Yellowstone is the oldest national park in the US and is one of the most beautiful national parks that I have visited! Though I didn’t have high expectations from the place, I must say that I was very pleasantly surprised at its beauty and it is definitely not overrated! The gorgeous geysers, beautiful mountains, hot springs, endless grasslands and abundant wildlife are just a few of the many wonderful things that Yellowstone offers.
I visited the park around the last week of September when the weather was very pleasant and it wasn’t very crowded as summer is the busy season. While there are so many beautiful spots to visit in this national park spanning an area of 3500-sq. miles, here are my top favourite spots. Also, stay tuned for my blog on Yellowstone itinerary that will be out soon.
Photo spot 1: The Grand Prismatic
This is probably the most popular destination in Yellowstone. It is the largest hot spring in the United States and the third largest hot spring in the world. We visited this place around 3pm and it wasn’t very crowded. The entire boardwalk loop for the Grand Prismatic covers 3 other geysers including the Excelsior geyser and takes about 30 minutes to complete the loop. I would also highly recommend taking the Fairy falls trail to hike up to the Grand Prismatic view point to see the top view. It is a 25-30 minutes(one way) steep hike, but the views are totally worth it!
Photo spot 2: The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
There are two popular view points to see the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone: the Artist Point & the Inspiration Point. While the hike to the inspiration point is a 4 mile round trip, the artist point is easily accessible from the parking lot and is probably one of the few landmarks without a hike in Yellowstone. The views from the artist point are incredible and it is definitely something that should not be missed during your trip to Yellowstone.
Photo spot 3: The Morning Glory Pool
Those blue green and yellow hues in this pretty geyser are surreal and so so hard to believe that it’s all natural! This place isn’t very crowded as it involves a hike. The popular route to this geyser is a 1.5 miles hike from the Old Faithful. But the faster way is to park at the Artemesia Trail Head and a 0.9 mile hike to this pretty pool! You also get to see 3-4 magnificent geysers along this hike including the Atomizer geyser.
Photo spot 4: Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth hot springs is very different from rest of the Yellowstone park and the drive is one of the most scenic ones with some breathtaking views. The Mammoth hot springs area is divided into two regions: Lower Terraces and the Upper Terraces, and everything is connected via boardwalks and stairs. It feels like a whole different planet. Definitely check out the Minerva terrace, Mound and Jupiter Terraces, Canary spring and the Upper Terrace view point. If you aren’t in a mood to walk the entire area, you can also drive to the parking spots of the Upper and Lower Terrace areas and explore them separately.
Photo spot 5: Excelsior Geyser
This is the first geyser that you would see on the boardwalk loop to the Grand Prismatic spring and was the first ever geyser that I witnessed. And I must say, it is absolutely gorgeous. The mist and the bright crystal blue color makes this geyser a very special one.
Photo spot 6: Atomizer Geyser
I did not plan to visit the Atomizer geyser and randomly came across it during my hike to the Morning Glory pool from the Artemesia Trail Head parking lot. I am super glad that I took this route to Morning Glory instead of the one from the Old Faithful. This geyser to me was a combination of Mammoth hot springs and the Excelsior geyser and was beautiful. Since this is not a very popular route, we had the whole place to ourselves and the sunset made the whole experience perfect.
Other Photo Spots: Literally every frame in Yellowstone is beautiful
Apart from the locations mentioned above, literally every frame in Yellowstone is gorgeous and Instagram worthy! Here are some pictures from hikes and the lookout points along the drive in the park. Also, the eruption of Old Faithful is a brilliant sight but we just decided to enjoy it with some dinner and did not take many pictures there (also it is the most crowded place in Yellowstone :D)
Which of these places was your favorite?
Do let me know if you have any questions on the places to visit and hikes in Yellowstone. Also, stay tuned for a blog on my itinerary 🙂
ABOUT ME
Hello, I am Deeksha! A passionate Instagram travel & lifestyle blogger, sharing my experiences and travel tips from across the globe. The Travelista Tales is the visual expression of my travel tales, personal style and lifestyle picks. Believing in the motto of ‘Dream, Discover & Explore’, my goal is to create an interactive and engaged community of travel lovers.
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Lovely Deeksha, you have laid it out so nicely. Definitely in our list of places to visit. Picture locations and dress combinations are matching so well.
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