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In many ways, Yellowstone is the epicenter of everything that's still wild
and untamed in the United States, and everything that's right and wrong about
modern-day tourism.
Yellowstone is the oldest park in the U.S. park system and is its flagship.
Each year, it draws 3 million visitors; by some estimates, one-third of the U.S.
population will visit this place during their lifetime. They come to experience
the park's restless geology; to see grizzlies, gray wolves, and herds of
buffalo; to fish legendary trout streams like the Madison and the Yellowstone
River. Most of all, they come to reconnect in some way with a sense of
primordial America, the larger-than-life landscape that existed before
railroads, highways, telephones, and a host of other technologies began to cut
everything down to size.
Riding a rare "hot spot" in the earth's surface, Yellowstone's
turbulent landscape — which remains among the most geologically active lands
on the planet, with steam-spewing geysers, gurgling fumaroles, and frequent
earthquakes — was protected as the world's first national park in 1872.
Yellowstone and the huge tracts of national-forest land that ring it comprise
one of the world's last intact temperate ecosystems — all its major species of
plants and animals are still present. Yet Yellowstone is also deeply scarred by
what Edward Abbey called "industrial tourism"; its most famous sights
— Old Faithful geyser, the terraced wonders of Mammoth Hot Springs, the
overwhelming size and hues of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone — can be a
mob scene.
There is, however, a fairly simple way to break on through: Don't try to
swallow all of this amazingly diverse place in one gulp. Pick one part of the
park, and then walk, or paddle, or ride the extra mile into all the wild country
that's still back there. You'll leave behind the crowds and quickly find what
you're truly looking for.
Hike
Mount Washburn
Picking out just one superlative hike from among Yellowstone's 1,000 miles of
trail is no mean feat, but the Mount Washburn Spur Trail is a pretty safe
choice. Starting from the Glacial Boulder Trailhead in the Canyon area, this
trail follows along the north side of the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon of the
Yellowstone on the Seven-Mile Hole Trail before climbing steeply up the east
face of Mount Washburn (Hard-core hikers might consider following the Seven-Mile
Hole Trail to its impressive terminus in the depths of the canyon, then powering
all the way to Washburn's summit.) This hike offers an amazing breadth of
high-country wildlife, midsummer wildflowers, and views. A large herd of bighorn
sheep summer near the summit; yellow-bellied marmots and red foxes are also
common. On a clear day, the 10,243-foot peak offers views all the way to the
Gallatins, Absarokas, and Tetons, along with panoramas closer to hand. Less
hardy hikers can reach Washburn via the more heavily trafficked trails that
begin at Dunraven Pass and the Old Chittenden Road, both off the Tower-Lake
Road.
Fish the
Firehole
Picture yourself mid-river on a chill September morning, steam billowing here
and there from the geysers and hot springs, elk bugling during the fall rut, and
trout rising hungrily for the late-season hatches. Many fly fishers consider the
Firehole River in a class by itself. All the thermal activity warms the
waters — the fishing action picks up earlier in spring and runs later through
fall than at other Yellowstone streams, and the trout verge on gargantuan. It
takes experience and wit to correctly gauge the hatch and duel the wily rainbows
and browns on this river. If you're looking for an inside track, consider
enlisting one of the many excellent guides leading clients onto Yellowstone
trout waters.
Scope
Large Wildlife
One of the initial shocks Yellowstone delivers to first-time visitors is the
presence of so many large critters — all free, wandering around. You just
never know what's coming around the next bend of the Grand Loop. But some places
in the park are extra special for wildlife watching, and the Lamar Valley
is one of them. First of all, this is the range of the park's recently
reintroduced gray wolves; there's nary a thrill comparable to seeing a pack of
wild wolves socializing in a distant meadow, or perhaps even zeroing in on an
elk kill. Your chances of being in the right place at the right time improve
with the guidance of a park ranger, a Yellowstone Institute instructor, or a
private guide, but either way the Lamar Valley's inhabitants include grizzlies,
wolves, bison, pronghorns, bighorn sheep, coyotes, and eagles. Bring along a
good spotting scope or pair of binoculars and head for one of several turnouts
between the Tower-Roosevelt intersection and the Northeast Entrance.
Trek the
Cascade Corner
If you're looking to leave the crowds behind and find the essence of Yellowstone
Country on your own terms, you couldn't do better than a multi-day trip into the
park's vast Bechler River backcountry. Pack in and you'll find lush
forests, spectacular waterfalls, backwoods thermal features, and solitude.
Wildlife is everywhere, especially around the Bechler Meadows — a broad
grassland expanse made bright by millions of wildflowers and frequented by
moose, black bears, and a panoply of waterfowl and wading birds. Do it yourself
on foot from the Cave Falls Road trailhead, or join a pack-stock trip or llama
trek.
Ski among
Geysers
Skinny-skiing Yellowstone is one of the premier winter-wilderness experiences in
North America. To glide along the abandoned, snow-covered trails of the Old
Faithful area in winter is to enter bottomless silences and watch tendrils
of steam writhing in the chill wind. The geysers occasionally roar and billow,
and buffalo use their massive heads to clear the frozen grasslands of snow.
Accessible only by snow coach in winter, the rebuilt Old Faithful Snow Lodge
makes a cozy backcountry base camp. Joining a naturalist-led ski trip offers
rare and delightful insight into a world that only seems dormant; some of the
best trips are run through the Yellowstone Institute.
Horsepack
an Indian Route
The Thorofare — the route from Yellowstone's southeastern corner north
to the tip of Yellowstone Lake's Southeast Arm — was used for centuries by
Indians to get from Jackson Hole to points north, and by mountain men and
trappers during frontier days. The scenery is spectacular: Thousands of elk
summer here, and in the distance the crags of the Absarokas rise to the east and
the Wind River Range to the south. These days, the Thorofare is one of the
largest, most remote expanses of wilderness in the Lower 48. Many ranches and
adventure companies outfit this trip; traveling this magnificent country by
horse, spending nights in utter wilderness, is as rare an adventure as can be
had in the States.
Take a
Learning Vacation
The Yellowstone Institute finds unforgettable ways for people to interact with
Yellowstone Country. Choose among classes on outdoor skills such as tracking or
"reading sign," wildlife photography, fly fishing, canoe camping, and
horsepacking; other courses offer rich insight into Yellowstone's history,
geology, and ecosystem. With instructors who have an infectious enthusiasm for
their subjects and are often much-laureled experts in their fields, Yellowstone
Institute classes are also a bargain — averaging around $50 a day. |
