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| | | Yellowstone Geysers & Waterfalls, WY | | | |
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Yellowstone Geysers & Waterfalls, WY
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| Hiking | 5.45 Miles |
1,451 AEG |
| | Hiking | 5.45 Miles | | | |
| 1,451 ft AEG | | | | |
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| partners | | After spending four days backpacking in the Tetons, we spent a night in a KOA Cabin near Jackson. The next day we woke bright and early and made the long drive into Yellowstone. Our plan is to hike a variety of tourist hikes and then spend the night backpacking to Firehole Falls. We’ll do more tourist stuff the next day and will return to Jackson that evening.
The drive up went fairly well. We followed the main highway and made good time. Along the way we passed a large herd of bison just off the road. We continued on and had to pass through a portion of Teton National Park and then on to Yellowstone. I had an NPS Pass which was very convenient. Once we entered Yellowstone we continued north and headed right for Old Faithful where we picked up our backpacking permit. It was quick and easy getting our permit. The ranger asked if we needed to see the bear safety video and we said no. We spoke about our four days in the Tetons so he was comfortable with us not watching it.
After that we headed over to the general store and then walked over to Old Faithful where the crowds were massing for the eruption. We ended up having to wait 20 minutes for it blow but it was worth it. The geyser launches water into the air roughly 50 feet. We watched for about sixty seconds and I said that’s enough let’s go! So we pulled a Clark Griswold and walked away as Old Faithful continued to erupt. From there we drove over to Biscuit Basin, Grand Prismatic Spring and then Fountain Paint Pot. We made several short stops and did some very light hiking. The geysers and hot springs are amazing and this place is crowded for a reason. We found it best to park on the road and then walk to the attractions. The parking lots were jammed pack especially during the afternoon.
Once it hit mid-afternoon we drove back to the Old Faithful area for lunch. There were only a few options for us. We waited in a very long line at a grille by the general store. The food took a while but it was nice to chill after the go go go the past few days. After lunch we picked up some supplies and headed back to Biscuit Basin where we planned on backpacking to Firehole Falls.
Fast forward to Day 2… We completed our backpack and returned to the rental car parked at Biscuit Basin. We packed up our gear and headed north. Our goal is to complete a loop with short stops along the way and a long stop at The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. We did a quick drive by along Firehole Lake Drive where we saw several more geysers including White Dome Geyser. From there we continued driving and saw several cool features from the road.
We eventually arrived at the Yellowstone Falls areas and spent an hour eating lunch and doing some shopping. After that we drove over to the very crowded Lower Yellowstone Falls parking area. The area was a zoo and took about ten minutes to secure a parking spot. Once we were parked we spent a couple of hours hiking along the rim and also hiked to the top of the lower falls. The area was very crowded but most people are slow and easy to pass. Once we had our fill we returned to the car and started the return to Jackson Hole. We timed it just right because a moderate rain fell on our drive back.
Our short trip to Yellowstone was over. The geysers and hot springs are amazing and I’m so glad we made the trip up here. Yes it crowded but it’s worth it. Just park off the road and spend the five extra minutes hiking to the start of the attractions. It’s well worth your time and effort. |
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