Yellowstone National Park 2018 Collected | Longread w/ 25 Pics

Visiting National Parks has turned into a bit of a hobby over the last two years. I even went so far as to purchase a National Park Pass for the year to make it more cost effective - I want to add that having the Pass also makes entering parks go faster.

Yellowstone is the original National Park and in many ways remains the pinnacle of visitors single park trips.

Grand Prismatic Spring

One of the locations I decided not to visit during my first trip to Yellowstone last year was the Grand Prismatic Spring.

However, this time around I put in the effort to hike up to the elevated viewing area for this collection of photos.

🎵 Around the lake tonight 🎵

The largest single feature in Yellowstone Park is Yellowstone Lake. Located in the southeast quadrant of the park, it covers 136 square miles of area.

If you venture into that section of the park, it is impossible to avoid the lake. Subsequently, it is also a good place to find many of the creatures that inhabit Yellowstone because, well, they get thirsty!

Volcanic Activity

The first trip I made to Yellowstone broke down a lot of my fantastic ideas about what the park was, then it surpassed them.

I tell everyone to go for their self now.

Rapture in Blue = 0

It’s likely that you are aware of Yellowstone’s placement atop a massive volcanic hotspot. In fact, it is this location that gives it such amazing topological features.

As I have previously written, for me, the park is all about the combination of hydrological and geological elements - of which there is no shortage.

Pacify the Valley

I’m happy with the visits I’ve made to Yellowstone because of what I’ve been able to see for myself. However, there are so many more views within the boundaries that it would take a dedicated effort to really know the place personally.

Often I take multiple angles of a location. Earlier today I posted horizontal angles of these two spots with the intention of showing you what the vertical versions looked like as well - here they are.

Yellowstone Falls

I’ve always been a sucker for a waterfall going all the way back to the boat rides on the Allegheny River in East Brady, Pennsylvania.

Wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to see this one again.

Yellowstone is a massive park with enough features along the Grand Loop to keep you busy for a week. But the majestic moments are pure happenstance. We don’t know if the clouds will part, if the herd will pass or if we’ll be able to get a satisfactory angle in that moment. We can only put our self there and do the work.

The tower always falls but our princess is in another castle

Though I visited the Tower Falls last year, my route through Yellowstone this year made it a convenient stop this time around too.

Below is the picture I captured on the last trip. Was really surprised how similar they arez I suppose I shouldn’t be though given the restricted access to the viewing locations at the site.

The Bison of Yellowstone

Much of the reason why I went back to Yellowstone was for the animal sightings. Bison herds were on the move throughout the park when I passed through this year but it’s important to go to the right areas in the valleys near the lake to see them.

I’m really happy with the collection of bison photos I have but unfortunately none of the bear pictures are good enough to post - need to get another lens because I’m not trying to take close-ups.

Last Stop: Soda Butte

This wasn’t on my list of “must see” points in Yellowstone but it was the last notable stop I made before leaving the park this summer.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the photos in this collection. There are some stragglers which might trickle out in the future but for now I’m content with the version of the National Park I’ve shown you over the last two years.

Thanks for taking a look!

If you would like to read my blog from last year, follow this link