One thing that many people don’t realize about Yellowstone NP is just how HUGE it is! You can spend weeks in the park and still not see everything. The scenery is beautiful and diverse- everything from mountain lakes to grassy meadows and river valleys. The wildlife is abundant-you are guaranteed to see several different forms of wildlife any time you venture out. The great thing for seniors is that Yellowstone NP can be enjoyed through scenic drives in your car and short walks on mostly level boardwalks.

There are 4 different entrances to Yellowstone NP in 2 different states. The North and West entrances are located in Montana, the South and East entrances are located in Wyoming. In order to maximize your time in the park it is beneficial to spread your time between 2 different entrances. If you plan to explore a different section of the park each day you will be able to cover more sights.

The town of West Yellowstone is right at the West Entrance and is a good base for most Yellowstone sights. It has several lodging options including motels, cabins, and RV parks. There are also good restaurants and shops. The park entrance is right at the edge of town. This is a popular entrance, and the line can get backed up in the mornings. I recommend that you start very early (before 7:00) or wait until closer to mid-day. Otherwise, you will spend up to an hour waiting in line and be part of a long caravan driving into the park.

After entering the west entrance, the road travels alongside the Madison River. The views along the river are beautiful especially in the fall as the trees on the hillsides show autumn colors. There are often fly fishermen along the river here. Almost every morning when we entered the park, we spotted at least one bison along the side of the road.

Once you reach the Madison Junction you can turn north toward Mammoth Hot Springs or south toward Old Faithful. The area between Madison Junction and Old Faithful will take most of a day to explore. This is probably the most crowded area of the park, so an early start is best for this section. If seeing the Grand Prismatic Spring and the midway geyser basin is on your list, you need to get there very early in the morning. By 8:00 there is not a parking place within a mile’s walk. In the past two visits to Yellowstone, we still have not been able to get close enough to view this site. It’s OK though as there are plenty of other beautiful springs and geysers to see on this drive. The lower geyser basin has a .5-mile boardwalk that will take you past the fountain paint pots and some smaller geysers. After finishing that walk you can drive to the Biscuit Basin. The pools here are smaller but incredibly beautiful. Another .5-mile boardwalk will take you past several pools and small springs and geysers.

Of course, the main attraction here is the Old Faithful Geyser. The area around Old faithful and Yellowstone Lodge is like a small village. The visitor center here is worth a stop for information on the park. Bring a snack or buy one from one of the vendors here and find a spot on a bench to wait for the next eruption. Seeing Old Faithful erupt is part of the Yellowstone experience. After seeing Old Faithful, if you have the energy and stamina, the upper geyser hill trail will take you to some great views and more geysers.

On your way back to Madison Junction, there are two short scenic drives that are worth a detour. The Firehole Lake drive takes you past more geysers and hot springs. This is also a place where we have seen bison herds grazing by the road. Firehole Canyon drive is a short scenic drive with great views of Firehole Falls. Take some time to stop at one of the picnic areas along the Firehole River for a picnic lunch.