PHOTOS

LEFT : BISON HERD BLOCKING THE ROAD

CENTER : GRAND CANYON OF THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER

RIGHT : GRAND PRISMATIC SPRING FROM ABOVE

the hottest places on earth . Yellowstone

National Park is one of the world ’ s most

beloved destinations for an adventurous

getaway . The park was established in 1872

as a wilderness preserve , but the area has

hosted visitors for more than ten thousand

years as evidenced by archeological sites

and oral histories . Lace up your boots

and explore some of the country ’ s most

spectacular natural wonders , including

rushing waterfalls , breathtaking vistas and

roaming wildlife . Check out our rundown of

the best ways to enrich your visit and enjoy

all that Yellowstone has to offer .

WILDLIFE SEARCH

Stay alert for bears , wolves , elk and bison as you make your way around the park . Anytime you see a collection of cars along the side of the road and people staring into the woods with cameras and binoculars , you can be sure you ’ ve stumbled across a sighting . If you ’ re lucky , you might find yourself stuck in a bison traffic jam as the herd makes its way across the road .

GRAND PRISMATIC

One of the park ’ s most photographed sites is the Grand Prismatic spring . You can view this awesome spectacle two ways . Walk the boardwalk along its edge and feel the

thermal steam as the wind carries it across your path or hike about a mile up a gently sloped hill to get a bird ’ s-eye view of the distinctive azure water in the center of America ’ s largest natural hot spring .

ICONIC LANDMARK

You simply must see the Old Faithful geyser blast its blazing hot spring water high into the air during your visit to Yellowstone , and there are many vantage points from which to view this historic eruption . You ’ ll find plenty of bench seating near the visitor ’ s center for those who need a break from all the walking , and a National Park Service guide is usually on hand to interpret the experience . Or stroll the loop around the

famous thermal feature pausing at the right time to take in the spectacular display .

GRAND CANYON

Yellowstone has its own Grand Canyon , and the valley views along the Yellowstone River are an awesome sight to see . With a number of outlooks perched along each side of the river , you can see the falls from above , nearby and then at a distance as you make your way downstream . Take a good look around as you enter or exit each parking area as wildlife may be in the area .