Yellowstone National Park: Dizzying diversity starts at doorstep

Kristen Inbody | USA TODAY

A sweeping mountain view, eagles floating over a meandering river, elk wandering through an old Army fort — each entry into Yellowstone National Park makes a different first impression.

There's no wrong way to enter the world's first national park, but the entry can shape the experience.

From Livingston, Mont., visitors follow the Yellowstone River through the Paradise Valley to the town of Gardiner and then Mammoth Hot Springs, known for its thermal terracing and resident elk herd. Visitors enter through a grand stone arch.

From West Yellowstone, Mont., south of Bozeman, visitors are immediately in the park, following the Madison River and arriving near the geyser basins and Old Faithful. This West Gate is by far the most popular.

From Red Lodge, Mont., south of Billings, visitors travel the Beartooth Highway, a spectacular winding road through high alpine landscapes, to Cooke City and then into the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone's northeastern corner.

What the Lamar Valley lacks in geyser features, it makes up for in wildlife. Known as the American Serengeti, the valley draws wildlife watchers from around the world, particularly those who want to see wolves.

The park's south entrance is at its border with Grand Teton National Park. Moose Falls is just inside Yellowstone and marked with a tiny sign. It's worth a stop and a popular (if chilly) swimming hole for those in the know.

From Cody, Wyo., one follows the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway — dubbed by Theodore Roosevelt the most scenic 52 miles in America — past rock formations, along the Shoshone River and through the Shoshone Forest to the park's southeast corner.

That's the approach Lisa Kunkel of Greybull, Wyo., favors. She loves the road over Sylvan Pass: "You get amazing views of the lake, and on most days you can see the Teton Mountains."

Only the road across the top of the park, connecting Mammoth Hot Springs with Cooke City, is open year-round. The rest are closed from Nov. 1 to early May, depending on the weather.

The park has two loops forming a figure eight, which take visitors to the high points — Old Faithful, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Yellowstone Lake, Tower Falls and Mammoth Hot Springs.

Visitors should give themselves time to travel the loops to see the big landmarks and to get off the beaten path for a more wild experience. One could explore Yellowstone for a lifetime and still find new things to see.

Kunkel worked in the park for two summers in college, which gave her the opportunity to hike — a lot. She's logged more than 250 miles hiking in the park. She recommends that before people visit Yellowstone, they look at a park map and read a hiking guide to find the trail that's most appealing to them, and then hit it.

"A must is to get off the pavement," Kunkel says. "If you only see what Yellowstone has to offer from your car or the boardwalk, you're missing the point of how massive the Yellowstone ecosystem is. Even a 1-mile hike will put you into nature and away from the sounds of your fellow tourists, technology and civilization."

Her favorite hike was across the storied Specimen Ridge in Yellowstone's northeast corner.

"We covered 23 miles with a summit of Amethyst Mountain and swam, holding our packs above our heads, across a swollen, fast-moving Lamar River in one day," she says. "In the backcountry, we ran across nearly every animal — deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, bison, elk and a massive 500-pound sow grizzly bear. It was a crazy, strenuous experience that I will never forget."

The park changes by the season and the time of day. Those who don't mind crowds go sightseeing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Those who want to see wildlife explore at daybreak and in the evening.

"If you go in the middle of the day in the middle of the summer you will spend most of your time in traffic," Kunkel says. "If you do find yourself in the park during peak tourist season, choose to wake up early and go see the sights on your list. Or go out late at night. Plus, at sunrise and sunset, the animals are more active than the heat of the day."

The off-peak "shoulder" seasons, May to early June and September to October, are charming. The weather is chancier, but spring means baby animals close to the road. Fall means bugling elk and clashing antlers.

"I've been to Yellowstone more times than I can keep track of, and the best time of year, hands down, is the spring. When the bears are fresh out of hibernation, snow is melting, things are starting to green up," she says. "You are guaranteed to see all the wildlife if you go in May or very early June. Visit Yellowstone in May or September. Go on off-peak travel to experience Yellowstone at a slow pace."

Inbody also reports for the Great Falls (Mont.) Tribune.

About the park

Size: 2,219,791 acres

Visitors: 3,513,484 in 2014

Established: 1872

History: Established by Congress as the world's first national park. The Army oversaw Yellowstone until the National Park Service was created in 1916.

When visiting: For more information, call 307-344-7381 or visit nps.gov/yell. For lodging reservations in the park, contact Xanterra Parks & Resorts at 866-439-7381 or visit YellowstoneNationalParkLodges.com.

Of note: Scientists recently discovered that the magma beneath the Yellowstone supervolcano could fill the Grand Canyon nearly 14 times. For a sense of the park's volcanic nature, check out some of the 10,000 thermal features, from the iconic Old Faithful to the colorful Grand Prismatic Spring to the burbling mud pots. As you travel the park, look on the map for the outline of the caldera's rim.