Yellowstone in a Day

Yellowstone National Park has been on my road trip bucket list for many years. Passing through Wyoming in May, I detoured to the northwest corner of the state with a plan to see as much of the park in a day as humanly possible. To make the most of the adventure, I tent camped the night before at Madison Campground. Located near the West Yellowstone entrance, Madison is one of the few campgrounds taking reservations before Memorial Day Weekend.

Midway Geyser Basin

Midway Geyser Basin

Where to Stay

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As it turned out, nighttime temperatures dropped to just above freezing and I put my thermal sleeping bag to the test. Bears are active within the campground and one was spotted strolling through the sites the day before my trip. Despite being “bear aware” and locking up all food and liquids in my vehicle, I quickly realized the odds were much better I’d encounter of one of the many buffalo grazing along the nearby Madison River.

Old Faithful Erupting

Old Faithful Erupting

If anything I wanted to see Old Faithful, so I headed out bright and early the next morning in the direction of the park’s most popular attraction. Along the way, I stopped at Fountain Paint Pot and Midway Geyser Basin, two excellent “quick and easy” stops with boardwalk trails leading through various active geothermal landscapes. One nice thing about arriving earlier in the day is better parking and fewer people; even before the peak tourist season the park was brimming with out-of-staters and large groups traveling in charter busses.

Buffalo on the Road

Buffalo on the Road

I failed to do any sort of pre-trip research on Old Faithful and somewhat lucked out arriving fifteen minutes ahead of an eruption. Contrary to my assumption of the term “Old Faithful,” the geyser does not erupt on a set schedule. Visitors can wait anywhere between 35 minutes and two hours between eruption times (visit this page for more info).

Artists Paintpots

Artists Paintpots

Next up was Mammoth Hot Springs, a drive north in the direction of Montana. On the way, traffic came to a stop as a herd of buffalo claimed right-of-way on the road. In all, I saw buffalo, elk, moose, bear, and a variety of birds and critters on my trip. I noticed many bird watchers set up in designated pull-offs and one nice lady helped me to see an osprey nesting her young.

A bit tired from driving, I decided to embark on a 1-mile roundtrip hike at Artist Paintpots. I was rewarded bubbling mudpits and vividly-colored (but deadly) pools of orange and blue. The “one with nature” tranquility I felt at Artist Paintpots was offset by the many people exploring the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces near Mammoth Hot Springs. I’m glad I stopped here, but the experience made me question the utility of a selfie stick on a narrow, heavily-traveled walkway.

Mammoth Hot Springs

The drive out towards the park’s Northeast Entrance was breathtaking and peaceful. If you have a picnic basket (“Hey Boo-Boo!”), you’ll find many beautiful places to enjoy a pre-packed meal. I found a lovely spot near the Soda Butte Creek.
Picnic Lunch

In all my Yellowstone National Park takeaway is this: while you can’t really “see” the park in a day, you can appreciate the enormity of the land that is collectively ours to preserve and maintain. Sheri has written many stories about her family’s time in Yellowstone National Park. Simply type “Yellowstone” in the search bar above.

Happy Trails! 

Yellowstone National Park Pin

 

About the Author

Julie Henning
Julie Henning is a freelance writer and journalist based out of Eugene, Oregon. She is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and owner of the family-travel website RoadTripsForFamilies.com. She is a recent past member of the Midwest Travel Writers Association and the Association for Great Lakes Outdoor Writers. In March 2018 Julie Henning published the book "100 Things to Do in Eugene Before You Die" (Reedy Press). She is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and recent past member of the Midwest Travel Writers Association and the Association for Great Lakes Outdoor Writers. She has been published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Wisconsin State Journal, Travel Wisconsin, Travel Oregon, Hometown News Group, The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Illinois), the Rochester Post Bulletin, Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine (DNR publication), Experience Michigan Magazine, the Official Oregon Wine Touring Guide, Metro Parent Milwaukee Magazine, Eugene Cascades & Coast Official Visitors Guide, Trivago, Intercom Magazine, Roadtrippers.com, Amtrak.com, Eugene Magazine, and FTF Geocacher Magazine. Julie has appeared on Wisconsin Public Radio, Ohio Public Radio, and KCBX FM Central Coast Radio. She has produced episodes for Journey of Discovery with Tom Wilmer, a National Public Radio travel podcast. Julie has also produced travel apps with Sutro Media and Bindu Media. She works full time in marketing. Julie has appeared on Wisconsin Public Radio, Ohio Public Radio, and KCBX FM Central Coast Radio and is an affiliate producer with the Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer, a National Public Radio travel podcast. She has blogged for TravelWisconsin.com, Travel Oregon, and VISIT Milwaukee. Julie travels with her three kids and black lab as much as possible and lives by the motto, "Not all who wander are lost." Check out some of her best work at www.juliehenning.com.