One of the perks of having an adventurous family is that I can often meet up with them in certain locations. My Aunt Shirley was working in Yellowstone Park this summer, so I thought I would go down and visit her and get the true “Jellystone” experience. I hadn’t been there for a few years, and since that was my first time, our family had rushed around trying to see all of the famous tourist sights and tried not to be attacked by bison (which is—no joke—a concern at this park).
Here are some places I visited—maybe you will want to check them out on your next trip to Yellowstone:
Victoria Falls
This is definitely a bit off the tourist path. My aunt had never been here before, so we approached a little hesitantly. Though it wasn’t quite what we were expecting (it was mostly a lovely campground in a blooming meadow), it was still a good place to keep in mind for future camping trips and if you would like to enjoy the park for more than a day or two. A little ways away from the campground we found two falls, but they were a bit of a letdown considering what we were about to see next.
Artist Point
Overlooking the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is Artist Point. Although a bit more touristy than some long-time visitors of the park might like, it has a gorgeous view of the falls and the surrounding rocks. Many believe that this point was named so by Thomas Moran after he created his famous painting of the canyon, but most believe it wasn’t named so until later by the park photographer F. Jay Haynes. None of this really matters—it’s a beautiful view and they often have park rangers posted there to offer information about the wildlife or the point.
Uncle Tom’s Trail
If you want and up close and personal view of the falls, you might want to consider strapping on your hiking boots and bringing a bottle of water. Uncle Tom’s trail is probably one of the most popular in the park. In the 1890s, Tom’s trail was navigated by using ladders and pulleys. Now it’s more than three hundred steps down to the base—no matter how great of shape you are in, you will be breathing by the time you reach the top again. I recommend keeping some water and some huckleberry chocolate in your car. (Just make sure it’s locked! You don’t want some friendly bears to grab it!)
Where have you gone in Yellowstone?