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Wyoming 2023 Trip➤

In September of 2023, my husband and I set out to explore some National Park units in the state of Wyoming. We visited Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park, The John D. Rockefeller Parkway, and Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. In Yellowstone National Park, we visited Lamar Valley.

Yellowstone National Park➤

President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act into law in 1872. This created America’s (and the world’s) first National Park. The US Army managed the park from the late 1800s through 1916 when the National Park Service was created.

The park sits on top of a massive super volcano. As a result, over half of the worlds geysers and geothermal features reside in Yellowstone. It’s also famous for being home to hundreds of animal species, including bears, wolves, bison, elk and antelope. One of our guides compared touring Yellowstone’s Valleys to taking an African Safari.

This park is huge at 3500 square miles in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. Divided into two large loops, the park road takes visitors to the main sites. The Lower Loop Road is 96 miles while the Upper Loop is 142 miles.

Lamar Valley ➤

For our second day in Yellowstone, we took a guided tour of the Upper Loop with Covered Ground Tours. This included stops in Shoshone National Forest, Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin and a wildlife safari through Lamar Valley.

Hot water travels underground from the Norris Geyser Basin to feed Mammoth Hot Springs. The underground springs deposited calcium carbonate in steps over thousands of years, forming intricate terraces. This process continues to reform the landscape today.

When we arrived at Mammoth Hot Springs, we first visited the museum and visitor center. Then we headed over the the boardwalk by the Liberty Cap and Palette Spring. The spire of Liberty Cap juts straight up from the ground in an interesting shape.

We found a herd of elk camping out in the Palette Spring observation area. A couple were even lounging on the travertine steps. After we’d taken photos and soaked in the vibe, we headed back to the van to drive the Upper Terrace Loop.

Yellowstone Posts➤

• West Thumb Geyser Basin
• Fishing Bridge
• Yellowstone Lake
• Old Faithful Inn
• Old Faithful
• Observation Point
• Upper Geyser Basin
• Grand Prismatic Overlook
• Midway Geyser Basin
• Artists Paintpots
• Lower Falls
• Lamar Valley
• Mammoth Hot Springs: Lower Terraces
• Mammoth Hot Springs: Upper Terraces
• Norris Geyser Basin
• Artists Point

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Location: Grand Loop Road, Wyoming
Designation: National Park
Date designated/established: March 1, 1872
Date of my visit: September 25, 2023