Yellowstone 101

Big Sky Vacation Rentals beginner’s guide to exploring America’s First National Park.

Just 45 minutes south of Big Sky is the West Entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Montana may be the last best place, but Yellowstone National Park is a one-of-a- kind place, for reasons that are geological and ecological.

Geologically speaking, Yellowstone is one of the wonders of the world – because of its geysers. The strict definition of a geyser is a hot spring that displays intermittent, turbulent eruptions of water vapor. By far the largest geyser field on Earth, Yellowstone contains over five hundred geysers - more than exist in the entire rest of the world.

Most geyser fields occur near the boundaries of continental plates, such as in Kamchatka (between the Eurasian and Pacific plates) or New Zealand (between the Australian and Pacific plates). Yellowstone is an exception because it is not near a continental boundary, but is located above a “hot spot”- a thin section of the Earth’s crust where magma wells up from the core.

Geysers form when underground water, which has taken over a thousand years to trickle down from the surface, percolates up into open chambers just below ground level. Because of the mineral content of the water, the boundaries of these chambers become sealed with deposits of geyserite (hydrated silica). This allows the pressure to build up as the water is heated, until a rapid expansion of steam forces the water above it upwards, resulting in a spectacular eruption. It continues until the geyser runs out of water or heat energy. Then, the chamber begins to fill again; the duration of this process varies enormously, and determines the period of a particular geyser.

Only a few geysers (Old Faithful being the largest and best-known) have regular periods between eruptions. Others may go for years without erupting, then suddenly spring into life and erupt regularly for several months. Earthquakes, such as the 1959 Hebgen Lake shake, often create new geysers, or awaken dormant ones.

The warm outflow streams of the geysers and hot springs display a stunning range of colors. These are caused by micro-organisms (bacteria, cyanobacteria, and algae) that thermophilic – i.e. they can tolerate high heat levels. One of these, Thermus aquaticus, originally discovered in Yellowstone, is now used worldwide in studies of DNA. Also found, in the park’s acidic springs, are archaea, primitive one-celled organisms, thought to be very similar to the first simple forms of life which appeared on Earth approximately three or four billion years ago. Yellowstone’s hot spot, known as a caldera, has given rise to the terrifying concept of the “Yellowstone Supervolcano.” If it were to erupt once again in a similar scale to the last eruption, 640,000 years ago, most of the North American continent would be covered in ash, and the world would be plunged into several years of endless winter. Crops would fail, and the human race would suffer mass starvation. Ecologically, Yellowstone National Park is also exceptional, because it makes up, together with Grand Teton National Park and the surrounding national forest areas, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. This is one of the largest wilderness areas to remain relatively intact, anywhere at temperate latitudes on Earth.

Animals such as grizzly bear, mountain lion, wolverine, elk and pronghorn antelope have survived here since prehistoric times. Perhaps the most magnificent sight of all is the enormous bison herd – a throwback to the original vistas of the North American continent, before the first white man arrived from the east.

One species, which had disappeared from the area for more than 60 years, the gray wolf, was reintroduced in 1995 and is now flourishing. So much so, in fact, that it may soon be removed from the federal endangered species list in the Northern Rockies. If this controversial decision is enacted, hunting permits for wolf may one day be sold by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Visiting Yellowstone

For day trips from Big Sky, there are two obvious routes, the Upper and Lower Loops. While both loops can be driven in a day, it is advisable to spend a full day touring each.

Lower Loop
From the West Entrance, head along the Madison River, a world-class fly fishing river, and turn right at Madison Junction. It is then possible to divert right on to Firehole Canyon Drive for views of Firehole Falls. Further up the river is an area that is popular for swimming. The Firehole River is fed by plenty of geysers and hot springs, so the water is often warmer than expected.

The main road leads on to Fountain Paint Pot, with its acidic, gloopy, bubbling mud, and Grand Prismatic Spring, where the beautiful, pure azure of the central pool is surrounded by a spectrum of bacterial colors. For reasons of safety and conservation, you must remain on the raised boardwalks.

Next stop is Old Faithful. Upon arriving, it is possible to find out the estimated time of the next eruption (always give or take 10 minutes), and time your lunch break accordingly. There are several lodges and restaurants here, the most spectacular being the Old Faithful Inn, with its massive log-built entrance atrium; this icon first opened in 1904.

Make sure to secure a space early on the viewing benches around the Old Faithful geyser, especially during summer months, as it can be quite crowded. After watching it erupt, there’s an opportunity to stroll on the boardwalks around the other hot springs and geysers. With luck, you may witness an eruption of Beehive Geyser, taller than Old Faithful but much less regular.

When the Lower Loop continues, over some higher ground, it crosses the Continental Divide twice, at over 8,000 feet elevation. It then drops towards Yellowstone Lake; this is the world’s second-largest high-altitude freshwater lake, after Lake Titicaca, which borders Peru and Bolivia.

Turn left at West Thumb, where there is a small geyser area, and continue along the shore of the lake to the Yellowstone Lake Hotel, a beautiful edifice which dates back to 1891 – pre-dating the Old Faithful Inn. Its beautiful views are over the lake and the Absaroka mountains, including the park’s highest point, Eagle Peak – 11, 358 feet (a little higher than Lone Mountain).

Continuing north, passing the road to the East Entrance and Cody, Wyoming, the Lower Loop follows the wide Hayden Valley, where bison herds are abundant. But suddenly, the placid Yellowstone River drops several hundred feet, via the Upper and Lower Falls, into a deep, foaming cleft; the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Roads run along both sides of the canyon and there are several breathtaking viewpoints from either rim. The most impressive is Artist Point on the south rim.

For the energetic, there is just one trail which descends to the very bowels of the canyon: Uncle Tom’s Trail, named after a guide who led Yellowstone tours at the beginning of the 20th century. It is a steep climb back up, covering 500 vertical feet. Looking at the canyon’s yellowish rock walls, it is obvious why the first French explorers in this region called this river the “Roche Jaune” (although there is a theory that the name came from sandstone bluffs, much further down the river). After the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, when France sold to the USA all the land between the Mississippi and the Continental Divide, the river’s name was translated to Yellowstone.

After a left turn at the Canyon Village crossroads, and another left at the Norris Geyser Basin, the Lower Loop leads back to Madison Junction and the road that returns to the West Entrance.

Upper Loop
From the West Entrance, follow the Madison River and turn left at Madison Junction. At the Norris crossroads, turn left into the parking lot and take the time to walk around the Norris Geyser Basin. If you’re fortunate, you might see an eruption of Steamboat Geyser, the world’s tallest geyser at 300 feet. But don’t hold your breath; Steamboat is very unpredictable and may lie quiet for years between eruptions.

Continuing north, the Upper Loop passes Obsidian Cliff, where volcanic activity created a glass-like substance. Approaching Mammoth Hot Springs, turn left on to Upper Terrace Drive. It gives access to Canary Spring, which has some of the world’s best travertine terraces (formed by calcium carbonate deposits); they are similar in appearance to the “cotton castle” of Pamukkale in western Turkey. Further along, the road winds around the massive, multi-colored mound of Orange Spring.

Just down the road is the park headquarters, at the historic Fort Yellowstone. Many humans stop here for refreshments, along with numerous elk, who appreciate the green grass around the public buildings. As they lie there docilely, remember that they are still wild animals and don’t get too close!

From Mammoth, it is well worth making the five mile detour north to Gardiner, Montana. This sleepy, dusty little town, exuding frontier ambiance, is a good lunch stop, with many restaurants; Sawtooth Deli is a particular favorite. Gardiner’s main feature is the Roosevelt Arch, dedicated by Teddy in 1903 as the prime gateway into the park. Head back to Mammoth and turn left toward Tower Junction, to rejoin and continue the Upper Loop. At Tower Junction, a left turn would take you through the Lamar Valley to Cooke City. This is the only road in the park that is plowed all winter, as it is provides the sole access to the snowmobilers’ nirvana that is Cooke City. In the summer it is possible to continue onwards from Cooke City, over the 10,947 foot high Beartooth Pass, and eventually to Red Lodge, Montana.

To remain on the Upper Loop, avoid the Cooke City turnoff and continue past the Tower waterfall, and Mount Washburn - one of the park’s easier 10,000 foot peaks to climb, because the road itself lies at nearly 9,000 feet. Then, the route drops down to Canyon Village and the magnificent Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (see Lower Loop). To complete the Upper Loop, turn right at the Canyon Village crossroads, left at Norris Geyser Basin, right at Madison Junction and thence to the West Entrance.

For more information on geysers, see “The Geysers of Yellowstone” by T Scott Bryan.

Entrance Fees
$25 for a private, noncommercial vehicle
$20 for each snowmobile or motorcycle
$12 for each visitor 16 and older entering by foot, bike, ski, etc.
This fee provides the visitor with a 7-day entrance permit for both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Remember to keep your admission receipt in order to re-enter the parks. Snowmobile operators must possess a valid motor vehicle operator's license. Advance reservations are not needed to enter the park. Annual or Lifetime Passes are possible alternatives to the above fees.

Park Annual Pass
$50 for the park annual pass provides entrance to pass holder and accompanying passengers in a single private non-commercial vehicle at Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Pass is valid for 12 months from date of purchase. Purchase your pass at one of the park’s entrances.

Interagency Annual Pass
$80 for the Interagency Annual Pass provides entrance or access to pass holder and accompanying passengers in a single, private non-commercial vehicle at most federal recreation sites across the country. Pass is valid for 12 months from date of purchase. The pass is not valid for Expanded Amenity fees such as camping or parking at Mt Rushmore. Purchase your pass at one of Yellowstone’s entrance stations or online at http://store.usgs.gov/pass.

Interagency Senior Pass
$10 for the Interagency Senior Pass (62 and older) is a lifetime pass available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Pass is available only in-person at entrances or visitor centers. Learn more about the Senior Pass.

Interagency Access Pass
Free lifetime pass available to citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. who have been determined to be blind or permanently disabled. Pass is available only in person at entrances or visitor centers. Learn more about the Access Pass.

The above passes replace the Golden Eagle, Golden Age and Golden Access Passports as well as the National Parks Pass. These passes will remain valid until they expire or are lost or stolen.