Five stars - It's Yellowstone, how could I give it anything less?…read more I'll keep this simple. There are moments in this park that you will feel like you are on another planet. The geysers and the hot springs are surreal. My favorites spots were the Grand Prismatic Spring, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Fountain and Artist Paint Pots. I saw elks, bison, grizzly bears, and a wolf. My recommendations are: visit during off season (if you can), book a guided tour if it is your first time in the park, and get the America the Beautiful Pass.

Yellowstone National Park absolutely lives up to the hype. Even if you've seen the photos, even if…read moreyou think you know what to expect -- the scale of this place is hard to grasp until you're standing in it. You can watch Old Faithful erupt, walk past neon-colored hot springs, drive through wide-open valleys full of bison, and stand at the edge of a canyon that looks like it belongs on another planet -- all in the same day. Every section of the park feels different, which keeps it from ever feeling repetitive. That said, it takes planning. Distances are longer than they appear, traffic can build quickly in peak season, and wildlife jams are very real. Give yourself more time than you think you need. It's big, it's wild, and it's absolutely worth the effort.

This trail still exists, except it stops where the steps once existed. So it's a very steep trail,…read morea lot of switchbacks, leading to the top of the falls. Even without the stairs, it's quite a significant climb back to the parking lot so if you're not in good condition, don't attempt!

August 2022 Update: when my fiancé and I went, two rangers informed us that they are officially…read morePERMANENTLY closing this trail. They went down to take out the sign and will not be allowing anyone to go through the stairs. They said it is too expensive to fix and costs millions of dollars with the rescues, especially with the amount of money they are spending to fix the roads from the flooding. Obviously really sad but Uncle Tom's trail is no more :(

We ended our first day in Yellowstone at Inspiration Point, and honestly, it was the perfect way to…read moreclose out an unforgettable day. After hours of exploring the park, nothing could have prepared us for what was waiting at the end of that drive. The view of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone from Inspiration Point is absolutely stunning -- one of those rare moments where you stop talking and just stare. The canyon drops away dramatically below you, the yellow and orange walls glowing warm in the late afternoon light, and the sheer scale of it all hits you all at once. It's breathtaking in the truest sense of the word. We came with family, including a young child, and even they were in awe. The viewing area is accessible and easy to navigate, which made it even better. No difficult hiking required -- just drive up, walk a short path, and let nature do the rest. Inspiration Point earns its name completely. This isn't just a scenic overlook -- it's a moment you'll carry with you long after you leave Yellowstone. Absolutely worth the drive. Don't miss it.

This was a beautiful overlook of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Artist's Point on the south side…read moreof the canyon, in my opinion, was much more beautiful! There is a small parking lot and a short walkway that leads to this overlook area.

One of the distinctive parts of Yellowstone. It's a very unique experience to see so many geysers…read moreat once. You can see so many different types of geyser formations, colors and shapes. If you want to walk around, there is a route available. It can be anywhere from a 20 to 40 min walk depending on how much distance you want to travel. I recommend bringing a hat because you can feel the sun pretty quickly once the steams disappear. Clouds move pretty quickly, so you may get a bit of shade, but it doesn't last long. Oh, and hold onto your hats. If it gets blown off and onto the geyser, you can't pick it back up. You must stay on the wooden bridge. Personally, I was not a fan of the smell, but it's a natural side effect of the geysers. There are some pretty active geysers here as well - just not as large as Old Faithful.

There were a lot of interesting and bubbling gesyers and thermal features here. Definitely worth a…read morestop! We visited in October and this area was lower traffic. It was wonderful to be able to take our time and look at all the different features !

I would give Hidden Falls 4.5 stars. There are two ways that you can visit Hidden Falls. The first…read moreis my taking the boat over and then it's a very short hike. The other way is hiking to it along Jenny Lake Trail. There are many people who take the boat over and do Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point and then leave. For this reason the first mile of trails after getting off the boat are heavily trafficked with tons of people and families. For this reason, if you do come visit Hidden Falls, I would recommend doing it early in the morning. We did the Cascade Canyon Trail around 8:30am and visited this on the way down around 11:30am and it was packed with people and kids running around so go early to avoid the crowds. The waterfall is beautiful! It's not hidden as the name would suggest since it's highly trafficked. We didn't stay long (only about a minute) because all the people and kids running around took away from the feeling of being surrounded by nature and at peace, although we are glad we went.

This review is for Hidden Falls via String Lake Trail which was a ~4.6 miles round trip that took…read more~2.5 hours to complete. This was a stunning hike from beginning to end. Another popular trail but not overly crowded near end of day. Trail was narrow and flat with a few minor inclines. There was still snow after you cross the last bridge towards the viewpoint of the waterfall but do-able without spikes. The trail does not take you up close to the waterfall but only viewable from a distance. Jenny Lake reminds me of Crater Lake in Oregon; not because of the color but due to the sheer size. Beautiful views of the Teton Range, String Lake, Jenny Lake, Hidden Falls and the surrounding area! Carry bear spray; the chances of encountering a bear is lower at popular trails but you never know. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/meQ4PZFrpCg

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone -- Lower Falls Do it in…read morethis order. Trust me. If Yellowstone had a crown jewel, this is it. We hit the Lower Falls from two different angles, and the order we did it made all the difference. Start at Artist Point. From here, you get the full picture -- the entire canyon stretching out in front of you, walls layered in pink, red, orange, and white from thousands of years of iron-stained rock. The waterfall sits in the distance like something out of a painting, and the river winds through the bottom of a canyon that drops 800 to 1,200 feet deep. It gives you the context to appreciate everything else you're about to see. Blue sky, puffy clouds, massive scale -- this view alone is worth the drive. Then hike down to the Brink of the Lower Falls. This is where it gets real. You're standing right at the top of a 308-foot drop, watching the full force of the Yellowstone River launch off the edge. In early May, snowmelt had it absolutely roaring -- thick mist rising up, patches of snow still clinging to the rocks below, and if the sun hits right, a rainbow forms right at the base. See the canyon first. Then feel the power up close. That's the move. Absolutely mandatory stop in Yellowstone -- don't skip either viewpoint.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone - Lower Falls is one of the most breathtaking sights in all of…read moreYellowstone National Park, and honestly, one of the most impressive waterfalls in the United States. Dropping over 300 feet, it's nearly twice the height of Niagara Falls, and the sheer power and beauty of the water crashing down into the canyon is unforgettable. What makes it even more spectacular is the colorful canyon itself. The walls are streaked with yellows, reds, and oranges--caused by hydrothermal activity altering the rock over thousands of years--which is where Yellowstone gets its name. Pair that rainbow of rock with the thundering white water of the Lower Falls, and you've got a view that feels like it belongs on a postcard. There are multiple overlooks to see the falls, but Artist Point is the most famous and gives you that iconic panoramic view. Uncle Tom's Trail also takes you closer to the action but be ready for a steep climb back up--it's worth it for the experience. The Lower Falls and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone are absolute must-sees. No trip to Yellowstone is complete without standing here and taking in this awe-inspiring natural wonder. https://linktr.ee/reessroots

Yellowstone National Park is nothing short of extraordinary. It feels like stepping into another…read moreworld where nature is raw, powerful, and constantly in motion. From erupting geysers to colorful hot springs, dramatic canyons, and endless wildlife sightings, every turn feels unreal.

Yellowstone absolutely blew me away. You can drive for hours looking at the most beautiful sights…read moreyou've ever seen. I actually cried because I felt so overwhelmed by its beauty. If you visit please be respectful of nature, and leave the animals alone. Make sure to bring sunblock, water and snacks. Pro tip: Go to the visitors center before you get started. They are great at giving your advise of how to best enjoy the park, where gas stations are found in the park etc. It's also a nice change to apply sunscreen, use the restrooms, and refill your water bottles.

We had entered the park from Gardiner, and it wasn't a very long drive to the Norris geyser. There…read moreis a welcome center, but we went straight out to the boardwalk and started walking around. The one Geyser smokes fairly consistently - there isn't the big eruption like at Old Faithful. The boardwalks take you through quite a variety of basins and geysers - some as small as just bubbling water, but it was all very interesting to see. We spent quite a lot of time here - even though the parking lot was packed, because the boardwalk is so spread out you didn't really feel like you were in a crowd. You could take your time and really look at everything. I would definitely recommend this as a stop.

Smelly, but lots to see !…read more We were there at the very end of the season and the parking lot was empty. The boardwalks were fairly empty. It was great to have it mostly to ourselves!

We entered Yellowstone from the northeast entrance so that we could deliberately drive through the…read moreLamar Valley. We didn't start our drive until early afternoon, so we didn't see a great deal of wildlife, but we did manage to see several herds of bison. The views were very scenic, and we found ourselves pulling over quite frequently. Definitely take your time driving through this area and enjoy the sights!

This place was definitely a highlight for me when I visited Yellowstone National Park. Lamar Valley…read moreand Hayden Valley are the best places to see populations of large animals. Its valleys are very wide and make excellent habitat for wildlife. Lamar Valley is known as America's Serengeti. Some animals you may encounter here are bison, wolves, moose, grizzly bears, elk and a variety of birds. I drove the long drive to Lamar Valley from Mammoth Hot Springs. Lamar Valley is not part of the Grand loop drive of Yellowstone. It branches off from the northeast part of the loop. Once you reach Tower/Roosevelt Service Station, you turn onto on Northeast Entrance Road. You can then take your time observing wildlife along the way. You will see the Lamar River right next to the road as you are driving. It's about a 30 mile drive on NE Entrance Rd to the Northeast entrance. You will usually see cars parked at pullouts when there is a group of animals nearby. They ask you to not stop in the middle of the road unless wildlife is crossing the street (only stop at pullouts). The best time to photograph Lamar Valley is at dawn or dusk. I spent a whole evening driving through here and got some great shots. I had a cool moment when I pulled over and a bison passed in front of my car. I was able to get some close-up photos of it. I also drove to Slough Creek because I heard you can usually spot wolves there in the evening. I didn't see any, but could hear them howling in the distance. I can't tell you how beautiful this valley is. In addition to the wildlife I saw, I enjoyed watching the sunset. This is definitely a great place to go if you want to slow your life down and take in some beautiful nature.

We had a great time kayaking with our 3 teens. Brian shared fun facts and made sure everyone was…read moregood at all times. We spotted Elk on the shore, and got a good look at the geysers. Would definitely recommend!

Our guide, Brandon, was super. Knowledgable, friendly, helpful. His enthusiasm for the place and…read morethe work was evident. Was willing to go at our pace - both faster and slower - depending on what we were trying to do or see. We had tall people in the group and he helped us with kayaks that were a better fit. Great experience.