The Great Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone is the first. The first on the world scene of National Parks. Established March 1, 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant was the one who signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act into law, protecting over 2 million acres of wilderness and ultimately one of the worlds largest volcanoes for future generations (including us) to wander and enjoy. Go wander this beautiful area and keep it wild!

Trail Details

• Length: 900+ miles
• Difficulty Level: Beginner to expert
• Camping: Allowed in some locations
• Permits/Fees: Entrance fee per family car $35 (annual Pass $70) [The Us Park Pass $80]
• Favorite season: Many suggest April, September and October (Peak season is June and July)
• Pets: Not allowed on trails

What to expect:

• Terrain: Easy to very rugged
• Water: abundant in most locations
• Wildlife: Elk, Moose, Bison, Grizzly Bear, Big Horn Sheep, Bald Eagle, and Wolves are just a few of the more than 200 species found in the Yellowstone region. Will you have the rare experience to spot a Wolverine or Lynx?

Location & Trails

There are 2.2 million acres to wander, mostly in Wyoming with small parts in Montana and Idaho. How do you enter? There are 5 entrances to this massive park. All of the following information is based on this link; check it out for more specifics on what you can find close to each entrance and planning your trip. Check out this link for Park entrance availability and highlights you can expect in the park by month.

1. North Entrance
   • Gardiner, Montana
   • Via: US 89
   • Open: Year round
   • Attractions: Mammoth Hot Springs; Lamar Valley
2. Northeast Entrance
   • Nearest towns Cooke City and, Silver Gate, Montana
   • Via: US 212 West
   • Open: Year round with exceptions (see this link)
   • Attractions: Beartooth Pass; Lamar Valley
3. East Entrance
   • Nearest town Cody, Wyoming
   • Via: US 14/16/20
   • Open: 2nd Friday of May – 1st Sunday of November
   • Attractions: Yellowstone Lake; Old Faithful; Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
4. South Entrance (traveling through Grand Teton National Park will have its own entrance fee)
   • Nearest towns Jackson Hole, and Morgan, Wyoming
   • Via: US 191/89/287
   • Open: 2nd Friday of May – 1st Sunday of November
   • Attractions: 2 National Parks in 1 day, Travel Through Grand Teton National Park then enter Yellowstone
5. West Entrance
   • West Yellowstone Montana
   • Via: US 20/191/287
   • Open: 3rd Friday in April – 1st Sunday in November
   • Attractions: Geysers, Fountain Paint Pot, Firehole Lake Drive area and, the Great Fountain Geyser

Trails are seemingly endless in these 2.2 million acres with more than 900 miles of trails. Check it out on Alltrails here to choose your destination from 269 trails. You can read about the trail, see the difficulty level and, ratings from individuals who have traveled these trails, with tips as well.

Parking

There are many trail heads available within. Choose your hiking destination here on Alltrails from the over 900 miles of trails so that you can identify the best parking for your chosen destination.

Trip Recommendations:

We don’t have any … yet. We would like to ask you for recommendations. That’s right, your input matters. Wilderness Wanderers will be taking a trip next year determined by our readers. Be sure to read these other blog posts:

• Denali National Park & Preserve: Home of the “Great Mountain”
• Beautiful Glacier National Park: The “Crown of the Continent”
• The Amazing Grand Canyon National Park From Rim to Rim

Wilderness wanderers will be wandering off to whichever of these parks that receives the most ‘Likes’ next year! So be sure to like your favorite at the bottom of the page. Paid subscribers will also gain access to a photo gallery that will be made available, so be sure to subscribe!

Also don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram to receive notifications about new posts and for more info on which park we will be visiting (based off of your input).