Yellowstone National Park: 10 More Amazing Things to See

Yellowstone National Park, founded in 1872, is famous worldwide for its stunning beauty. It is the most popular national park in the USA for locals and tourists alike. 

While many focus on the most popular attractions at Yellowstone National Park, the less visited areas are still worth seeing! In addition to the excellent views, lesser-known attractions are less crowded, making the experience more enjoyable.

To help make your trip to Yellowstone National Park the best it can be, we’ve compiled a list of 10 more areas to visit that may be less crowded than the park’s main attractions.

1. Upper Geyser Basin & Morning Glory Pool

Home to Yellowstone National Park’s most popular attraction, Old Faithful, the Upper Geyser Basin is a must-see attraction. The basin is home to a quarter of Earth’s geysers and features many walking paths for guests to explore.

Unlike the crowded area around Old Faithful, the rest of the Upper Geyser Basin is quieter. Not many visitors choose to walk the entire length of the paths, making this a great place to relax and feel alone with nature.

If you want to see the geysers in the area erupt, predicted eruption times are listed at the Old Faithful visitor centre. Although they are not as predictable as Old Faithful, the geysers are just as fascinating!

One of the best features of the Upper Geyser Basin is the Morning Glory Pool. This hot spring is known for its stunning colours. On rare occasions, the spring has erupted due to seismic activity.

If you explore the Upper Geyser Basin, respect the geysers and surrounding nature of Yellowstone National Park. Due to tourists throwing coins, towels, and other objects into the Morning Glory Pool, the bacteria that colour the water have begun to die and lose their colour. It is said that if this continues, Morning Glory will turn into Faded Glory. 

2. Yellowstone Grand Loop Road

Yellowstone Grand Loop Road is the park’s main roadway. It is a scenic loop that passes through all of its major attractions. The road is laid out in a figure-8 shape and is about 230 kilometres long. It was created during the park’s early days while still under U.S. military control. 

 It can take 4 to 8 hours to drive along the entire Yellowstone Grand Loop Road. Although this can be done in one day, there are too many stops to make and attractions to see for anyone to get through it all in one visit. Instead, completing the drive over 2 or 3 days is better. 

Not only does Yellowstone Grand Loop Road feature the park’s most popular attractions, but the drive itself is fascinating! The loop takes you through the park’s beautiful nature, with mountains, valleys, plains, and forests to observe. It is a perfect way to see all that Yellowstone National Park offers.

3. Lamar Valley

One of the best things about Yellowstone National Park is the wildlife that calls it home. Driving through Lamar Valley gives guests some of the best chances to see animals roaming the area.

It is widespread to see hundreds or thousands of bison freely roaming Yellowstone’s plains.  In addition to bison, guests have also seen bears, wolves, elk, deer, and coyotes in Lamar Valley. To have the most excellent chance of seeing the wildlife, arrive at Yellowstone National Park in the morning or early afternoon. This is when the animals are most active.

Although Lamar Valley is beautiful at Yellowstone National Park, it is not as popular and busy as other areas. This is due to the valley’s remote location. Lamar Valley is located about 100 kilometres away from the Old Faithful Geyser area.

It takes roughly 2 hours by car to reach Lamar Valley, not including any stops along the way or time waiting for bison to cross the road. But if you have the time, it is worth seeing for its spectacular landscapes and wildlife!

This part of Yellowstone National Park is often called the Serengeti of North America. The plains remind guests of African savannas that slowly morph into tall mountains as the road continues past Lamar Valley.

4. Fairy Falls

Fairy Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls at Yellowstone National Park. It is over 60 metres tall and flows during the spring and summer. Fairy Falls is known best for the easy hike that leads to its base.

There are two trail options for visitors who want to see Fairy Falls. The first is an 8.7-kilometre trail from the Fairy Falls parking lot, and the second is a 16-kilometre hike from Fountain Flat Drive.

 Both trails lead through a forested area where wildlife is often seen roaming. Although the paths are covered by shade, bringing water and snacks is essential since the trails are longer than others at Yellowstone.

5. Norris Geyser Basin

Although it is not as impressive as other geyser basins at Yellowstone National Park, Norris Geyser Basin is still a great area to visit. It is the hottest geyser basin at the park, and if you have time after seeing the main attractions, it is a must-see.

The Norris Geyser Basin has two sections: the Porcelain and Black Basin. The Porcelain Basin is a dry, barren area with no shade. Boardwalk paths provide trails to the steaming vents and geysers and are home to many colourful hot springs.

Yellowstone’s Black Basin offers a different experience than the adjacent Porcelain Basin. It is located in a pine forest full of life and shade.

The highlight of the Black Basin is Steamboat Geyser, the largest active geyser in the world. Although it has not had a major eruption since the early 1990s, it is still active and often shoots water over 12 metres in the air. 

The Black Basin trail is nearly 3 kilometres long, less visited than the 1.7-kilometre trail at the Porcelain Basin. If you want to see it all, the entire Norris Geyser Basin can take half a day to explore. It is a fantastic area to visit and one of the most beautiful sights at Yellowstone National Park.

6. Mammoth Hot Springs

The Mammoth Hot Springs is a breathtakingly unique area in Yellowstone National Park. Its thermal features differ from others in the park, and the area is small enough to hike in less than two hours. However, there is no shade at the Mammoth Hot Springs, and it can get boiling. Make sure to dress appropriately, wear sun protection, and drink water when visiting!

Yellowstone’s Mammoth Hot Springs consists of Mammoth Lower Terraces and Upper Terraces. Each area has hot springs and dry terraces to admire. The algae in the pools create orange, red, and brown water.

If you are not interested in hiking around the paths at Mammoth Hot Springs, there is also a road that leads through the area. Drive through the springs and make stops to explore when you reach the key attractions. Whether on foot or by car, this is one of the most stunning places at Yellowstone National Park.

7. Old Faithful Inn

Recognised as a National Historic Landmark, the Old Faithful Inn is the largest log structure in the world. Built in 1903, it is one of the oldest lodges at Yellowstone National Park.

The inn’s interior is stunning. The log lobby features an incredible 26-metre-tall stone fireplace and rustic decor. When the Old Faithful Inn opened at Yellowstone, it offered steam heating and electric lights. Today is a beautiful look into the past for guests and visitors.

The inn was voted one of the top 50 favourite buildings in the USA in 2007 and is a popular tourist attraction at Yellowstone National Park. Old Faithful Inn has multiple restaurants and dining rooms for visitors, and free tours are offered multiple times daily.

8. Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center

If you want to see bears and wolves at Yellowstone National Park, the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center is a perfect place to visit. Bears and wolves from local and faraway areas are kept safe.

The Discovery Center’s animals were rescued from the wild and could not survive in the wild. The centre prides itself on providing guests an educational experience and giving these animals a second chance at life.

The Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center is located near the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park. It is open 365 days a year, making it the only place in Yellowstone where you can see bears in the winter since the bears at the centre do not hibernate.

There are currently 7 bears at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center. Each bear has a name, details about their history, how they arrived at Yellowstone, and other information available for guests. 

Wolves, squirrels, birds, and otters can also be found at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center. Each animal is available for guests to “adopt” by donating to the centre. The donations help non-profit organizations care for animals.

Yellowstone National Park’s Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center is an excellent place for adults and children to learn more about the wildlife that calls the park home.

9. West Thumb Geyser Basin

Although the West Thumb Geyser Basin is one of the most minor geothermal sites at Yellowstone National Park, it is worth visiting! The basin is on Yellowstone Lake’s western coast, near the South Entrance.

The trail around the West Thumb Geyser Basin is just over 1 kilometre long. It is easy to hike and wheelchair accessible. The path follows the shoreline of Yellowstone Lake and passes by several interesting thermal features.

Wildlife is commonly seen in this area of Yellowstone National Park. Bison, bears, and elk freely roam the area around the paths. To see the wildlife, visit the West Thumb Geyser Basin in the morning or early afternoon.

One of the most popular attractions at the West Thumb Geyser Basin is the Abyss Pool, the deepest hydrothermal pool at Yellowstone National Park. The trail around the Abyss Pool typically takes 30 minutes to an hour to walk.

If you want to walk further, the Duck Lake and Lake Overlook trails are very close to the West Thumb Geyser Basin. These paths are a great way to explore Yellowstone’s scenery.

10. Boiling River

Yellowstone’s Boiling River is a unique park feature that lets you interact with the area. It is created by a large hot spring entering the river, turning the water into a natural hot tub! The mix of cold and hot water makes this area the perfect place to relax and experience nature at Yellowstone National Park.

There are very few areas where swimming is allowed at Yellowstone National Park. This is because of health risks from water temperatures; hot springs are too warm to swim in, and other bodies of water are so cold that there is a risk of hypothermia.

Most visitors spend an hour at the Boiling River, but it is easy to spend half a day or more enjoying the relaxing waters. The Boiling River may be closed during the spring due to melting snow, so check before visiting.

The Boiling River is located in Northern Yellowstone. The parking area has bathrooms for guests to change into swimsuits before jumping into the river. Yellowstone is a great place to end your day after hiking and exploring the attractions.

Yellowstone National Park is a Great Place to Explore

Crowds worldwide have flocked to Yellowstone National Park since opening day. From geysers and basins to the large herds of wildlife roaming the area, Yellowstone is a must-visit destination for everyone.

Whether you’re looking for a relaxing day in the natural hot tub or want to take a long hike to a waterfall, Yellowstone is best experienced without massive crowds surrounding you. By visiting these lesser-known areas and attractions, you can better view the springs and feel more in tune with nature.

If planning a trip to Yellowstone National Park, check out our list of another 6 Beautiful Things to See at Yellowstone.