If you want to see one of the most iconic places in Yellowstone, head over to the Grand Prismatic Hot Spring. Only second in fame to Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic is a MUST SEE if you are heading to Yellowstone for any amount of time.

How to Get the Best View of Grand Prismatic

There are two options for viewing Grand Prismatic. The first is the boardwalks where the main parking are is for the spring. Be sure to get here EARLY, like, before 9 am, if you don’t want to encounter a madhouse. The boardwalks allow you to see some of the other features in this basin. But the boardwalks doesn’t give you that amazing view that you see in all the pictures. If you want to see the most amazing view, you will need to head over to the Grand Prismatic Overlook. This overlook isn’t on the map. The only way we found out about it was by seeing people up on the overlook when we were down on the boardwalks. We knew we needed to get up there, so we went exploring.

If you drive down the road a little bit, you will come upon an unmarked parking area with a ton of parking. Park and get out and walk across the walking bridge to go up the hill, walking TOWARDS the Grand Prismatic. You will come to a fork in the road where you can continue straight or go up a hill. You want go left up the hill. At the top of this hill there will be an overlook where you can get THE BEST photos of the spring. The hike to this overlook is about two miles round trip. It will take about twenty to thirty minutes to walk up the hill. You will need good shoes and the ability to walk up hills. The overlook is not wheelchair accessible so keep that in mind as well.

When Should You Visit Grand Prismatic?

The best time of year to visit the hot spring depends on what your goals are. Do you want good sunny weather? Are you trying to avoid crowds? Do you want a unique view of the spring? All of these preferences and more are important considerations when planning your Yellowstone trip. High season or the busy season is May to mid-September with June, July, and August being the busiest times in the park. In the off season or October to April, there are other considerations to take into account such as snow, road closures, and if the park is open. If you are like most people, you will be heading to Yellowstone in high season and therefore should plan your Grand Prismatic trip accordingly.

Why is the Grand Prismatic Spring So Colorful?

The bright colors of the Grand Prismatic are caused by bacteria that love heat, called thermophiles. The different colors are caused by different types of thermophiles that live in the varying temperatures of water. In the center of the hot spring, the water temperatures are very high. As you move farther out from the center, the water cools. This allows bacteria to colonize. The different colors are indicative of the different types of bacteria. If you are interested in learning more about this unique and beautiful process, check out this article from the Smithsonian: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/science-behind-yellowstones-rainbow-hot-spring

More Yellowstone Resources

If you would like more information about Yellowstone, be sure to check out these articles:

The post Grand Prismatic: How to Get the Best View first appeared on Adventures in Jennyland.

The post Grand Prismatic: How to Get the Best View appeared first on Adventures in Jennyland.

Planning a Camping Trip to Yellowstone?

If you’re planning a camping trip to Yellowstone National Park, this video and blog post is for you. Goran and I spent a week in Yellowstone’s Canyon Campgrounds in September 2020. I created this video because I was having trouble finding answers to some of my questions such as if Yellowstone has laundry facilities, grocery stores, or gas stations. All of that info and more awaits. These Yellowstone camping tips will ensure you are well prepared for the trip of a lifetime!

Yellowstone Camping Tips

Here is a list of everything that is covered in the video linked above:

• Importance of planning early
• When should you go to Yellowstone?
• How long should you stay in Yellowstone?
• Where should you stay in Yellowstone?
• What type of clothing should you pack?
• Food Availability, Grocery Stores, General Stores, Restaurants, Alcohol
• What Should You See in Yellowstone National Park?
• What Time of the Day Should You Go to Each Site?
• Cellular Service and Internet in the Park
• Parking and Driving Information, Gas Stations Within the Park
• Wild Animal Safety
• Pet Information
• Where Can You Get Firewood?
• Laundry and Shower Facilities
• Dishwashing While Camping at Yellowstone National Park
• Information About Putting Away All Items at Night
• Download the Yellowstone NPS App
• Total Cost of 5 Days Camping in Yellowstone

More Yellowstone Trip Resources

We spent a week in the park and created an entire video series to help you plan your next trip to Yellowstone. Check out the videos here!

The post Yellowstone Camping Tips first appeared on Adventures in Jennyland.

The post Yellowstone Camping Tips appeared first on Adventures in Jennyland.

Everyone loves Old Faithful geyser at Yellowstone National Park. It is an icon because of its eruption consistency. But did you know there is another geyser right near Old Faithful that erupts for ten times as long? In this article, we will discuss the amazing Old Faithful geyser basin and give you all the information you will need to plan your visit to Yellowstone. Check out the video linked above if you would like to see this geyser in action!

Heading to Old Faithful Geyser Basin

I recommend heading to Old Faithful early in the day. You can figure out when the geyser will erupt by downloading the NPS Yellowstone app. They have live eruption predictions for six geysers including Old Faithful, Daisy, Riverside, Grand, Castle, and the Great Fountain Geyser. Be sure to download this app before your trip so you can plan around the eruptions.

Arrive early and find parking. There are bathroom facilities all over the place. For the 2020 season, the Old Faithful Visitor Center is closed. But no worries, there are lots of outdoor activities to fill your time. I would set aside three to five hours to fully explore and enjoy all of of the geyser basin’s offerings.

Once you have determined when Old Faithful is going to erupt, try to go and find a spot to sit or stand. This should be no problem if you arrive at least 45 minutes before the next eruption. Old Faithful is VERY reliable. She will erupt within a few minutes of the predicted time. Once she begins erupting, she goes for one to three minutes. So sit back and enjoy the show! The NPS Yellowstone app has an awesome animation you should check out of how the geyser refills and why she erupts so consistently.

Where to See a Longer Eruption

But Old Faithful isn’t the only attraction to see! If you want to see a geyser that erupts ten times longer, check out Riverside Geyser. Riverside goes off every six to seven hours and erupts for twenty to thirty minutes! To get to Riverside geyser, you have to walk down the boardwalks and paved paths to the left of Old Faithful. It is probably about a half an hour hike. There are maps on the NPS app and posted along the pathway. As always, check out the geyser predictions to see when Riverside is scheduled to erupt. The predictions are also remarkably consistent. This comes from years of timing the geysers and data. So cool!

Other Sights at the Geyser Basin

Don’t fret if the geyser predictions are too far apart to enjoy more than one or two eruptions. There are a TON of other beautiful features to enjoy. Everything is always steaming and bubbling. There are beautiful, brightly colored hot springs that are worth the hike as well as crazy mineral formations that are worth a look. One of my favorites was the Crested Pool, which is right next to Castle Geyser.

Planning Your Visit

Here are some tips that will make your trip to Old Faithful more enjoyable!

• Get there early
• Plan around geyser predictions
• Set aside several hours so you dont have to rush
• If you are traveling to Yellowstone in 2020, remember that some facilites will be CLOSED due to the Covid-19 pandemic
• Be sure to explore all the sites. You made it this far, make the most of it!

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out these other articles in our Yellowstone Travel series:

Top 3 Places to Skip in Yellowstone: https://adventuresinjennyland.com/top-3-places-to-skip-in-yellowstone/

Camp Setup in Canyon Campgrounds at Yellowstone: https://adventuresinjennyland.com/easy-tent-setup-burgers-and-frostbite/

How to Make Foil Packs for Camping: https://adventuresinjennyland.com/foil-packs-for-camping-how-to-prep-grill-packs/

The post Old Faithful? This Other Geyser Erupts 10x Longer! first appeared on Adventures in Jennyland.

The post Old Faithful? This Other Geyser Erupts 10x Longer! appeared first on Adventures in Jennyland.

We just got back from our Yellowstone road-trip in the beginning of September 2020. There are so many beautiful things to see in Yellowstone: Old Faithful geyser, Grand Prismatic Hot Spring, and Mammoth Falls (check out our posts on all three of these sites below in the notes). But there are several places that are not worth your time. Here is are the top 3 places to skip in Yellowstone National Park.

Upper Terraces Drive: Mammoth Hot Springs

While Mammoth Hot Springs’ Lower Terraces are worth a view, the Upper Terraces Drive is the first SKIP on our list. There were only two active features in the Upper Terraces. It is a one way road that is about one car length in width. It took about 10 to 15 minutes to drive the loop. While that might not seem like a lot of time, it is time better spent elsewhere.

Fountain Flat Drive

On your way to Madison there are three little side drive/loops that have various geological features. The next sight you should skip is the lamest of the three, Fountain Flat Drive. There is a little picnic area to the right when you start driving down this road. Continue on for about half a mile and you will encounter a dead end that is the beginning of a primitive bike trail. If you are not cycling or wanting to hike, you will just have to turn around.

Petrified Tree

On your way to Tower there is a road that takes you to the Petrified Tree. When I was researching stuff to do in Yellowstone National Park, I was pretty hyped when I saw this site on the map. I have never been to the petrified forest in California, but I really want to go. Anyways, we drove the quarter mile road down to the Petrified Tree in Yellowstone. Once there, you walk up a small boardwalk and come upon the tree, enclosed in a metal fence. It was about 20 feet high and had beautiful coloring. While it was cool to see a petrified tree up close, it wasnt worth the time to see it. It was small and solitary. There wasnt a lot of room to social distance. Plus, that was all there was to see! The Petrified Tree is the last place on our list of places to skip in Yellowstone.

Those were the top 3 places to skip in Yellowstone National Park! Check out the video above to see EXACTLY why should avoid these three places in Yellowstone National Park. If you want to see more, be sure to follow me on social media!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adventures_in_jennyland/

Twitter: www.twitter.com/in_jennyland

Patreon: www.patreon.com/adventuresinjennyland

Website: www.adventuresinjennyland.com

The post Top 3 Places to Skip in Yellowstone first appeared on Adventures in Jennyland.

The post Top 3 Places to Skip in Yellowstone appeared first on Adventures in Jennyland.