Discover Yellowstone National Park: A Self-Guided Tour

The world's most famous geyser has erupted with remarkable predictability since its 1870 discovery, launching 3,700 to 8,400 gallons of boiling water 130 to 180 feet into the air every 44 to 125 minutes. Rangers post predicted times at the visitor center so you can plan your viewing. The surrounding Upper Geyser Basin contains the largest concentration of geysers on Earth within a single square mile.

The largest hot spring in the United States and third largest in the world measures 370 feet in diameter and reaches depths of 160 feet, its vivid bands of orange, yellow, green, and blue created by heat-loving microorganisms called thermophiles. The boardwalk provides intimate proximity to the steaming pools while the Grand Prismatic Overlook trail delivers the iconic aerial perspective that reveals the spring's full rainbow pattern against the surrounding forest.

The Yellowstone River carved this 20-mile-long, 1,200-foot-deep canyon through rhyolite rock, its walls displaying brilliant yellows, oranges, and reds. The Lower Falls plunge 308 feet into the canyon best viewed from Artist Point on the South Rim. Uncle Tom's Trail descends 328 metal steps for an immersive perspective, while the North Rim Trail offers Lookout Point and Red Rock Point for closer views.

The travertine terraces at Mammoth are a living geological sculpture where hot water rising through limestone deposits up to two tons of calcium carbonate daily. The boardwalk system winds through both the Upper and Lower Terraces, passing features like Palette Spring, Minerva Terrace, and Canary Spring. Fort Yellowstone surrounds the area with historic stone buildings. Elk frequently graze on the lawns, providing reliable wildlife viewing.

The hottest and most dynamic thermal area in the park sits at the intersection of three major fault lines. The Porcelain Basin's open landscape of milky blue pools and hissing fumaroles contrasts with the forested Back Basin where Steamboat Geyser can erupt over 300 feet high. The Norris Geyser Basin Museum provides geological context for the surrounding thermal features.

The 142-mile Grand Loop Road forms a figure-eight through the park's major attractions, connecting all five entrances and passing through diverse ecosystems from sagebrush valleys to alpine meadows to dense lodgepole pine forests. Wildlife jams are a regular and cherished part of the Yellowstone driving experience.

The largest high-altitude lake in North America covers 136 square miles at 7,733 feet elevation. The historic Lake Yellowstone Hotel, built in 1891, provides elegant lakeside dining. Fishing Bridge at the lake's outlet offers excellent wildlife viewing as pelicans, osprey, and bears fish the shallow waters.

Known as America's Serengeti, this broad glacial valley in the park's northeast corner provides the best wildlife viewing in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, with large herds of bison, pronghorn, elk, and mule deer grazing open grasslands while wolves, grizzly bears, and coyotes hunt the same landscape. The valley became world-famous after the 1995 wolf reintroduction. The drive through Lamar Valley at dawn or dusk ranks among the park's most unforgettable experiences.

This stunning 132-foot waterfall plunges from the mouth of Tower Creek into a dramatic gorge surrounded by eroded volcanic pinnacles that early explorers thought resembled medieval tower ruins. Located near the Tower-Roosevelt junction, the waterfall is one of Yellowstone's most photographed features. A short trail leads to an overlook with sweeping views of the falls and the surrounding columnar basalt formations, making it a perfect brief stop.

Situated on the western shore of Yellowstone Lake, this compact thermal area showcases an extraordinary collision of fire and ice where hot springs and geysers bubble directly into the frigid lake waters. The boardwalk loop passes vivid blue pools, roaring fumaroles, and the iconic Fishing Cone—a lakeside hot spring where early visitors reportedly cooked freshly caught trout. The basin's location offers panoramic lake and mountain views that complement the geothermal features.

This iconic 50-foot stone gateway at Yellowstone's original north entrance in Gardiner, Montana, was dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903. The arch bears the inscription 'For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People,' a phrase from the 1872 act that created the world's first national park. Standing beneath the massive basalt arch provides a powerful connection to the conservation movement that saved America's wild places and remains one of the park's most photographed landmarks.

This charming gateway town just outside Yellowstone's west entrance offers a quintessential Western experience with its wooden boardwalks, local shops, and restaurants serving bison burgers and huckleberry treats. Originally established as a railroad terminus to bring tourists to the park, the town retains its frontier character while providing modern amenities. Visitors can explore the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, the Yellowstone Historic Center museum, or simply stroll the main street soaking in the mountain-town atmosphere.

This fascinating visitor center tells the dramatic story of the 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake—a magnitude 7.3 event that triggered a massive landslide, burying a campground and creating Earthquake Lake in seconds. Interactive exhibits, a memorial boulder garden honoring the 28 victims, and panoramic views of the landslide scar and the lake it formed make this an unforgettable stop. The center is operated by the U.S. Forest Service and provides a sobering reminder of the geologic forces still shaping the Yellowstone region.

This scenic overlook provides sweeping views of Hebgen Lake and the surrounding Madison Range, offering a peaceful contrast to the geothermal intensity of Yellowstone's interior. The lake, formed by earthquake faulting, sits at over 6,500 feet elevation and is surrounded by pristine forests and meadows. On clear days, the mirror-like surface reflects the mountain peaks, creating a postcard-perfect scene that epitomizes Montana's big-sky beauty.

Dubbed 'the most beautiful drive in America' by Charles Kuralt, this breathtaking 68-mile All-American Road climbs to nearly 11,000 feet through the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, crossing alpine tundra, glacial plateaus, and 27 switchbacks with jaw-dropping views of Montana and Wyoming's highest peaks. Snow-capped summits, alpine lakes, and wildflower meadows line the route even in midsummer. The highway connects Red Lodge, Montana, to Yellowstone's northeast entrance and is typically open only from late May through mid-October.

This spectacular 80-mile corridor follows the Gallatin River through a narrow, cliff-walled canyon between Yellowstone National Park and Bozeman, Montana. The drive showcases towering limestone walls, dense evergreen forests, and world-class fly-fishing waters made famous by the film A River Runs Through It. Moose, elk, and bighorn sheep are frequently spotted along the roadside, and the canyon's dramatic geology reveals millions of years of Rocky Mountain formation.