The pristine lakes and dramatic peaks of Yellowstone National Park make it a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. There are so many perfect natural beauties in this park, and they are all extraordinary. While passing through the over 3,000 square miles of this park’s waterfalls, geysers, mountains, and canyons, be ready to be welcomed by its amazing permanent residents like elk, grizzlies, and buffalo.
Every year, over four million visitors troop to Yellowstone, but if you spend your whole time at Old Faithful, you will hardly see many of them. Just use about one or two days enjoying the fantastic sights that Mammoth Hot Springs and Yellowstone Lake have to offer. You also need to save some time to trail through other regions, such as the untamed wildlife dotting the Dogshead Loop and Lewis River Channel. Yellowstone National Park offers a lot of fun-filled opportunities that are as well memorable. Here is a travel guide that contains all the necessary things that you need to know before heading to Yellowstone National Park:
How you can save when you visit Yellowstone
- Come along with your bed: Getting a room at any park lodge usually costs more than a space in the park’s campground. There are also flushing toilets, showers, and laundry facilities in many of the campgrounds.
- Avoid coming during summer: Summer is when the largest number of tourists visit this location, drastically increasing hotel rates. But if you come during the offseason, you will spend less.
- Bring your food: Yellowstone has many sit-down restaurants, but they may eventually make you go beyond your budget. That is why coming with your own food is cheaper.
What to Eat in Yellowstone
There are several dining options in Yellowstone. When you arrive inside the park, you will find canteens, bars, general stores, and snack shops. Additionally, Yellowstone has plenty of sit-down restaurant options, and most of them are located around popular attractions like Yellowstone Lake, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Old Faithful. Sandwiches and other casual fares are served at the in-park canteens. The high-end restaurants, including the Mammoth Hotel Dining and the Lake Hotel Dining Rooms, provide visitors with a wide variety of game meats, including trout, bison, and elk.
Even though the borders of this park has so many dining options, it might still be a good idea to come along with a cooler filled with snacks and lunch item so that you will not have to bother yourself about going to stay close to one of the most developed areas of the park. Always remember that going from one attraction in Yellowstone to the other can take some hours. You can still find other eateries in the small towns that surround the park.
Maintaining safety
Some safety hazards in Yellowstone are headaches, animal attacks, and some other ever hazard. Most times, altitude change can result in headaches. The elevation of Yellowstone ranges from about 5,282-11,368 feet above sea level. While it may be true that altitude sickness comes after a person has been exposed to environments above 8,000 feet, any sudden altitude change can make a person fall sick with symptoms that include dizziness, tiredness, headaches, and so on. So, even if you do not have any plans to do plenty of hiking, go to the park’s higher elevation areas, or both, you should take it easy for a complete 24 hours (one day) so that your body can adjust to the environment.
Before sightseeing in this park, you should know that the mud pots, geysers, and many other geothermal attractions are hazardous because of their very hot temperatures. Additionally, it is advisable to always keep a safe distance from the animals. It is suggested that you stay at least 1000 yards away from bears and wolves and then 30 yards and above away from every other wildlife. You are also advised to keep all garbage and food out of reach from critters and bears. If animals have access to garbage and food from humans, they habitually become dependent and aggressive to get it from humans.
If possible, make sure not to wander off alone to avoid bear attacks. Even if you are alone or with others, you should periodically make plenty of yelling noise to let the animals know you are around. It is highly recommended to come along with a bear spray/repellent. Never try to run if you see bears on the trails because doing so triggers the bear’s chase response.
Conclusion
As you have seen, Yellowstone has plenty of amazing things to offer you. With this guide, your experience will be memorable. Always remember to keep yourself safe, as this is bear habitat. Yellowstone National Park awaits you and your family.
