Road Trips: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

June 30, 2:11 PMLA RVing ExaminerJulian Gothard

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Yellowstone’s central plateau is supported by three ancient Calderas, and sits astride a colossal two million year old volcano whose magma chamber lies beneath a fragile mantle of collapsed rock contained within a 1350 square mile crater. The last major eruption, a mere 640,000 years ago, spewed forth over 240 cubic miles of molten material and deposited ash over thousands of square miles. The Yellowstone Caldera that you see today, though still capable of an extinction level event is, by its own standards, somewhat sedentary and yet it remains an extremely active geological hotspot (monitored by the USGS), as is evidenced by the parks trademark fumaroles (hydrothermal vents), hot springs, geysers and mud pots. The Yellowstone Park was established in 1872 when, in a landmark bill, Congress voted to set aside 2.1 million acres to create America’s first National Park prompting the New York Times to report, “Perhaps, no scenery in the world surpasses for sublimity that of Yellowstone Valley; and certainly no region anywhere is so rich, in the same space, in wonderful natural curiosities.” President Ulysses S. Grant signed the bill into law on March 1^st 1872 ensuring the preservation of Yellowstone’s extraordinary landscape for the “benefit and enjoyment of the people.”

• Click here for Yellowstone slideshow

 “Beside the treasures common to most mountain regions that are wild and blessed with a kind climate, the park is full of exciting wonders. The wildest geysers in the world, in bright, triumphant bands, are dancing and singing in it amid thousands of boiling springs, beautiful and awful, their basins arrayed in gorgeous colors like gigantic flowers; and hot paint-pots, mud springs, mud volcanoes, mush and broth caldrons whose contents are of every color and consistency, plash and heave and roar in bewildering abundance.” (John Muir)

Yellowstone takes its name from the Native American word Mi tse a-da-zi, which literally means “a yellow stone.” The park extends across three States, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho; is bordered by four forests, Gallatin to the north, Shoshone to the east, Bridger-Teton to the south and Caribou-Targhee to the west (Lodgepole Pines cover sixty percent of the park); includes numerous lakes such as the 132 square mile Yellowstone Lake and smaller lakes like Shoshone, Heart and Delusion and is surrounded by mountains including, the Teton, Beartooth and Gallatin mountain ranges. If the rich tapestry of volcanic and hydrothermal features (more than any other place in the world) does not hold your attention then the Petrified Forests (at Specimen Ridge), the towering Upper (109 feet) and Lower (308 feet) Yellowstone River Waterfalls the 950 miles of hiking trails and the abundant wildlife might just do the trick.

A good way to cross into the park is on Highway 89 heading north from the Grand Teton National Park. You will pass through Flagg Ranch and enter through Yellowstone’s South Entrance. On the way up you will pass Lewis Lake and Grant Village before arriving at the West Thumb Geyser Basin located (see map) south of Old Faithful on Yellowstone Lake’s 141 mile shoreline. This feature is best seen in late summer when all of the geysers will be above the lake’s water line. Then, if you want to park your RV, you can head east following the lakeshore towards Fishing Bridge or, alternatively, continue heading north on the lower Grand Loop Road towards Old Faithful. You will cross the Continental Divide (twice) before reaching this renowned geyser, located next to the Old Faithful Lodge. This is one of over 300 geysers and 10,000 hydrothermal features in the park. It erupts approximately every 92 minutes, reaches heights of up to 180 feet and can keep going for as long as five minutes. Continue on to the Upper Geyser Basin and view the vivid colors of the Morning Glory Pool, named after the deep blue flower of the same name. Sadly, the dark blue coloration has faded over time due to numerous coins and other garbage thrown in by visitors which have choked-up the vent, but it is still magnificent. The Grand Prismatic, the largest hot spring in Yellowstone, can be found at the Midway Geyser Basin just north of Old Faithful. The vibrant colors around its perimeter are the result of the formation of multi-colored bacteria. Although there is a boardwalk, the best way to view, or photograph, this feature is from the air. Continue to the Norris and Firehole River Geyser Basins and explore the wonderful geysers and hot springs in this area. Then drive through Canyon Village and stop to view the magnificent Upper and Lower Falls. Continue south and camp at Fishing Bridge RV Park. This has 346 back in sites, no pull throughs, with full hookups (30 amp). Maximum length is 40 feet and camping is restricted to hard-sided vehicles only. There are pay showers, a laundry, dump station and a store. Be sure to make reservations for this campground well in advance.

Depending on how long you will be staying at Yellowstone you should also be sure to visit the glorious Old Faithful Inn, designed by architect Robert Reamer and completed in 1904 and the Mammoth Hot Springs near the North Entrance of the park on the upper loop road. You can use your tow car to do this or take an historic yellow bus tour or an interpretative coach tour of the park. You can also go boating at Bridge Bay Marina on Yellowstone Lake or fly fishing in the many lakes and streams within the park.

With 300 species of animals, 60 mammals, 225 species of birds and swathes of wildflowers like pink fireweed and the yellow monkey flower that is commonly seen near the hydrothermal vents, Yellowstone National Park boasts the greatest variety of flora and fauna in any of the contiguous United States. The highest concentration of wildlife can be found in the Hayden and Lamar Valley including Grizzly Bears, Coyotes, Elk, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Wolves, Ospreys, Bald Eagles and Bison (do not be surprised if you find yourself sharing the road with Bison). With the reintroduction of 30 breeding pairs of Gray Wolves in March 1995 and 1996, the complex Yellowstone ecosystem was finally restored, achieving a balance of mammals not seen since the Pleistocene epoch. The best time to see wildlife is at dawn and dusk. Bears will be dormant from October through May, so there will be little chance of a sighting in these months. A good time for Elk, Bison and Moose is May through June, when many of the calves are born. The best spot for Grizzly’s is near Dunraven Pass, just north of Canyon Village and on the Lamar Valley road as far as Cooke City which lies just beyond the park’s Northeast Entrance. Black Bears can usually be found in the Mammoth and Old Faithful areas during daylight hours. In winter, wolves can be seen in the Lamar Valley and the Blacktail Lakes area. To see any of these animals close-up you will need binoculars, a telephoto lens of at least 500mm, or a viewing scope. In the unlikely event that you see one of these animals any closer than 100 yards from you, do not leave the safety of your vehicle! If you choose to do so, and should you survive the encounter, you will be fined by the Park Service (It is illegal to approach within 100 yards of bears and 25 yards of any other wildlife). But do not despair; simply by driving through the park you have an above average chance of seeing Bison, Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Osprey, Red-tailed Hawks, Marmots, Chipmunks and Squirrels. The first thing I saw when entering the park was a coyote leaping in the air in a successful attempt to capture some unfortunate rodent in its burrow. It is truly amazing to see the beauty of God’s creatures up close, but please don’t emulate the idiot who posed his two lady friends, with their backs turned, in front of a female moose and young baby in the Grand Tetons. Lady Luck was smiling on them that day, you might not be so fortunate.

“Now comes the gloaming. The alpenglow is fading into earthy, murky gloom, but do not let your town habits draw you away to the hotel. Stay on this good fire-mountain and spend the night among the stars. Watch their glorious bloom until the dawn, and get one more baptism of light. Then, with fresh heart, go down to your work, and whatever your fate, under whatever ignorance or knowledge you may afterward chance to suffer, you will remember these fine, wild views, and look back with joy to your wanderings in the blessed old Yellowstone Wonderland.” (John Muir)

• YellowstoneNational Park Map (PDF)
• Yellowstone National Park, PO Box 168, Yellowstone, WY 82190.
• Tel: 1 (307) 344-7381
• Yellowstone Association Tel: 1 (307) 344-2293
• Yellowstone Park Foundation Tel: 1 (406) 586 6303
• Fishing Bridge RV Park (operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts). Yellowstone National Park, WY, 82190. Tel: 1 (307) 344-7311

 

Planning your journey: Driving distance LA to Yellowstone: 1,056 miles | Driving distance San Francisco to Yellowstone: 970 miles

Places to stop en-route from Los Angeles to Yellowstone: Las Vegas Oasis RV Resort | Valley of Fire State Park | Zion Canyon National Park | Grand Teton National Park |