Yellowstone National Park is one of the top destinations sought after in the US! I had always dreamed of seeing the park in person, because photos simply don't do some areas justice. It was phenomenal! We had a wedding to attend in Jackson Hole and decided we would fly into Bozeman, rent a car, and make it a road trip! Pressed for time and doing this on a long weekend seemed impossible; however, we got lucky with crowds! We saw almost everything in the park within a couple of days! Of course, we didn't have time for hiking but were in the park prior to sunrise and closed it down until after sunset each day! Our trip was early September, and it was great weather! Brisk cool mornings and in the 70s by lunch time! The cold weather in this state is much different than Georgia and dry. So, it actually doesn't feel quite as cold.
We arrived at the airport in Bozeman. It's a smaller airport and easy to navigate! Picked up our rental and were surprised to receive a Ford Mustang! We headed for West Yellowstone! After much research, I decided this would be our best area for home base and getting into the park quickly! I recommend this for everyone I book this trip for! The park entrance is minutes away! We wasted no time! Checked into our hotel and hit the park the first evening! I mapped out the park and studied it for weeks prior to our trip and broke out where we would go into segments. I have a complete guide I created for those that book with me! My planning really paid off because we were able to see everything on our list. I also recommend being in the parks before sunrise and at sunset. You typically see more animals at these times.
Each area of the park is so unique and different landscapes! Our favorite area was Hayden Valley! The bison were everywhere! I've never witnessed such an incredible site! The bison cause car jams crossing the roads. You'll see babies nursing their mamas and thousands of these massive creatures in this area. We went back both evenings to watch them at sunset! Do use caution! These creatures are huge, and you should never get too close. We took a zoom lens for our close-up shots. I drove and my daughter took most of the photos of this trip out the car window.
The North Entrance was probably our least favorite area but it's still one you need to see if you have time! The Canyon area was breathtaking, and we loved seeing the waterfalls. Luckily, most of them are visible from overlooks. We ventured through the valley and then the fishing bridge area. We saw a lot of wildlife here also. You must visit the geysers. We didn't stop at every single one but did the most popular. You have to see Old Faithful too! Be sure to find out the schedule for it. It's also best not to go here early. The morning fog makes it less visible.
Sunup to sundown, we stayed in the park. We did venture into town and got some souvenirs and ate at some of the recommended places! We tried bison and everything huckleberry.
Yellowstone will always hold a special place in my heart! I'd love to do back during snow and exploring through excursions but can't imagine going and not driving the park!
Our rental car, huckleberry lemonade and mule, bison burger, and bison meatloaf!
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