If you are just getting started on what we lovingly call our “Epic Trip Out West,” where our family of four drove from Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, hitting all the parks we could in between, start with our FAQs and full itinerary here. Otherwise, here’s the low down on what we learned touring Yellowstone National Park with the family…
DAY ONE: getting there
North Carolina to Chicago to Bozeman
Drive Bozeman to Yellowstone
Lodging: Canyon Lodge
Up at 3:45 am to excited kids, ready to go. Our taxi driver pulled in 10 minutes early and we rushed out the door, glad to have done everything the night before. The taxi driver was an oddity but nice enough – telling stories about how he watches out for the drunk girls he drives, pretending to be their fathers in front of the drunk hound dog men chasing them. Obviously, our trip was already an adventure.
We touched down at the Bozeman, MT airport which, technically, is in Belgrade. As towns across America continue to fade, airports get named for what was, not what is. While the view of the mountains is impressive from Bozeman, as a town the place is not. It is a working town – industrial, grimy, full of people who know what it is to sweat for your pay. Nothing here portends of national wonders unimaginable, but the people were all friendly.
We stopped in at the Mackenzie River Pizza Pub – which I (mom) picked not only for its reviews and proximity to us, but also because I had just finished the chapter in Undaunted Courage about the Scottish explorer from Canada, Mackenzie, who was the one to light a fire under Jefferson’s butt and get Lewis out there (note: my description is not from the official book jacket). We stopped at a Target for some basic groceries (reference our tips for why this was a great decision) and were off.
Even though we were all exhausted, it was still a 2+ hour drive to Yellowstone. Yet when we got to the park, right in the town of Gardner, a herd of elk was featured against the backdrop of peaks and snow-covered caps. My children went flying out of the car, before it was even in park, their brand new cameras dangling, and we joined the herds taking pictures of the herd. At that moment, as an elk poked its head over the small stone barrier between us, I knew that we had made it. Not as in across the country, but as in, we made it to the point where we found a magic moment for our family we would never forget. So with that done, we could go back home, amiright?
Actually, we went to the Visitors Center to get our first national passport book stamps (again, see our tips for why we loved these) and a map.
Since we knew how big Yellowstone is we fought through exhaustion and took our time driving down the North Entrance and into the park. We knew we wouldn’t be there again.
Yellowstone is all about rare and raw nature. Here in Yellowstone, it is easy to believe that man doesn’t matter, that we haven’t changed the world and that Mother Earth will still have her way. Of course, this is all trapped here in this one spot because as humans we decided Mother Earth matters and stopped our scheming ways by protecting the park. But the feeling of smallness, of insignificance while staring at the vast vistas, is the reason why national parks matter, and why we are so grateful to show our sons land that Native Americans thrived on without cars and waterproof boots. History and the greatness of the world only become real when they are, well, real. When you can see places like this and feel the goosebumps covering your arms because God’s Earth is just too beautiful to comprehend…
We stopped at Mammoth Hot Springs first, where we tripped over elk nestled on the grounds. We braved the freezing, pelting mix of snow/rain to see the hot springs up close, then elected to drive to see the rest.
After Mammoth Hot Springs, we took the upper loop to the east and stopped at Undine Falls. We then had to pull over and see the Petrified Tree, of course, because there is no way to explain what a petrified tree is to your kids. You have to see it to believe it. As we took the side road up to the “rock tree” we found ourselves staring at bison.
Yellowstone is a lot of driving. No matter how much you believe in the power of hiking, the park is simply so huge (3,472 square miles!) that to see the sights we wanted to (and we didn’t even get to everything), you have to use the power of the automobile.
We quickly learned that every time we saw cars piled up on the side of the road, more telescopic impressive lenses than I have seen in one place in my life having a feast, we needed to stop. Using this tactic, we saw some amazing scenes. We saw two black bears playing on the side of the road; we saw a coyote running across the fields searching for prey; we saw another black bear alone, big, on the roadside as well, oblivious to the humans mesmerized by it. Of course, elk and bison were nearly ubiquitous.
That evening our drive took us by Mount Washburn and through the Dunraven pass. It had cooled off (to use the phrase lightly) and snow was falling in earnest. We became nervous in our rental minivan not at what was, but what was going to be. The snow promised to stick well.
Grateful and exhausted, we finally pulled into Canyon Lodge and found our bare yet clean and warm room. We worried that snow would keep us from exploring the next day.
The kids had Target groceries for dinner and fell sound asleep as soon as possible. Dad hit the “slow food fast” line for us, the only option during the off-season, and the two of us wolfed it down in the dark while the kids slept at an arm’s length away. I went to bed and slept fitfully – worried the kids would keep dad up, that the snow was more than we had bargained for, and shivering from the cold. But also, I was so excited: like Christmas Eve. I had already seen things my brain couldn’t have dreamed up, and it was only Day One.
DAY TWO: exploring Yellowstone
Lodging: Canyon Lodge
We woke up to snow on the ground. My two beach kids were beyond thrilled with this turn of events. Even though it was only an inch, they frolicked like they were on a ski slope. Undeterred, we packed a picnic lunch and snacks, bundled up, and rolled out. After stopping for gas station coffee and some snow stomping, we started driving the main loop, the lower loop. We started by going west, realizing that most of the activities were on that side of the park.
We noticed right away that dad was treating the map of Yellowstone like a to-do list and we would be stopping at every site marked. This felt like sheer overwhelm, but he was a man on a mission.
In that event, the first thing up was the Norris Geyser Basin. And it was phenomenal. As in a phenom of nature. As far as the eye could see, steam and hot water rose up out of a desolate and strangely colored landscape. The wooden walkways through the basin were dangerously coated in ice, so we viewed from a safe distance, then went to the back basin to walk more freely there. We came upon geyser after cauldron and fumarole (not a sentence I have ever typed).
The most fantastic moment, though, was when a smaller geyser, Vixen Geyser Basin, exploded two times next to the walkway we were standing on. We could have reached out and touched it. While Old Faithful was impressive in size, Vixen was more remarkable and memorable because it isn’t a planned tourist destination. It was nature doing what it does, right in front of us. And while it looked a little like nature was vomiting, it was still pretty cool.
Next up: Gibbon Falls then Lower Geyser Basin followed by Firehole Canyon Drive. The drive was wilderness and fly fishing movies in real life. There was a swimming hole fed by wide, bright blue rivers, serenaded by gentle waterfalls, and flanked by beautiful aspens.
We lunched in the car as it started to snow again. One son fell asleep in the back of the minivan we had converted into a warm bed, so only two went through the Midway Geyser Basin to see the Grand Charismatic Spring. Unfortunately, the steam was too intense as heat from inside the earth hit the frigid air. Not much of the spring could be seen.
With a sleeping child, and getting somewhat geysered-out (it is amazing how quickly you can become numb and the new becomes normal) we passed the Biscuit Basin and went straight to Old Faithful. This area was a tourist destination with all the trappings – kitzchy lodges and restaurants, large buses, crowds, and people-funneling. We saw Old Faithful explode precisely at the predicted time yet the blinding, whirling snow made it anticlimactic. We all liked our little Vixen better. The weather and crowds kept us from exploring much more of the area and we took off in our minivan as quick as we could. The roads were starting to get sticky and, combined with many tourists who had no idea how to drive in snow, we decided to get back to Canyon Lodge before the sun set.
Yet the thing about Yellowstone is that it changes so quickly. The weather is wildly unpredictable and full of microclimates. You never know what the sky is doing around the bend.
So when we got to West Thumb, we pulled off to enjoy the geyser basin there. And I am so glad we did. One of my most special moments occurred when we stepped out onto those dang icy boardwalks again and there was a male elk nearly sniffing us. As the gaggle of tourists gathered around him, he took off (to the soundtrack of me reminding my children that wild animals are to be respected and to stay far away). As he walked slowly across the sulphuric springs, the steam licked his sides. A light snow doused his heavy fur and he hesitantly yet confidently munched the little bare grass. Behind him, silhouetted to show his impressive antlers, Lake Yellowstone begged for attention. It was so special. If you take away the gaggles of tourists in megavans yelling at him and each other, it was a perfect moment. Even with them in the background, it made me tear up.
From there, we drove along Lake Yellowstone, stopping to take in the sights of a lake so large it has thumbs and arms. The lake is tilting due to volcanic activity just under the crust, and even though you can’t tell you do notice the hot steaming geysers right on its frosty edges.
We stopped at Mud Volcano (because, again, the map is a checklist). The boys were fading fast and at this point, their energies and their complaints were much like the weather: they fluctuated, suddenly changed, and were wildly unpredictable. They were so tired yet going so hard.
We still saw the Mud Volcano and the Dragons mouth, which was an unexpected surprise. It was a place of violence, noise, and power. We convinced dad that a walk around the loop in the snow at 30 degrees was not worth it to see more geysers, and we were back in the car, munching on Fritos.
We made it back up to the Lodge and decided to use every ounce of daylight we had. We drove over to the north rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yelllowstone. It delivered everything: waterfalls, steep grades, majestic vistas, and a lot of mom’s nervous energy as my 5-year-old kept getting on one tiptoe to lean as far over the edge as he could. And while it was beautiful, it was clear the kids were at the end, and my legs were cold and tired. Of course, dad still saw things on the checklist, or er, the map, but he knew it was best for our family if decided to call it a day.
We headed back to our room. The kids got showered while I was the one who went foraging at what should have been called Fast Food Slow. My primary goal was to find a corkscrew for my bottle of wine; secondary was to bring back food. I microwaved what we had leftover, bought meatballs the kids didn’t like and paid $8 for a kale salad without any protein on it. But we couldn’t stop talking about that elk and our little Vixen Geyser (which was everyone’s favorite part of the day).
The room fell asleep fast and furious that night. I was exhausted, my head spun, planning, anticipating, thinking, attuned, worried, excited. I was ready for the rest of the trip and felt immensely grateful to be able to see Yellowstone.
It is so easy to think that we have to travel to far off countries to see amazing landscapes and experience something other-worldly. But it turns out, it’s all in Yellowstone, right in our own backyard.