Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Mammoth Hot Springs. (original) (raw)
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U.S. News Insider Tip: Visitors need to use caution, especially with kids, when walking along boardwalks in geothermal areas of Yellowstone. The water looks cool, but it can be boiling and cause serious burns. – Catherine Parker
Sitting just south of the park's north entrance in Gardiner, Montana, Mammoth Hot Springs is one of the park's more unique attractions. One of its most striking geological features is its limestone terraces. Each terrace was formed over centuries of mineral-rich hot water bubbling up from the ground, cooling and depositing calcium carbonate. An early visitor described the travertine formations as "a frozen waterfall." Meanwhile, the National Park Service describes the sight as "a cave turned inside out." To view the formations, visitors can walk along the Mammoth Hot Springs' maze of platforms that pass several of the terraces. The wooden boardwalks feature lots of stairs as they climb each travertine formation, and as such, this route is not wheelchair accessible, except for the top of Canary Springs and Palette Springs.
As the headquarters of Yellowstone National Park, the Mammoth Springs Historic District is also home to historic buildings, including structures that date back from the Fort Yellowstone days (1890s to early 1900s) to the 1936 Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel to the historic 1909 Albright Visitor Center (named after the National Park Service's second director). It features displays on the park's natural and cultural history, along with maps and other information. Visitors will also find exhibits featuring taxidermized wildlife found in the park's Northern Range. The visitor center stays open year-round.
According to recent visitors, Mammoth Hot Springs is "an amazing spectacle" that can't be missed. Several previous visitors mentioned they missed the Mammoth Hot Springs since it is in the far corner of the park and urged others to try to see the area. For some of the attraction's best views, travelers suggest walking up to the Upper Terraces. Meanwhile, history buffs enjoyed wandering through the restored buildings of Fort Yellowstone.
Located 5 miles south of the park's north entrance near Gardiner, Montana, and the Historic Roosevelt Arch, the Mammoth Hot Springs area is accessible by car year-round. In addition to the Albright Visitor Center, the area features restrooms, a gas station, a post office, a ranger station, a medical clinic, a general store, a restaurant, accommodations, including cabins and a campground, and even a chapel. Mammoth Hot Springs has no set hours and access is covered by Yellowstone's seven-day admission fee ($35 per vehicle). Free parking is provided on-site. For more information about Mammoth Hot Springs, check out the National Park Service's website.
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#1 Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Formed over thousands of years of erosion caused by hydrothermal activity, water and other natural forces, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is the primary attraction in the Canyon Village area and one of the park's most popular hiking spots. The canyon stretches for approximately 20 miles and is between 1,500 to 4,000 feet wide. The canyon is anywhere from 800 to 1,200 feet deep and features multiple falls that cascade down the Yellowstone River, including the 109-foot Upper Falls and the 308-foot Lower Falls, pouring out up to 63,500 gallons of water. The Yellowstone River is more than 600 miles long, traveling from south of Yellowstone to North Dakota's Missouri River. This makes it the longest undammed river in the continental U.S.
Visitors can drive along the scenic North and South rims of the canyon to access various viewpoints. In addition to the lookout points, there are several hiking trails. From the top-ranked and easy Artist Point, a 0.2-mile accessible, paved trail, to the equally scenic Brink of the Lower Falls Trail, a 0.7-mile out-and-back moderate trail with a 265-foot ascent on the way out, this area is home to some of Yellowstone's best trails. For the endurance hikers, the out-and-back nearly 10-mile Seven Mile Hole Trail boasts a 2,000-foot elevation gain and is one of the trails that travels to the bottom of the canyon; it will likely take all day to complete.
Formed over thousands of years of erosion caused by hydrothermal activity, water and other natural forces, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is the primary attraction in the Canyon Village area and one of the park's most popular hiking spots. The canyon stretches for approximately 20 miles and is between 1,500 to 4,000 feet wide. The canyon is anywhere from 800 to 1,200 feet deep and features multiple falls that cascade down the Yellowstone River, including the 109-foot Upper Falls and the 308-foot Lower Falls, pouring out up to 63,500 gallons of water. The Yellowstone River is more than 600 miles long, traveling from south of Yellowstone to North Dakota's Missouri River. This makes it the longest undammed river in the continental U.S.
Visitors can drive along the scenic North and South rims of the canyon to access various viewpoints. In addition to the lookout points, there are several hiking trails. From the top-ranked and easy Artist Point, a 0.2-mile accessible, paved trail, to the equally scenic Brink of the Lower Falls Trail, a 0.7-mile out-and-back moderate trail with a 265-foot ascent on the way out, this area is home to some of Yellowstone's best trails. For the endurance hikers, the out-and-back nearly 10-mile Seven Mile Hole Trail boasts a 2,000-foot elevation gain and is one of the trails that travels to the bottom of the canyon; it will likely take all day to complete.
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