home to the oldest and largest public bison herd in the country. In 2020, the population was estimated at around 4,800 bison. If you don’t see bison in Yellowstone, are you really in the park? The bison are everywhere!
And as we drove back toward Grant Village for dinner, watching those bison eat their evening meal felt like the perfect ending to another incredible Yellowstone day.
Tomorrow, another adventure.
Day Three: Old Faithful & the Upper Geyser Basin
Up early again! We headed to Old Faithful and arrived around 7:30 a.m. The predicted eruption was about an hour away, so we warmed up inside the Old Faithful Lodge with coffee and a pastry. It was cold, but the best part was-no crowds.
Old Faithful erupts about every 90 minutes, and right on schedule, she delivered. Watching that powerful burst of water and steam rise into the crisp morning air was something we won’t forget.
Afterward, we explored the Upper Geyser Basin, following miles of boardwalks through the highest concentration of geysers on the planet. It was surprisingly quiet, and at times we found ourselves alone on the side trails.
My iPhone could only capture so much. Some sights really need to be experienced in person.
Before You Leave: Visit Old Faithful Inn
Before leaving the Old Faithful area, be sure to step inside Old Faithful Inn. Built in 1903-1904 from local logs and stone, this National Historic Landmark is one of Yellowstone’s most iconic buildings and is considered the largest log structure in the world.
One Thing I Wish We Had Done
I should have done a little more homework. We later learned we could have walked to Morning Glory Pool, about 2.8 miles round trip. It’s at the very end of the boardwalk. Just remember sunscreen and water.
I really wish we had.
So, if you visit the Upper Geyser Basin, give yourself plenty of extra time to explore beyond Old Faithful. You need at least 2 hours if you go all the way to Morning Glory Pool. Longer if you are like me and stop to admire all the geysers and take pictures.
A note…even though we didn’t go all the way to Morning Glory Pool we walked 11 miles that day.
Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin is officially on our “don’t miss it” list!!