This was our main site seeing destination inside Yellowstone National Park. We got to the area…read moreright on time because about 5 minutes after we got to the geyser it went off. It was a really cool experience and a must when visiting Yellowstone. I know when my family came this way when I was a child, while most others got to see it, I wasn't feeling well so my mom and I hadn't gotten a chance that trip to come to Old Faithful. I'm glad I was finally able to see it in its full glory. It is quite crowded, so when it comes to pictures just try to stay aware of your surroundings. Try to stay out of main pathways as well as being conscious of the fact it's practically impossible to get photos without others in the background and you'll probably end up in some photos too. If you're already here, don't skip past this well known spot, it's a fun experience for sure. The park is big so if you want to see it all I can see it taking days, especially since the fastest you can go is 40-45 miles an hour with a lot of areas actually being closer to 25. Both my husband and I were so glad we stopped by.

You don't go to Yellowstone and skip Old Faithful-you just don't. Even if it's June and snowing…read moreoutside. You bundle up and go, baby! There's a massive parking lot and some paved walkways to get to the viewing area-very accessible to all. Signs outside will indicate the next anticipated eruption time-which are usually pretty accurate, hence the name. It's a fun experience-gathering with a bunch of other excited strangers, watching and waiting for Mother Nature to burp. As people are waiting, they are taking each other's pictures for them, asking where everyone is from and inquiring about the wildlife sightings experienced that day. It's community building. The actual eruption lasts just a few minutes, but is worth seeing at least one. And who knows? Maybe you'll make a new friend while you wait.

Lewis, Louis, Louie, Lewis This river flows within…read moreYellowstone, along to the Lewis Lake, down the Lewis Falls. This river runs parallel to the John D Rockefeller Jr Memorial Highway. The Lewis that this river is named after is the Lewis of Lewis & Clark! It's a pretty short river. Only 18 miles. There's some class 4 rapids up in here. That water just looks cold. There's plenty of fly fishing that you can get up in around here. I wouldn't spend all my time here unless you have some secret fishing spot.

Great place to visit to learn more about Yellowstone National Park. This historic building was…read morebuilt by the United States Army in 1909 to house the troops who protected the park before the National Park Service was established. It's located next to Mammoth Hot Springs. The interactive displays tell the history of the park and about the landscape and wildlife. There are staff on hand to answer your questions and a bookstore inside that sells resources about Yellowstone.

In the first major stop coming from the NW entrance of Yellowstone is the Mammoth Springs Historic…read moreDistrict. One of the historic aspects of this community, besides the hot springs, is Fort Yellowstone, first started in 1872 and taken over by the National Park Service in the early 1900s. The Horace M Albright visitor center should be your first stop. It used to be a bachelor's officers quarters, with room for six, and is not only a good source of information about Fort Yellowstone, it a small museum with info on the park, the animals in it, and the nearby Springs. The Park Rangers operating the desk are a font of information. There are monitors near the desk that provide details of the camp sites, traffic and nearby lodgings. It's hard to reconcile the modern day technology in a building over a 100 years old. Many of the original buildings that make up Fort Yellowstone are still standing and although occupied by employees of the park and the district and not available for a tour, it's still worth a walk to interesting walk. As you walk, you'll probably also see a herd of resident elk, sometimes walking and sometimes sitting. (They aren't tame, though, and the signs at the visitor center warn you not to approach them.) On your way to the Springs and the hiking path around them, take a few extra moments and learn about the pre-park history.

This is such a beautiful region in Yellowstone. It's centrally located on the grand loop between…read moreYellowstone Lake and Yellowstone Falls. It is also a great spot to see lots of wildlife. Bison, elk, ducks, wolves, and lots of birds roam around this Valley. There are several turnouts along the road that you can pull over and take pictures at. The Yellowstone river is on the east side of the road. I made quite a few stops along the way and enjoyed the scenic views and the breezy weather with my morning coffee. It was a nice way to start my day. I was even able to get close enough to capture a bald eagle in flight. This Valley is named for of Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden who conducted geological surveys in this region in the 1800's.

One of the few traffic jams I actually enjoy being a part of!…read more This is well-known as the roaming land of the bison, so if you're looking to see wildlife you definitely need to drive through this area. This is on the eastern portion of the loop a bit south of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. As a safety precaution because for some reason this happens every year: do NOT get too close to the bison and do NOT provoke them in any way! When they get agitated they will bellow and pound their feet in a revving motion, and you definitely don't want to be near them when that happens. I was talking to a ranger and he mentioned that they start coming to Hayden Valley and the park in late May or early June and leave in September, so if you're looking to see the most bison you can I'd recommend somewhere in the middle. I went in early August and I saw tons of them. Being stuck in a traffic jam in Hayden Valley is just one of the unique experiences at Yellowstone that you don't get in many places, and I recommend pulling off to take pictures of them, at a safe distance of course.

The hike to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook is amazing and totally worth it! It's not too…read moredifficult -- mostly a mix of flat surfaces with some slightly elevated areas, making it manageable for most people. Once you reach the viewpoint, the spot can get a little crowded, but the view is absolutely stunning and unforgettable. One small request to fellow visitors: please respect others and let everyone take pictures peacefully so everyone can enjoy the experience. Definitely a must-do hike if you're visiting Yellowstone!

One of my favorite spots at YNP!…read more I recommend you visit mid day to experience the full colors of grand prismatic. You can also hike the fairy falls hike to the overlook. It's about 1.5 miles round trip. It's not difficult, however there's a small area that is a little steep. We experienced the springs in cloudy/ gloomy day and the next day, very sunny and warm weather. Both experiences were amazing and unique.

This spot gives you an amazing panoramic view of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone from the north…read moreside. Lookout Point is one of a few lookout spots you can stop at when you drive on North Rim Drive (a one-way drive). Just heads up, the parking lot isn't very large. If you continue on with your drive on North Rim Drive, you will eventually end up in Canyon Village. If you want to make an adventure of your stop here, I suggest hiking the North Rim Trail east to Inspiration Point and enjoy the beautiful views along the way. There is also a paved path and some wooden steps below that take you down to a viewing platform called Red Rock Point. This will give you a close full view of Lower Falls. Lookout Point was one of my favorite spots to stop at on the North Rim. I highly recommend checking it out.

At the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone there is a lower and upper portion of the falls. This is the…read morelookout point on the lower falls and I think this is the best view of the lower falls. You can go to the brink of the lower falls to see the top of the waterfall, but this lookout overlooks the entire thing which I think is better. Another underrated view is the red rocks view which is right next to this lookout point. Instead of going straight to the lookout you go down the stairs, walk a bit and then get to the red rocks view which is a bit closer to the waterfall and more eye-level. There are also fewer people here so you'll have more time to take nice pictures and videos without the crowds.

If your visiting West Yellowstone it's a must see if your interested in the local history or the…read morehistory of the park. Lots to see but it's not an all day affair

This is a small but, very informative museum about the history and events that makes up…read moreYellowstone. There are artifacts. There are 3 videos in separate areas about the fires of 1988, the earthquake of 1959 and the changes brought about by the addition of hotels and the automobile. There is also a small gift shop. Worth a stop.

Located near the north entrance, I recommend visiting early in the morning--this is when we saw the…read morehot springs at their most active. The upper boardwalk was my favorite part of the springs. You can definitely smell the sulfur, but that's all part of the experience.

The sulfur springs can be smelled from a distance. We followed the boardwalk around the sulfur…read moreadmiring the colors.