YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

Discover the Magic of Yellowstone National Park — Geysers, Wildlife & Epic Views!

Yellowstone National Park comprises 3,500 square miles. The majority of the park’s territory is part of the northwestern corner of Wyoming, with portions of the park boundary crossing through Idaho and Montana. Four national forests surround the park and Grand Teton National Park is south. Each of the eight developed areas in Yellowstone is located near a major point of interest, including Old Faithful Geyser in the Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone Lake, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.

The park can be accessed from all sides and its five entrances feed into the park’s primary access route. The Grand Loop Road looks like the numeral eight and connects each of the eight developed areas of the park. Tracing the outline of the numeral eight, the developed area in the upper left section is Mammoth Hot Springs. Norris Geyser Basin is in the center of the left side. In the lower left section of the eight are Madison and Old Faithful. Along the lower right part of the eight are West Thumb, Grant Village, Bridge Bay, Lake Village and Fishing Bridge. Canyon Village is at the center of the right side of the eight. Tower-Roosevelt is in the upper right section. The five entrance roads link to the Grand Loop Road like spokes on a wheel, running from each of the park’s five entrances. Campgrounds, restrooms and other services can be accessed from Grand Loop Road; however, not all services are available year-round. Road construction and seasonal road conditions require closure of certain roads.

The outline is approximating the crater left by the last major eruption of the Yellowstone Volcano, called the Yellowstone Caldera. This crater is over 42 miles at its widest point. It is an irregular circular shape and is southwest of center in relation to the park as a whole. It encompasses all of the Central Plateau, most of the hydro-thermal areas in the park, and a substantial portion of Yellowstone Lake. It also encompasses the entire lower half of the numeral eight shape that makes up the Grand Loop Road

Yellowstone Lake occupies 132 square miles of the southeastern part of the park. Grant Village, West Thumb, Bridge Bay, Lake Village and Fishing Bridge are located along the lake. The Yellowstone River flows from headwaters outside the southeast boundary, through Yellowstone Lake, and eventually out at the north entrance. The river continues on until it reaches the Missouri River in North Dakota. The headwaters of the Snake and Madison rivers are also within the park.

The Absaroka Mountain Range is along the eastern border of the park. The Gallatin Range is in the northwestern portion of the park. The Madison, Pitchstone and Two Ocean plateaus are within the southwest and south sections of the park.

See the map below for locations and features described on the page.

The Restless Giant

At the heart of Yellowstone’s past, present, and future lies a supervolcano. Huge volcanic eruptions occurred here, the latest about 631,000 years ago. The center of what is now the park collapsed, forming a 30- by 45-mile caldera, or basin. The heat powering those eruptions still fuels the park’s geysers, hot springs, fumaroles, and mudpots.

The park’s ecosystems range from near-desert vegetation at the North Entrance to subalpine meadow and forest on Mount Washburn. They support a variety of habitats that sustain diversenwildlife like bison (buffalo), elk, grizzly and black bears, wolves, trumpeter swans, and Yellowstone cutthroat trout.

People also have been part of Yellowstone for more than 13,000 years. Many Native American tribes still have deep connections here. Discover your own connections to the park as you explore its wonders.

The Supervolcano Feeds The World’s Largest Group Of Hydrothermal Features

Hot Springs

Hot Springs are the most common hydrothermal features in the park. They vary from frothing mocha-like boiling water to clear and calm pools of tremendous depth. Surface water seeps underground, is heated by a deep source of magma, and rises to the surface as superheated water. Hot springs have no constrictions, so water rises, cools, and sinks freely.

Geysers

Geysers erupt with steaming hot water. They are hot springs with narrow spaces in their plumbing, usually near the surface. The constrictions prevent water from circulating easily to the surface where heat would escape. The deepest circulating water can exceed the surface boiling point (199°F/93°C). The Old Faithful area has the most famous geysers; some eruptions can be predicted.

Travertine Terraces

Travertine Terraces are found at Mammoth Hot Springs, where the interactions of water and limestone create chalk-white travertine. These terraces are among the fastest changing features in the park, emerging quickly and drying up just as fast.

Furmaroles

Furmaroles, or steam vents, are the hottest hydrothermal features in the park. The small amount of water in fumaroles flashes into steam before it reaches the surface. Fumaroles hiss, whistle, or thump if the steam pathway is restricted at the surface. They are easiest to see in cool weather. Look for fumaroles in the major hydrothermal areas.

Mudpots

Mudpots are acidic hot springs with a limited water supply. Acid from volcanic gases and microorganisms decompose the surrounding rock into clay and mud. Mudpot consistency and activity varies with the seasons and precipitation. You can see mudpots at Artists Paintpots, Norris Geyser Basin, Fountain Paint Pots, West Thumb Geyser Basin, and Mud Volcano.

Exploring Yellowstone

There are, ranger stations, campgrounds, lodging, food service, picnic areas, stores, gas stations (some of which have auto repair), recycling, self-guiding trails and boardwalks, horseback riding and boat launches. Medical clinics are located at Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful and Lake Village.

Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful, Canyon Village, West Thumb and Grant Village and Fishing Bridge, Lake Village and Bridge Bay and all other areas within the park have a visitor center, educational center, museum and/or an information station. Information stations are also at the south and west entrances of the park and in the Mammoth Hot Springs area at the Albright Visitor Center, which is not far from the north entrance to the park.

Every Corner Of Yellowstone Reveals The Park's Rich Array Of Nature And History

Canyon Area

Central
Features the colorful Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River and the Upper and Lower falls from overlooks and walkways. Away from the rim, trails take you through meadows and grasslands.

20 Miles Long
Upper Falls to the Tower Fall area
- Can be seen from the Brink of Upper Falls Trail and from Upper Falls Viewpoints
Lower Falls (380 feet long)
- Can be seen from Lookout Point, Red Rock Point, Artist Point, Brink of the Lower Falls Trail, and from various points on the South Rim Trail
A third falls is between the Upper and Lower falls
- Can be seen from the South Rim Trail just ease of the Upper Falls Viewpoints area
Volume of water be from 5000 gallons/second to 63,500 gallons/second at peak runoff

Lake Village

Central
Situated at 7,733 feet (2,357 m) above sea level, Yellowstone Lake is the largest high elevation lake in North America. It is roughly 20 miles (32.2 km) long and 14 miles (22.5 km) wide, with 141 miles (227 km) of shoreline and a surface area of 132 square miles (342 km2).

Yellowstone Lake freezes over completely every winter in late December or early January, with ice thicknesses varying from a few inches to more than two feet. The lake usually thaws in late May or early June. Yellowstone Lake remains cold year-round, with an average water temperature of 41°F (5°C). Because of the extremely cold water, swimming is not recommended. Survival time is estimated to be only 20 to 30 minutes in water at this temperature.

Lake Village offers vistas of Yellowstone Lake from the comfort of historic Lake Hotel.

Lamar Valley

Northern Range
The Lamar Valley has been a wolf watching destination since wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995. It is also home to herds of bison and elk, and many black and grizzly bears.

The Wonder of Yellowstone's Wildlife

You have the rare opportunity to view animals that are wild. They behave like their ancient ancestors. They eat the same foods, they migrate along the same routes, and they breed on the same cycles. When you watch animals in Yellowstone, you glimpse the world as it was before humans. Animals are seldom seen in the dense, dark forest that covers most of the park. They are more easily seen in open areas, like meadows, where vegetation is shorter and more light is available.

Look at dawn and dusk when many animals are most active
Be quiet and listen for a few minutes; you might hear animals before you see them
Use binoculars or spotting scopes to observe animals while staying at a safe distance
The animals living in Yellowstone are not tame - all of them are wild
Never feed animals, not even small ones like chipmunks
Store all food properly, keeping food, cooking tools, coolers, and trash in a bear resistant container unless in immediate use
Do not approach wildlife
Stay 100 yards (91 m) from bears and wolves
Stay 25 yards (23 m) from all other animals
Pay attention - move away if an animal moves closer to you or changes its behavior due to your presence
Be respectful - do not surround, crowd, or disrupt an animal’s path of movement
Bison and elk have injured people

Lower Geyser Basin

Central West
Fumaroles, hot springs, geysers, mud pots.

A-O Geyser
Artesia Geyser
Azure Spring
Bead Geyser
Bellefontaine Geyser
Botryoidal Spring
Box Spring
Catfish Geyser
Clepsydra Geyser
Dilemma Geyser
Fountain Geyser
Fountain Paint Pots
Great Fountain Geyser
Jet Geyser
Kaleidoscope Geyser
Labial Geyser
Morning Geyser
Narcissus Geyser
Ojo Caliente Spring
Pink Cone Geyser
Pink Geyser
Rosette Geyser
Silex Spring
Snort Geyser
Spasm Geyser
Spindle Geyser
Spray Geyser
Steady Geyser
Surprise Pool
West Sprinkler Geyser
White Dome Geyser
Young Hopeful Geyser

Norris Geyser Basin

Central West
It is the park’s hottest, most dynamic geyser basin. It includes Steamboat, the world’s tallest geyser. The nearby Museum of the National Park Ranger showcases the history of these iconic public servants.
(Porcelain Basin & Back Basin)

Big Alcove Spring
Black Growler
Blue Geyser
Constant Geyser
Corporal Geyser
Ebony Geyser
Echinus Geyser
Emerald Spring
Fearless Geyser
Green Dragon Spring
Ledge Geyser
Minute Geyser
Monarch Geyser
Pearl Geyser
Porkchop Geyser
Steamboat Geyser (world's largest)
Valentine Geyser
Veteran Geyser
Vixen Geyser
Whirligig Geyser

Upper Geyser Basin & Old Faithful

Southwest
Largest Geyser Basin | Largest Hot Springs Single Concentration | 150 Features

Old Faithful is more than its namesake world famous geyser. You can view hundreds of other geysers and hot springs. Take a self-guiding tour of the historic district, which includes Old Faithful Inn.

Castle Geyser (Sounds like a train after about 15 minutes of erupting - errupts about every 11-13 hours)
Daisy Geyser
Grand Geyser
Morning Glory
Old Faithful (Erupts about every 92 minutes)
Riverside Geyser (Erupts about every 6 hours for about 20 minutes)

Things To Note

Accessibility

The NPS strive to make facilities, services, and programs accessible to all. Ask for the free guide to wheel-chair negotiable facilities. Other details on park website.

Backcountry Use

Trail maps available in the park. Permits are required for backcountry camping.

Boating

Most park waters are closed to watercraft. All watercraft must have boat permits and Aquatic Invasive Species inspections.

Driving in Yellowstone

Driving in Yellowstone. Road construction is underway on park roads; check ahead for delays and closures. Speed limit is 45 mph unless otherwise posted. Drive slowly and cautiously to protect yourself and wildlife. Park roads close early November to mid-April, except the road between the North and Northeast entrances. Oversnow vehicles are allowed only during the official winter season and only on certain roads. Off-road travel is illegal.

Emergencies

Emergencies call 911. Keep in mind the mobile phone carrier services are very limited in the park.

Firearms

For firearms regulations, check the park website.

Fishing

You must have a Yellowstone National Park fishing permit and follow park regulations.

Yellowstone National Park Information

Yellowstone National Park
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone, WY 82190
307-344-7381
www.nps.gov/yell

Yellowstone Forever
www.yellowstone.org

National Park Foundation
Join the park community.
www.nationalparks.org

Be sure to download the
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