Yellowstone National Park - Southern Part

The southern part of Yellowstone NP ('the lower loop of the 8') perfectly embodies the stereotype of this park - geysers and hot springs as far as the eye can see. Many attractions are within walking distance from the Old Faithful Inn - where we enjoyed 4 nights. For other hotspots, one must be prepared for the struggle to find parking, as this part of Yellowstone is particularly flooded with visitors at this time of year. Getting up early is helpful, as day visitors staying outside the park will definitely have a much longer commute.

What else is there? The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is an impressive and colorful canyon with 2 mighty waterfalls. Hayden Valley is known as a wildlife hotspot, but for us this time, it only featured the ubiquitous bison and a wolf (working title; we still need to determine if it was indeed a wolf or 'just' a coyote). We also appreciate Isa Lake... actually an unremarkable pond with a few water lilies. However, it sits on the Continental Divide, and its two outlets (there's one at each end) flow toward different oceans (Pacific and Atlantic). If you have extra time, you can also hike in Yellowstone (bear spray is a must, which goes without saying here). We did the Mystic Falls Loop Trail and were held up by a bison - there’s no bear spray that can help with that, just patience.