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Saturday, November 21, 2009

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Cook's Tour Of Yellowstone

By Sally O'Neal

Cook's tour -- noun

"A quick tour or survey, with attention only to the main features."

I've never been a fan of whirlwind tours. The "if this is Tuesday, this must be Belgium" pace is not my idea of a good time. But in this hectic world we live in, sometimes a quick trip is better than no trip.

Sally O'Neal Coates

I've had the great privilege of visiting Yellowstone, America's oldest national park, several times, each time with a different person who was visiting for his or her first time. So, while I know that the vast majority of the park lies away from the paved roads, along the nearly 1,000 miles of hiking trails cutting through the wilderness, I also understand that a first-time visitor needs to see Old Faithful.

Historic North Entrance
Where one enters the park is typically a matter of logistics rather than scenic preference. The south entrance is probably the most scenic in that you get to view the Grand Tetons along the way. If at all possible, don't just view them from the car! Lace up your boots and take a hike, even a short one. These are among America's most impressive peaks, and admission to Grand Teton National Park includes your admission to Yellowstone (both parks, 7 days, $20/car), so how can you afford NOT to go?

Original (north) park entrance, Gardiner, Montana.

I've also entered from the west entrance (West Yellowstone, Mont.) and the north entrance (Gardiner, Mont.); of the two, I vote for Gardiner, site of the park's original, historic archway entrance. I can't speak from experience about the east or northeast entrances, but I do know that this year (2005), serious road construction is occurring in both of these areas. As a compensating factor, the northeast entrance takes you through the Lamar Valley, where many of Yellowstone's wolves have colonized.

Travertine limestone terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs.

Mammoth Hot Springs
I just can't say enough about the incredible, eerie beauty of the travertine limestone terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs. Here, the deep thermal activity of the region is viewed at the surface level. The superheated water moves about great quantities of the soft, native limestone as it rises, leaving ridges, pools and ledges of white-rimmed stone. Heat-tolerant bacteria create bright orange-tinged surfaces. Boardwalks facilitate exploration of the lower terraces, while the upper ones can be viewed from one's car.

Grand Canyon Of The Yellowstone
Driving south from Mammoth, a swing to the east at Norris should be included in all but the shortest of visits. The area where the Yellowstone River cuts its colorful, 1,000-foot-deep swath offers some exceptional hikes. I recommend the south side trails, including Uncle Tom's Trail to the Lower Falls viewpoint (a strenuous-for-some drop of 500 feet via 300-plus stairs and a series of inclines), and the walk from Artist's Point to Point Sublime (a gentle, short, and mostly level walk to two distinctly different canyon vistas).

Requisite buffalo sighting.

Wildlife
No visit to Yellowstone is complete without a buffalo sighting. Fortunately, this feat is not difficult to achieve. Wolves, moose, and bear may prove more elusive (especially for those on an abbreviated "Cook's tour"), but mule deer, elk, and bison are fairly easy to spot, especially if you do some of your driving very early in the morning or at dusk.

Thar' She Blows!
Yes, Old Faithful is impressive. Yes, you should go. You can't beat those timed, predictable eruptions (at approximately 90-minute intervals) when you are pressed for time! Check the visitor center immediately upon arrival to the Upper Geyser Basin area. Then, by all means, take at least an hour and stroll around the paint pots, fumaroles, and other geysers on Geyser Hill and along the Firehole River. Adding a stop for lunch, I spent an easy 4.5 hours in this area on my last visit, seeing Old Faithful erupt a total of four times.

Old Faithful geyser, on a windy day, viewed from Upper Geyser Basin.

Off The Beaten Path
I'm happy to say that while I've visited each of the aforementioned attractions several times, just like the 1.5-plus-million other visitors who come to the park annually, I've also been among the much smaller contingent that has trudged the trails away from the crowds. My time at the hidden meadows, the smaller lakes, the backcountry streams, and the many peaks scattered throughout the park's trail system are adventures I treasure.

On your next visit, I hope you can do a little of both -- enjoy both the popular and the off-the-beaten-track sides of Yellowstone National Park.

Sally O'Neal Coates is a Pacific Northwest travel and outdoor writer whose books include "Hot Showers, Soft Beds, and Dayhikes in the Central Cascades. She writes weekly for sportsmansguide.com.

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