American scientists are alarmed to report that the Yellowstone volcano, the largest in the world, is active. This supergiant erupts every 600 thousand years, and each time it redraws the map of the continent. Is the volcano about to make itself known again?
One at a time, in pairs and in groups, bison flee Yellowstone National Park. Without being distracted by anything, even cars and people, the animals do not slow down. The video recording made by a bystander seriously alarmed the whole country. Many believed that the bison were not just running, but fleeing for their lives.
Local residents seriously thought about whether to run after the animals. After all, beneath Yellowstone National Park lies the largest volcano on the continent.
The size of the volcano is, of course, amazing. Four thousand square kilometers is 20 times larger than Washington with all its suburbs. The territory of the entire US capital is just a small part of the so-called “caldera” of the volcano, that is, the crater. And under it is a huge bubble filled with hot magma. Depth - like 15 Ostankino TV towers.
IN Lately The super-volcano reminds itself more and more often. The water temperature in the geyser lakes is now above normal, and the soil has risen. But the main thing is that since the beginning of this year, six dozen tremors have already occurred. Each time the vibrations become stronger.
“We had an earthquake of magnitude 4.8. This is the strongest tremors in more than 30 years,” says Al Nash, head of the press service for Yellowstone National Park.
Experts believe that a volcano can destroy life within a radius of one thousand kilometers, and the entire territory North America will be under a 15-centimeter layer of ash. Global climate change will follow. Volcanologists believe that Yellowstone should erupt approximately once every 600 thousand years. 640 thousand have already passed since the last awakening.
“65 million years ago, the eruption of a similar super-volcano coincided with the fall of a meteorite in the Mexico region, and this, quite likely, was the double blow that caused the dinosaurs to become extinct. In the current situation, the United States will become extinct,” believes a university physics professor New York Michio Kaku.
Yellowstone National Park staff are trying to reassure the Americans, saying that the bison are driven by hunger and nothing more.
"We're seeing an exodus of bison, elk and other animals out of the national park. But we think it's a migration in search of food," says Al Nash.
But looking at the buffaloes running en masse, it’s hard not to remember the stories of the residents South-East Asia about how in December 2004, without visible reasons the animals suddenly rushed inland. And soon she came giant wave, generated by an earthquake. About three hundred thousand people died then.
Yellowstone Volcano, Supervolcano or Yellowstone Caldera are all names of a volcano located in Yellowstone National Park, in the northwestern part of Wyoming, USA.
The Yellowstone volcano is not at the junction tectonic plates, as usual, but in the center of the North American Plate. This is a mysterious and as yet unexplored “hot spot” located in the heart of America.
The Yellowstone volcano is gigantic in size and has no cone. His top part as if she had sunk into a giant cavity in the bowels of the Earth. The depression formed after the failure is called a caldera (Spanish Caldera - cauldron). This is a huge territory of thinned earth's crust, under which hot magma pulsates. The dimensions of the Yellowstone caldera are 55 by 75 kilometers.
Yellowstone supervolcano, USA.
According to scientists, over the past 17 million years, the Yellowstone volcano has shown its strength more than 100 times. Two recent eruptions were about 2 million and 640 thousand years ago.
The Geological Society of America predicted a new awakening of the American supervolcano no sooner than in 20 thousand years. But, already at the end of the last century, based on computer calculations, the date of the approaching catastrophe is postponed to 2075. However, in 2003, a group of scientists came to new conclusions: the eruption of the supervolcano could begin as early as between 2012 and 2016.
The long-standing and, by all accounts, not dangerous Yellowstone volcano, on which the paradise valley of the same name is conveniently located, suddenly began to show signs of activity.
The first signs of activity were the appearance of new geysers. Further, seismologists identified a significant rise in the ground in the national park. Over twenty years, the soil rise has been no more than 10 cm, and over the past four years - 178 cm.
The largest volcano in the world, the Yellowstone Caldera, located in Yellowstone National Park in the United States, according to many volcanologists, may begin to erupt at any minute.
This supervolcano has not shown its power for more than 600 thousand years and its eruption, according to American scientists, could wipe out more than half of the US territory from the face of the earth.
Today, the hidden life of the volcano is the source of numerous hot springs and geysers in Yellowstone National Park. But, if an eruption does begin Yellowstone Volcano, then the consequences will be catastrophic for the whole world. In addition to the direct damage from the eruption, such as the fall of volcanic ash over a wide area, as a result of the eruption of a supervolcano, a large amount of ash will fall into the stratosphere, and a real “volcanic winter” may come to our entire Earth.
But there is another group of volcanologists who argue that the very fact of caldera growth is not a clear signal of an imminent eruption. The growth of the caldera is akin to the inflation of bubbles. Its increase can be caused both by magma growing and pressing on the caldera, and by gases formed during this process. Hydrothermal fluids heated by the magma also exert strong pressure on the caldera. According to this group of scientists, whatever the reason for the growth of the caldera, this is not a sufficient signal of an imminent eruption of the supervolcano. In their opinion, “these restless calderas are constantly rising and falling. But this in itself does not mean that we should expect an imminent eruption.”
To get more information about the supervolcano, you can watch this video from the BBC:
BBC. Supervolcano. The whole truth about Yellowstone
Information about the film:
Year of manufacture: 2005
Country: UK
Genre: Documentary
Director: Tony Mitchell
Cast: Michael Riley, Gary Lewis, Shanon Johnston, Adrian Holmes, Jennifer Copping, Rebecca Jenkins, Tom McBeath, Robert Wisden
This may sound a little inappropriate in this case, but enjoy watching:
Time will tell which of them is right. In the meantime, we live and enjoy - every minute we live, every day we live 😉
Yellowstone is a supervolcano in the United States. For several years now, the world has been disturbed by the news that it is about to wake up, a catastrophe will happen, America will come to an end, and the world will plunge into nuclear winter. While the supervolcano is sleeping.
Worst case scenario
The most pessimistic scenario for the awakening of a supervolcano is this: it will be an explosion comparable to the explosion of 1000 atomic bombs. Ground part supervolcano will collapse into a crater with a diameter of fifty kilometers. will happen on Earth ecological catastrophy. For the United States, the eruption of Yellowstone would mean the end of existence.
The saddest thing is that not only alarmists, but also experts talk about such consequences. Jacob Löwenstern from the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (USA) said that during all previous eruptions of the supervolcano (there were three), more than 1 thousand km³ of magma fell out. This is enough to cover most of North America with a layer of ash up to 30 cm (at the epicenter of the disaster). Löwenstern also noted that the air temperature throughout the Earth will drop by 21 degrees, visibility for several years will become no more than half a meter. An era similar to nuclear winter will come.
Hurricane Katrina showed that the US civil defense system is not prepared for such large-scale disasters - and no country’s defense system can prepare for them.
Domestic scientists never tire of predicting the eruption of a supervolcano. Nikolai Koronovsky, head of the Department of Dynamic Geology, Faculty of Geology, Moscow State University, in an interview with Vesti, told what will happen after the eruption:
“Winds are predominantly westerly, so everything will go to the eastern United States. Will cover them. Solar radiation will decrease, which means the temperature will have to drop. The famous eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in the Sunda Strait in 1873 lowered the temperature by about 2 degrees in the equatorial region for a year and a half until the ash dissipated.”
Supervolcano
Such forecasts are not surprising if we remember that we are facing a supervolcano. What is it? Supervolcanoes can be called the most hazardous areas on the globe.
Yellowstone is a huge caldera hidden underground. Its area is 4000 km 2. For comparison: the area of Moscow is 2500 km 2, that is, Yellowstone is one and a half times larger than the capital of Russia, twice larger than Tokyo, and four times larger than New York.
Scientists did not know about the existence of supervolcanoes until the first geosatellites were launched. Yellowstone is so huge that it doesn't even form a cone, so it doesn't look like a typical volcano.
The threat is near
Alarming predictions of an imminent eruption come from the scientific community. Geology professor Bill McGuire, who constantly monitors the park, assesses the situation this way: “America is literally living on a powder keg. Satellite images and movements of the earth's crust indicate that deep in the depths there are active processes. There are other signs that he may wake up. The surface of Yellowstone Park emits 30 to 40 times more thermal energy than the rest of the continent."
The peak of panic came last spring. Since the beginning of 2014, 60 tremors have been recorded in the area of the volcano. The strongest - on the morning of March 30 - its magnitude was 4.8 - a record since 1980.
The Internet community did not stand aside either. A video of bison rushing away from the park has received millions of views on YouTube. However, the reserve workers immediately stated that this was seasonal migration and there was nothing to worry about.
Casey says
The prediction of the legendary Edgar Cayce, one of the most prominent predictors of the 20th century, who in his time predicted both world wars, the discovery of the Qumran scrolls and the rise of China, does not bring peace of mind.
He also predicted a catastrophe that could destroy the United States during the reign of America's 44th president. Barack Obama is 44th.
Is it all that serious?
What is happening now in the Yellowstone National Park? Apparently, everything is relatively calm. CBS News, citing the National Park Service and the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, reported in March 2014 that the probability of a super eruption at that time was 0.00014%. That is, it “almost certainly will not happen.”
As it was before
Yellowstone's last major eruption occurred approximately 640 thousand years ago. Its force was 2,500 times greater than that of the largest eruptions of Mount Etna, and as a result, the ocean coastline changed and the Mediterranean Sea froze.
It’s difficult to visualize, but for the Earth it was a disaster.
The build-up of information noise around Yellowstone is becoming seasonal and started quite deliberately. Thus, in the 80s in the USSR and Eastern Europe it was common to say that the USA was about to be destroyed by the AIDS epidemic. Meanwhile, there is still controversy in medicine about whether HIV is the infectious agent of AIDS.
In the case of Yellowstone, the situation is similar. As we know, the objective probability of a catastrophe is calculated in tiny percentages, but every time the media starts their “Yellowstone Campaign,” sales in stores increase, and newspapers with fresh news about the supervolcano are taken off the shelves in entire circulations.
The most pessimistic scenario for the awakening of a supervolcano is this: it will be an explosion comparable to the explosion of 1000 atomic bombs. The ground part of the supervolcano will collapse into a crater with a diameter of fifty kilometers. An environmental disaster will occur on Earth. For the United States, the eruption of Yellowstone would mean the end of existence.
The saddest thing is that not only alarmists, but also experts talk about such consequences. Jacob Löwenstern from the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (USA) said that during all previous eruptions of the supervolcano (there were three), more than 1 thousand km³ of magma fell out. This is enough to cover most of North America with a layer of ash up to 30 cm (at the epicenter of the disaster). Löwenstern also noted that the air temperature throughout the Earth will drop by 21 degrees, visibility for several years will become no more than half a meter. An era similar to nuclear winter will come.
Hurricane Katrina showed that the US civil defense system is not prepared for such large-scale disasters - and no country’s defense system can prepare for them.
Domestic scientists never tire of predicting the eruption of a supervolcano. Nikolai Koronovsky, head of the Department of Dynamic Geology, Faculty of Geology, Moscow State University, in an interview with Vesti, told what will happen after the eruption:
“Winds are predominantly westerly, so everything will go to the eastern United States. Will cover them. Solar radiation will decrease, which means the temperature will have to drop. The famous eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in the Sunda Strait in 1873 lowered the temperature by about 2 degrees in the equatorial region for a year and a half until the ash dissipated.”
One of the most famous national parks in the USA is undoubtedly Yellowstone National Park, located in the state of Wyoming in the western USA in the crater of an ancient supervolcano. Millions of tourists from all over the world flock here every year. In the summer, when all the roads in the park are open, and especially on weekends, the place is crowded. Why is Yellowstone Park so popular? We knew that you could see a huge number of different geysers there. And an elderly couple from a neighboring state we met earlier near one of the beautiful rivers told us that there were also wild bears and a huge number of buffalos - bison. And we, of course, wanted to see with our own eyes whether the park was worth the laudatory reviews that travelers from all over the world wrote about it.
The national park was established on March 1, 1872 and is the very first national park in the United States and the world, as well as a biosphere reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Geysers and geothermal springs, and a variety of wildlife make this park very attractive to visitors (fifth most visited in the US; could be more visited if it were not so far from other interesting attractions in North America, as well as limited access due to heavy snowfalls in winter and the high location of the territory - about 2500 meters above sea level). Despite the fact that officially the territory Yellowstone Park, covering an area of about 9,000 sq. km, belongs to three states - Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, the park is considered to be the main attraction of the state of Wyoming.
Description of the park
What is so attractive about Yellowstone National Park? Its popularity is based on a unique combination of three elements, each of which individually makes the park interesting to visit.
- The first and most surprising thing that attracts millions of tourists to the park every year is about ten thousand active geothermal sources- geysers, hot springs, fumaroles (steam escaping from the ground) and mud volcanoes, which are the result of volcanic activity occurring in the bowels of the earth under the territory of Yellowstone Park. They occupy about a third of the park's territory and are concentrated in a circular area, which is part ofthe caldera of the huge supervolcano Yellowstone, which could begin to erupt again at any moment.Most of them are located in close proximity to roads that pass through the park, making them easier to access and increasing visitation, although there are many lesser-known geysers in the park's wild areas. In general, about half of the world's geysers are concentrated in Yellowstone Park (about 450 of the 970 geysers known on planet Earth). The main and most famous geothermal springs are concentrated in the areas of Heart Lake, Mammoth, Norris, Shoshone, West Thumb, Upper, Midway and Lower Geyser Basins. The latter is where the park's most famous geyser is located - Old servant(or Old Faithful, Old Faithful).
How do geothermal sources work and what types are they?
- Secondly, Yellowstone National Park has beautiful mountain landscapes , with high peaks, stormy rivers, flowing along the bottom of the canyons, as well as beautiful full-flowing multi-cascade waterfalls, a large lake and several smaller ones, as well as a picturesque Grand Canyon the Yellowstone River, which stretches 30 kilometers in length and reaches a depth of more than 300 meters.
The steep banks of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River preserve information about what was here millions of years ago
- The third component is wild nature. And these are not empty words.Yellowstone National Park is one of the few places in the United States where huge bison live in their natural habitat (they are also found in the national park), and grizzly bears also feel quite at ease within the park. Besides, inwolves live in the park, re-induced into the park in 1995 to control the number of bison, as well as many black bears, moose, deer and other smaller animals.
Animals and birds of Yellowstone Park
Park information
| Name | Yellowstone National Park, Yellowstone National Park |
| Where is | In the USA on the border of three states - Wyoming, Montana and Idaho |
| Address | 2 Officers Row Yellowstone National Park Headquarters Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, USA |
| Nearest cities | Jackson, Idaho Falls |
| GPS coordinates | 44° 40′ 0″ N, 110° 30′ 0″ W 44.666667°, -110.5° |
| What is | Yellowstone Volcano Caldera. The park is famous for its beautiful and unusual landscapes in an area of volcanic activity. The territory has geothermal springs, geysers, rich flora and fauna |
| Park foundation date | March 1, 1872 |
| Working hours | Every day around the clock. Some services close overnight and are sometimes unavailable throughout the year |
| Attendance | 3,000,000 people per year |
| Cost of visit | Weekly pass - $30 per car ($50 with Grand Teton) Weekly Pass - $25 per motorcycle or snowmobile ($40 with Grand Teton Park) Weekly pass - $15 per pedestrian ($20 with Grand Teton) Annual subscription – $60 Annual pass to all US national parks – $80 |
| Visitor centers | Canyon Visitor Education Center Fishing Bridge Visitor Center & Trailside Museum Grant Visitor Center West Thumb Information Station Albright Visitor Center Norris Geyser Basin Museum and Information Station Museum of the National Park Ranger Old Faithful Visitor Education Center West Yellowstone Information Station Madison Information Station and Trailside Museum NPS Desk at West Yellowstone Visitor Information Center |
| Official site | https://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm |
Yellowstone Park on a map of the USA
Legend:
- Burgundy color on the map– towns near the borders of Yellowstone Park where you can spend the night
- Orange color– camping in Yellowstone Park
- Purple stars– the most important sights
- Blue– other attractions in the park
Distances to Yellowstone Park
Distances to Yellowstone National Park from cities and other US parks and how long to travel (travel time by car):
- — 1635 km (16 hours)
- — 1180 km (11 hours)
- — 1495 km (15 hours)
- Jackson (Wyoming) - 140 km (2 hours)
- Idaho Falls (Idaho) - 173 km (2 hours)
- Salt Lake City (Utah) - 512 km (5 hours)
- — 1340 km (13 hours)
- — 697 km (7 hours)
- — 625 km (7 hours)
- — 843 km (9 hours)
- — 876 km (8.5 hours)
- — 920 km (9 hours)
- — 1150 km (13 hours)
- — 1382 km (15 hours)
- — 96 km (2 hours)
- — 364 km (5 hours)
How to get there
First of all, you need to realize that it is quite possible to visit the crater of a supervolcano, and then decide to do it. So, the conditions are prepared, the cards are collected, the camera is at hand. Don't forget to bring enough food with you for several days. And then you need to find out how to get to Yellowstone Park. The park is located in the northwestern part of Wyoming, and in the south it connects with another national park - and the city of Jackson. You can get there through several entrances:
- From Montana, the gateway to Yellowstone is Yellowstone West to the west;
- Gardiner in Montana to the north;
- Wyoming provides entry options from Cody in the east;
- Cooke City in the northeast;
- And, of course, from the south through the city of Jackson and Grand Teton Park.
Yellowstone National Park is diverse and vast. And it's worth spending a lot of time on. So if you manage to devote two full days to it, that’s already good!
Although this wonderful place is located far from the beaten path, it is still worth getting there. You can fly into Jackson or Idaho Falls and rent a car if you don't want to drive across the country to Yellowstone. At least in order to form your own opinion about the very first US national park created on the territory of a volcano.
Hotels near Yellowstone
Small towns located on the borders of Yellowstone National Park are great places to stay if you don't want to camp in the park itself. There are several campgrounds throughout Yellowstone where you can stay in a tent or camper if you're traveling in an RV. Read more about this below.
But hotels and motels near Yellowstone are in great demand, although they are much more expensive than in other US cities. Therefore, we recommend booking them in advance. It is convenient to stay near the borders of the park, since every time you return from the wonders of the most famous national park in the USA, coziness and comfort will await you. We have made a selection of the best hotels near the park, located at each of the five entrances to Yellowstone.
Here are the best hotels near Yellowstone Park:
| Inn on the Creek 3*(from $150 , rating 9.8 ). This hotel is located in downtown Jackson, just south of Grand Teton and Yellowstone parks. A stream flows next to it and a garden is laid out. The spacious and luxurious rooms have hydromassage bath and a fireplace. Breakfast with homemade cakes is included in the room rate. |
| (from $170 , rating 8.9 ). This West Yellowstone hotel is located at the west entrance to the park. The lodge's cozy cottages are equipped with a kitchen and veranda and are especially suitable for two couples, as each house has two bedrooms, or for a large family. There are barbecue facilities in the garden. |
| Yellowstone Gateway Inn(from $115 , rating 9.4 ). As its name suggests, this hotel is located in the natural setting of Gardiner, at the northern entrance to Yellowstone. It offers spacious and comfortable cabins with a fully equipped kitchen, living room and views of the mountains and park. You can have a barbecue in the garden next to the hotel. |
| Soda Butte Lodge(from $130 , rating 7.8 ). Another good hotel is located in Cooke City at the northeastern entrance to the park. Inexpensive spacious rooms with mountain views. Guests note the cleanliness and homely atmosphere. |
| Chamberlin Inn 4*(from $135 , rating 9.4 ) - the best hotel in Cody (east exit of Yellowstone) with highest rating on Booking. It is famous for maximum comfort and the union of traditions with modern technologies. All rooms are elegantly decorated and very cozy, and there are family apartments. The hotel has a bar and a cozy library where you can work in peace, as well as a small garden with barbecue facilities. |
Read a detailed review of Yellowstone Park hotels and lodges at.
Park map and attractions
The main attractions are indicated on the diagram (clickable!)
Main attractions of Yellowstone Park:
- Old Faithful Geyser (Old Faithful)
- Large prismatic spring
- Upper and lower terraces of Mammoth
- Norris Geyser Basin
- Roosevelt Tower
- Grand Canyon
- Artist Point
- Gibbon Falls
- Waterfall on the Firehole River
- Yellowstone Lake
- Lake Shoshone
- Hidden Valley (Hidden Valley)
- Grand Loop Road Historic District
- Bison and wildlife grazing in the park
Supervolcano Yellowstone
In the park there is caldera dozing and himself big volcano in the world - Yellowstone supervolcano. In its history of more than 2 million years, it has erupted three times, and can do so again at any time.
Let's figure out what this most dangerous supervolcano in the world is.
- Beneath the crater of the Yellowstone volcano lies a huge bubble of hot magma, the temperature of which exceeds 800 degrees.
- Beneath the magma there is a huge 600-kilometer superheated mantle rock column, the temperature of which exceeds 1600 degrees. Closer to the earth's surface it melts into magma, fueling volcanic activity.
- As a result, minerals rocks, surrounding the Yellowstone supervolcano, gradually melt and form on the surface geysers And mud boilers, and also comes out hydrogen sulfide, which is a by-product of chemical reactions.
- At any moment, with even greater heating of the column of mantle rock, a sharp rise and activation of the release of magma to the surface can occur.
Breathtaking landscape
Chronology of Yellowstone volcano eruptions throughout its history:
- First eruption happened more than 2 million years ago. As a result of overheating of the underground boiler, a large explosion occurred, which led to the rupture of mountain chains on the surface, and the cloud of emissions rose to the upper boundary of the stratosphere to a height of 50 km. Much of North America was covered in ash. It was a global catastrophe on planet Earth, and in the entire history of mankind such catastrophes have never happened before.
- Second Since the Yellowstone volcano erupted about 1.3 million years ago, it was 10 times weaker than the first and not so destructive for planet Earth.
- Third The eruption occurred 640 thousand years ago, and it was 2 times weaker than the first. As a result, the cone of the Yellowstone volcano, formed in two previous eruptions, melted and fell underground, forming a caldera - a giant depression on the earth's surface with a circumference of more than 150 kilometers.
When will Yellowstone start to erupt?
Based on the three previous eruptions, only probabilistic predictions of the next eruption of Yellowstone volcano can be made. Scientists estimate this probability at 14 hundred thousandths of a percent per year. However, geological processes are not regular and cannot be accurately predicted. Therefore, no one knows exactly when Yellowstone's next eruption might occur. On the one hand, it can happen at any moment, but on the other, it will never happen.
Park features
Perhaps it will also be interesting to know that the way Yellowstone National Park looks is one of the stages in the development of our planet, preserved for our eyes by some lucky chance. There is another such place in the USA, in the John Day National Park, where you can also see what the Earth was like millions of years ago. So Yellowstone is an even more ancient picture of the planet’s past. We took many photos in various parts of the park, and from them you can see for yourself the amazing past of the planet.
The park is also home to thousands of bison, who quite calmly graze in the lush meadows and imposingly cross the road. This causes a wild rush among photographers and creates traffic jams on the roads passing through the park.
Best time to visit Yellowstone Park
It is believed that from May to October - best months to visit Yellowstone. However, there are some nuances here too.
- Summer in the USA it’s time for vacations and trips with children into nature, and therefore the number of people per square meter roads in the park can be overwhelming. Moreover, at this time there are often traffic jams on the park’s roads, which will take a lot of time to overcome. If you choose summer, it is better to go in late May-early June.
- Therefore, it is best to watch Yellowstone in the first 2-3 weeks autumn, just after Labor Day ( Labor day), falling on the first Monday in September. The number of visitors at this time sharply decreases, and at the same time prices for hotels around the park fall, making it easier to find a place in a campsite on the territory. So early autumn the best time for those who want to see the park quickly.
- In general, Yellowstone National Park is open all year round, and in winter time The park area is especially beautiful. Therefore, despite the cold and possible snowfalls, do not miss the opportunity to see hot geysers in the middle of a cold winter and look at frost-covered bison.
Buffaloes walk down the road
Bison crossing the road in video from Yellowstone Park
Fairytale landscape
The geyser spits out a huge column of water and steam
The eyelash of the Oko (Prism) geyser is formed by many heat-loving bacteria
The best view of the Grand Prismatic thermal spring is from above
Plan your visit to Yellowstone
Yellowstone Park welcomed us in the fall. And since October, a good part of the roads here are usually closed. And we were unlucky: two whole roads were no longer functional for tourists. This made route planning very difficult. After all, a regular tour of the park is a figure eight, which is convenient to drive around, dividing it into two parts. Therefore, you need to allocate at least two days to explore the national park. And with the routes from Norris to Mammoth and Craig Pass to West Thumb closed, the task became more difficult. Now we had to drive along the same road twice.
But even in such not very pleasant conditions, we decided to admire the famous volcano hidden underneath.
- Recommendation: A regular city car will do for a trip to Yellowstone, as the roads in the park are very good. It’s better to look for a car for rent (at a price of $20 per day) at Rentalcars >>
Weather
Most of the park is located at an altitude of more than 2000 meters above sea level, so weather in Yellowstone very changeable. At any time of the year, quite serious fluctuations in air temperature are possible, and rain or snow falls here both in summer and winter.
- Spring and autumn characterized by fairly cool air. Daytime temperatures range from 0 to 20C, with frequent frosts at night, down to -20C. In spring it often snows, and it may not stop throughout the day.
- Summer in Yellowstone quite warm, on average about 22-25°C. Sometimes the air temperature on a sunny day is 30°C. However, the nights in the park are quite cool, sometimes the temperature drops even below zero. Precipitation is not frequent, but sometimes there are rains and thunderstorms (usually in the afternoon).
- in winter Daytime temperatures fluctuate below zero (from -20°C to -5°C). Severe frosts often come at night, and the thermometer can even drop to (-54C). It often snows and blizzards occur. Park visitors sometimes have to wait for park workers to clear the road after another snowfall.
Before visiting Yellowstone Park, check the accurate weather forecast for the coming days and be sure to take a warm jacket and rain protection with you, and in case of wind, insulate yourself with multi-layered clothing.
Interesting events in the park throughout the year by month
Yellowstone National Park is one of the most popular (after) parks in the United States for a reason. Visitors to Yellowstone Park can find something to enjoy in the park throughout the year. Of course, most tourists come here in the summer - in June, July and August, when the United States is at the height of the vacation and school holiday season. In the summer, there is literally no crowd here, and traffic jams often occur on the roads in the park due to people stopping to look at the bison, blocking the passage of everyone else.
Therefore, for a more relaxed visit to the park, we recommend choosing spring (April/May) or autumn (September/October). We ourselves were here in early autumn, and it was probably the most the best choice from possible options. Before traveling to Yellowstone, be sure to check the park's website for Current Conditions, as some roads and access to attractions may be closed, mainly due to inclement weather.
Here are the highlights of Yellowstone Park by month:
| Month | What to see and do |
| January | Geysers surrounded by snow fields, wild bison, wolves, foxes and coyotes, skiing and snowmobiling. |
| February | Overnight near Old Faithful, snow-covered meadows throughout the park, trumpeter swans in the wormwood. |
| March | Grizzly bears wake up from hibernation and emerge from their den. Various migrating birds begin to arrive. March 1st is Yellowstone Park Day. |
| April | Bison give birth, you can see moose and grizzly bears, swamp frogs and marmots wake up, and migratory birds arrive. The flowering season of meadow plants begins. |
| May | In the lowlands you can go hiking, the first campsites are opening in the park, and wild flowers are blooming. All roads within the park are open to visitors on Memorial Day. |
| June | Boating, fishing, hiking and wildlife watching wildlife. Songbirds and animals appear in all their glory. In mid-June, the navigation season on Yellowstone Lake begins and all remaining organized campsites open. |
| July | Bison and their offspring wander through the meadows, where rare wildflowers bloom at this time. The water level in the Yellowstone River is dropping, large numbers of mosquitoes are appearing, and campsites are starting to operate in uninhabited areas. |
| August | The park conducts controlled fires, the smoke from which may be somewhat disturbing to visitors. US National Parks Day is celebrated on August 25th. |
| September | Some campgrounds are starting to close. Moose and black and grizzly bears can be seen in roadside meadows. There are fewer mosquitoes in the park. Predators, following bison, migrate from one territory to another. As nature turns into fall colors, the boat ramps on Yellowstone Lake wind down. |
| October | Bears return from mountainous areas to lower ones and begin to prepare for winter. They can often be seen along roads. Sometimes snow falls and some of the mountain roads in the park are closed for the winter. |
| November | Bison and bighorn goats migrate to the plains, and snow begins to accumulate, on which wolves can sometimes be seen in the Lamar Valley. Fishing season is ending in Yellowstone Park. |
| December | Coming winter mode Yellowstone Park works. Many roads are closed, but there are opportunities for skiing, snowmobiling, and hot geysers surrounded by snow and ice. |
What to see in 2 or 3 days
When all the roads in the park are open, the most The best way see Yellowstone in 2 or 3 days like this:
- Having entered along one of the roads, say through the southern entrance from Grand Teton, you immediately find yourself in West Thumb Geyser Basin. Get to know the wide variety of mud springs and geysers of the Yellowstone kitchen.
- Moving west through Craig's Pass you come to the most famous geyser - Old Faithful. He demonstrates his skills on a schedule (about once every hour and a half). If you are late for the start of the next show of the Old Faithful eruption, then you should wait a little and take a walk along the valley of geysers nearby.
- Then on the way Midway Geyser Basin- one of the most significant in the park. Here you can admire the huge, beautiful and dangerous hot springs Exilior And Grand Prismatic Spring.
- There are several trails nearby - up to Ojo Caliente, another hot spring, or to the waterfalls - Fairy Falls.
- Do not miss Firehole Lake Drive- a separate ring road, along which there are several more geysers, as spectacular as Old Faithful, if you manage to catch them erupting. By the way, the schedule can be checked at the visitor center at Old Faithful.
- On the way out is another collection of bubbling springs and mud volcanoes - Fountain Paint Pot.
- It’s also worth spending time on one more road - Firehole Canyon drive. Please note that traffic here is one-way.
There are more than enough impressions for the first day. Next, you need to decide on an overnight stay - check into the Madison campsite (as we did) or leave through the western gate of the park and stay in the small town of West Yellowstone (I recommend the hotel Explorer Cabins at Yellowstone).
- The next day, when entering the park, you can start exploring from observation platforms on the river and waterfalls Gibbon.
- Artists Paint Pot— regular colorful baths with mud and volcanic activity.
- And then we drive along the road to the upper loop of the so-called “eight” - twice ring road, passing through the park, and we go north, to Norris Geyser Basin.
- The next goal is Mammoth Hot Springs- These are hot springs that have already died, but still make an indelible impression on visitors. There are wooden decks built along them, on which you can walk for a very long time in search of good angles for photos.
- Further on the way to the east, to Roosevelt Tower you can visit Ondine waterfall, considered the most beautiful in the national park.
- You can complete the program of the second day at the same Roosevelt Tower, stopping at another charming waterfall called Tower Falls.
If you have spent a lot of time exploring the sights of Yellowstone, then at the Roosevelt Tower you can go outside the park to Cooke City and spend the night there (see hotel Soda Butte Lodge) or stay at a simple campsite at Tower Falls.
- On the third day you can return to the park again or continue to the side Grand Canyon Yellowstone. This is an impressive place with colorful rocks and waterfalls, where all visitors have the opportunity to see the green Yellowstone River, which created a huge canyon.
- On the way to Yellowstone Lake you can visit the following mud volcanoes And small waterfalls LeHardys Rapids.
- Yellowstone Lake- this is the last point of the program, after relaxing at which it is most convenient to take the picturesque road to the south, towards Grand Teton Park and the city of Jackson.
Multi-cascade waterfall
Where to stay and stay in Yellowstone
Of course, it would be better to spend the night in one of the campsites in the park to have quick access to the attractions. And there are opportunities for this in all parts of the park. We chose camping madison, since it is in the center of the figure eight, and this is very convenient. The cost is $25 per day, and these are the most simple conditions. At your disposal is a place for a car, a tent, a table and a shared toilet. And also bears, from whom you need to hide food so that they are not tempted to get to know you personally.
Camping Madison
Our tent in Yellowstone Park
Entering Madison Campground. There are no vacancies in the evening
There is also the option to stay outside the park, in small towns near the border with the park (West Yellowstone, Gardiner, Cooke city and others), but hotels and motels there will be more expensive, and campsites will be cheaper. But why settle in a tent not in the park itself?
Opens from viewpoint beautiful view the Yellowstone River from above
The hill looks like it’s made of marshmallows (Lower Mammoth Terraces)
Unusual patterns created by mineral deposits in a thermal spring
Camping in Yellowstone Park
There are 12 campsites in Yellowstone National Park where you can stay overnight if you have a tent and everything you need for an overnight stay, a campervan or caravan (also called an RV in the US). There are approximately 2,200 sites available across all campsites.
Since there are quite a lot of visitors to Yellowstone National Park, you must either reserve a campsite in advance or arrive no later than 10-11 a.m. and reserve a place to spend the night yourself. For the convenience of visitors, the national park website contains information about the availability of places in campsites, which can be viewed.
| Camping name | Number of seats | Conditions | Opportunity reservations | Price |
| Mammoth | 85 | A,F,G | No | $20 |
| Madison | 278 | A,F,NS,DS,G | Yes | $23,50 |
| Fishing Bridge RV | >325 | F,S/L,2S,DS,G, hookups | Yes | $47,75 |
| Norris | 111 | A,F,G | No | $20 |
| Bridge Bay | 432 | A,F,NS,DS,G | Yes | $23,50 |
| Tower Fall | 31 | V | No | $15 |
| Canyon | 273 | A,F,S/L,2S,DS,G | Yes | $28 |
| Indian Creek | 70 | A,V | No | $15 |
| Pebble Creek | 27 | V | No | $15 |
| Slough Creek | 23 | V | No | $15 |
| Lewis Lake | 85 | V | No | $15 |
| Grant Village | 430 | A,F,S/L,2S,DS,G | Yes | $28 |
Explanation of symbols:
Yellowstone Campgrounds Map
Camping in Yellowstone Park
Our review
We visited a unique place with amazing nature, fueled by the powerful underground energy of the dormant giant Yellowstone volcano. Rivers and streams, beautiful waterfalls and a picturesque canyon, thermal waters, terraces of mineral deposits, huge fields of geysers and mud pots, including the tallest geyser in the world, as well as thermal springs and free-roaming bears and bison - this is all very important to us It was interesting to see with my own eyes.
We really enjoyed the lower Mammoth Terraces, the Old Faithful Geyser, the picturesque canyon and the Grand Prismatic Spring, which we were able to view from the top of the hill. Repeatedly in Yellowstone Park we met amazing and powerful wild animals - bison (buffalo), for which this park is so famous. They literally walk wherever they want and are not shy at all. But, fortunately for us, we never met any bears.
We visited Yellowstone National Park in the fall, when not so many people were on vacation and schoolchildren were back at their desks. But still, sometimes I had to experience some discomfort due to the large number of visitors to the park. Therefore, get up early and go to watch the sunrise where you think it will be most interesting. If you need a campsite and have not booked it in advance, we recommend that you reserve it in the morning, otherwise you risk being left without a place to spend the night in the park after lunch.
Our photos
Two bison grazing
Coyote came out to hunt
Articles about attractions in Yellowstone Park
Please note that in each of the posts, in addition to photos, we also collected short videos from the park. So we delight you not only with photographs, but also with an immersion in reality!