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Family Fun at Yellowstone National Park

By Melinda Larke - The Eastside Macaroni Kid April 22, 2021

Welcome to our National Park series, where each week I will be highlighting a national park that my family and I have visited in  2020/2021.   This year my son is in 4th grade which meant that he qualified for the Every Kid Outdoor Pass.  The Every Kid Outdoor Pass is a free pass for 4th graders that gives 4th graders and their families  free access to  hundreds of parks, lands, and waters for an entire year!  This includes our National Parks and many other government agencies.    This year was our year of National Park vacations and since September we have visited   over 10 parks with plans to visit more this summer!  If you are also interested in visiting some of our national treasures, I hope that my experience can help you to prepare and have a great family trip.  

Yellowstone National Park  was the first designated  National Park  in the US,  is located in the states of Wyoming, Idaho, and  Montana, and is huge.  I would recommend at least 2  long days, or 3-4 shorter days to explore all Yellowstone has to offer.   We did in 2 long days, and while it was fun, it was also pretty exhausting.   Here are five must dos in Yellowstone National Park. 

Animals

Yellowstone is known for its animals of all kinds.   Big and small, they have a tons and we had so much fun looking for animals during our time at Yellowstone.   The best times to see animals at Yellowstone are early morning and around dusk.  We saw  bison and elk all over the place, foxes off the side of the road, wolves in the trees (and heard them howling to each other), and so many other little creatures.  The only thing we didn't see were bears, but I know  they are out there.



One of the best places to see animals is in the Lamar Valley early in the morning.   Animals seen in the Lamar Valley are  bison, black bears, bighorn sheep, elk, grizzly bears, mule deer, pronghorn, wolves.   Depending  on where you are coming from the Lamar Valley can be a bit of a drive so be sure to plan for the drive to get out into that area when deciding what time to arrive.   While Bison are everywhere in the Lamar Valley, do keep your eyes open for other species of animals that hang around the area.  



Remember that wild animals are wild and unpredictable.   To protect yourself and the animals you come to watch,   always remain at least 100 yards (91 meters) from bears or wolves, and at least 25 yards (23 meters) from all other wildlife.  It is best to stay in your car and watch these beautiful creatures from a distance .  Don't forget your binoculars  or several pairs to keep the fighting  amongst the family at a minimum.  When animal watching use the roadside pullouts and don't block traffic in the park.  If you have an animal come out into the road, happened to us several times, just stop and wait  until it is safe for you to pass.   Also remember that many of these animals travel together so before proceeding look around and make sure there aren't more coming into your pathway.


2.  Geothermal Features

One thing that makes Yellowstone  National Park so unique is the geothermal features that you can find in the park.   Geysers, boiling mud, fumaroles and hot springs are all over Yellowstone . Half of the world's active geysers are found at Yellowstone National Park.  The most famous of course being Old Faithful, which is of course a must do during your trip. To see Old Faithful you just need to check the board for the next estimated time of eruption and sit and wait.  We found this to be a great time to eat the picnic lunch we brought with us and let the kids run around a little after all the time in the car.  



 The best way to see a good portion of these geothermal features is to drive the Grand Loop and stop at the places you most want to see.  The Grand Loop is 250 miles so it isn't an easy thing to do in one day if you want to stop at all of the view points, we did the loop in two days; the north part one day and the south part another day.  

My biggest tip for this part of the trip and maybe even the whole trip is to use GyPSy Guide.  GyPSy Guide is an app  that you download and purchase the tour that you would like to listen to.  They have several great places in the United States, including Yellowstone National Park.  Once the app is ready to go it  acts as a tour guide while you are in the park.  Using GPS it follows your location and tells you all about the things that surround you.  It will tell you the must dos, the history of the park and region, and even teaches you about the  geology and wildlife of the park.  The adults  in the group really enjoyed listening to it and I am sure  the kids got some great information from it as well.  We have used it in several other National Parks since Yellowstone and have not been disappointed.   In my opinion this is a must have while you are driving around the National Parks.  



The favorites amongst the  group were the  mudpots and their sulfur smell ( the boys had a lot of fun with that), Mammoth Hot Springs,  and  Grand Prismatic Spring.  It was a little chilly while we were there, so it was so strange to have this cold wind blowing across the water while still feeling the heat and steam coming out of the Grand Prismatic Spring.  


3.  Junior Ranger Badge

We were there during COVID so the ranger programs were not happening , but they were passing out the Junior Ranger Guides so the kids could work towards the badge.  They had different guides for different ages groups and the kids loved spending time in the car working through the booklets.    They also have a  Young Scientist badge which is a   self-guided booklet that you purchase  at the Canyon Visitor Education Center or Old Faithful Visitor Education Center.    Once your investigation is complete, you will be awarded an official Young Scientist patch (ages 5–13) or key chain (ages 14+).  During non-COVID times there are many other educational opportunities for the whole family. The  National Park Service offers  interpretative walks, evening campfire talks, and other presentations and activities throughout the summer.


4.  Scenery

Yellowstone is also known for its beautiful scenery that will impress even the most bored child.  The kids  in our group really enjoyed the Grand Canyon of  Yellowstone and the waterfall that fell into the canyon.   Yellowstone Lake is massive and looks like it goes on forever.  Walking along the shoreline  you see many different types of sea life, wildlife along the shore, and  plant life.  




5.  Take a Walk/Hike 

While we didn't do any hiking we did take many walks along the boardwalks of different view points.  Getting out of the car and seeing it all in person is an important thing to do to really get a good grasp on Yellowstone National Park.  Most of the walks were very child friendly and we didn't have much complaining, just make sure they stay on the path.    Just like any National Park, Yellowstone does have many hiking trails for all ages and hiking levels.  Some of the group did do part of the  Mammoth Hot Springs Trails and really enjoyed the scenery.    For more information about hiking at Yellowstone National Park click here.


Tips and tricks for Yellowstone National Park

  • Get an early start to avoid crowds and have a higher chance of seeing animals
  • Buy your pass before you get to the park.  You will have time to find the pass that works best for you and makes getting through the entrance smoother.  Don't forget, if you have a 4th grader to check out the Every Kid Outdoors program for free entry! 
  • Before heading to Yellowstone hop on the national park website  with your kids to learn more about the park and what they will be experiencing. 
  • If you have time head over to Grand Teton National Park, it is only about 30 miles from Yellowstone  and has its own awesome beauty.  It is a smaller park and should  only take a day to get through.  

I hope you have a great visit to Yellowstone National Park! 



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