South of Canyon Village, we turned from Grand Loop Road onto North Rim Drive. Just 500-feet in,…read morethere is parking for Grand Canyon Of The Yellowstone: North Rim Parking Lot, also named Brink of the Lower Falls. Then, immediately off the beginning of the parking area, we walked south from the observation area, and took the right branch of Brink of the Lower Falls Trail onto North Rim Trail. About 700-ft from the parking area, we had a nice view through the trees of the Upper Falls. We were here about 6 weeks ago. The lat-lon 44.7185, - 110.4994166667 is the exact location of a point on the trail with a clear view south to the upper falls. Of course there are separate fuller views of the falls from across the canyon off South Rim Drive. We went there first, and it was fun to see from this viewpoint, too. It was fun to see several views of the falls on this trip, without strenuous hiking on various trails to the edge of Yellowstone River. Note: This is my corrected review of this location. The view here is to the south, not to the east. Just now, Yelp isnt letting me delete or fix my earlier review.

About 1-mile east from Grand Loop Road, long North Rim Drive, is a parking area named for the…read morenearby Grand View. You can walk north or south on the North Rim Trail for spectacular views of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. There is no outhouse that we saw at this parking area, though one is listed in the NPS app (Jul 2026)

The view from curving Grand Loop Road, on the western side of the North Loop, is so stunning, we…read morestopped here at the further-north pulloff, after stopping at the nearby Rustic Falls pulloff. At this pulloff, we found a great photographic view of Rustic Falls up the canyon behind us! We were right on the canyon edge, guarded by a low wall, and it did stir some primal wariness, so a couple of us stayed in the car for a more secure feeling. It wasn't precarious. I think it was a combination of looking vertically downward at the Falls from the last stop, and looking at the cliff-hugging roadway curving out of sight ahead.

Closed to vehicles…read more We wanted to see Artesia Geyser on Firehole Lake. Part of our hope was that elk and bison are sometimes reported there in the mornings. However, Firehole Lake Drive to both of these features was closed to vehicles (Jul 2026). Note: We don't see this closure with the others mentioned on the NPS "conditions" web page. Later, we found it was clearly marked in the app, and tracked back to a "parkroads" map on the webpage.

This is one of the lesser known parts of Yellowstone National Park that is worth checking out for a…read morebit. It's a short loop near Grand Prismatic Spring (only a couple minutes north) and you turn from Grand Loop Road into a narrow road. There are a good amount of geysers on this drive although I only went to a few of them before turning around to get out. I went to the firehole spring, the great fountain geyser, the surprise pool, and the white dome geyser. I wouldn't say that there was anything special about these set of geysers and springs that you wouldn't be able to see elsewhere in the park, but I went on an early Sunday morning so there was absolutely no one which was nice and peaceful.

Rustic Falls in Wyoming is a small roadside stop that many people pass by, but it's really worth a…read morequick stop. The waterfall is right next to the parking area, so you can see it instantly without any hiking. Because the parking is limited, it stays quiet and often feels like a hidden spot. While others rush to bigger attractions, this place gives you a calm, simple moment in nature. The waterfall itself isn't huge, but it's beautiful in its own way -- water rushing over the rocks, framed by trees and open sky. It feels natural, peaceful, and refreshing. If you're driving by, stop for a few minutes. It's simple, easy, and surprisingly memorable.

Here at the Rustic Falls on Grand Loop Road, on the western side of the North Loop, we stopped at…read morethe first of two pulloffs for an amazing view of the towering fractured Golden Gate wall of golden-reddish stone. The pulloff is not large. There's another just ahead. We were protected from the deep canyon by a low wall. Rustic Falls are directly below this pulloff. A fantastic experience! For photography, we actually liked the view of the falls better from the very next pulloff.

There are a number of "jeep trails" marked on maps around the outskirts of West Yellowstone. Our…read morerental vehicle had 4WD, and we kept driving past this trail, so we decided to drive it a little ways. It was unpaved, and a little bit rutted, but not deeply pitted. It was wide enough for our vehicle, with occasional pulloffs and turnarounds. There was a sign for snowmobiles, so we assumed these are multi-use multi-season trails. It was a nice little drive. We could see it would be fun with a small vehicle. For our 4WD, it really was just a quiet drive.

The Bighorn Pass Trailhead is about 20mi north of West Yellowstone, on the east side of US-191…read moreGallatin Road. It's one end of two strenuous 20-mi hikes. They warn that the hikes are through grizzly country. We parked down the short road from the pull-off on the east side of the road, at the actual trailhead, where, thoughtfully, there's an outhouse. (Jul 2026) On Gallatin Road for the next 5mi south from here, you have left Montana and you're driving in Wyoming! Though everyone I know denies it ever happened, when we crossed a state line, my dad always said "Pick up your feet and make a wish"! I was about 5 years old. We all enjoy it. I remember him saying it; everyone else remembers me saying that he said it :-) Welcome to Wyoming! Welcome back to Montana! With elk and bison and a bear and cranes, geysers and pools and pots and canyons, snow (!), steaks and barbecue and huckleberry ice cream, with friends and family, and a Swifty tribute band in the park in one of Tay-Tay's favorite towns, my wishes all came true that week :-)

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 Do it in this 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.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Absolutely breathtaking place! The area is very green, peaceful, and full of natural beauty. There…read morewas lots of flowing water, and the sound of the falls made the whole experience even more relaxing. The canyon views are just WOW -- the massive rock formations surrounding the waterfall make it feel unreal. Pictures really don't do it justice. The hike is a little challenging in some areas, but it's totally worth it once you reach the falls and see the views. The trail itself is beautiful, with amazing scenery all around. Definitely one of the most beautiful spots in Yosemite National Park!