Yellowstone Sightseeing

Mammoth Hot Springs is home to the National Park Service’s® Yellowstone headquarters and Albright Visitor Center. The hot springs are very different from other thermal areas in the park, as soft limestone enables the travertine formations to grow quickly. The flowing miner-laden waters are continually sculpting the beautiful cascading stone tiers.

The Boiling River, a large hot spring, empties into the Gardner River, making this the official swimming hole of the park. A short hike will be rewarded with a warm soak in a natural pool.

Obsidian Cliff hints at Yellowstone’s volcanic history, showing thick streams of crystallized lava that have formed cliffs of dark volcanic rock.

Norris Geyser Basin contains the hottest, oldest, and most dynamic thermal features in Yellowstone National Park. Here, you’ll find Steamboat Geyser, the world’s largest, shooting water more than 300 feet (though eruptions are quite rare.)

The Fountain Paint Pots are named for their red, yellow and brown colors, derived from the mixture of acid, clay and minerals that make up the bubbling mud.

The Grand Prismatic Spring is Yellowstone’s largest hot spring and its vivid spectrum of colors is a must to see.

Old Faithful, the park’s most famous attraction, is notable for its predictability to within 10 minutes, erupting every 65 to 92 minutes to heights of 106 to 184 feet.

At 7,733 feet, Yellowstone Lake is the largest high-altitude lake in North America and spans more than 136 square miles. It’s a popular spot for fishing and boating, as well as wildlife viewing.

The Yellowstone River plunges over the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls, cutting through the magnificent Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Stretching 671 miles, the Yellowstone River is the longest undammed river in the United States.

Perhaps the best place to view wildlife in the park is Hayden Valley. Bison, elk, grizzly and deer all roam across its fields.

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone features yellow, amber and reddish cliffs with the Yellowstone River winding its way through at the base. This unique geological feature stretches 20 miles in length, about 800 to 1,200 feet deep and 1,500 to 4,000 feet wide.

Picturesque Tower Falls’ volcanic pinnacles and thundering waters of Tower Creek plunge 132 feet, making this a must-see for every traveler though the park.
 
Sightseeing Specimen Ridge offers a look back at the past with the largest concentration of petrified trees in the world and evidence of fossilized leaf, conifer needles and microscopic pollen.