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Stay Close To The Action With Yellowstone Motels

By Essie Osborn


The landscape of the USA makes for some absolutely unforgettable experiences. Standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon or hearing the roar of the Niagara Falls are things everyone should do at least once. Another is to head to big sky country and walk on top of a volcano so huge that for many years geologists never realized what they were actually dealing with. For quick access to this experience of a lifetime, be sure to book a stay at one of the Yellowstone motels.

Yellowstone National Park was declared one in 1872, the first time this was done anywhere in the world. This UNESCO World Heritage Site stretches over a little less than 3,500 square miles. It lies mainly within Wyoming but small areas are also in Montana and in Idaho.

The most iconic feature of the park is Old Faithful. As its name suggests, this volcanic geyser erupts faithfully every 91 minutes or so. On average the boiling water shoots about 145 feet up in the air during an eruption, which lasts several seconds. It may not be the park's most impressive geyser but it's certainly the one you're guaranteed to see erupt. The park's visitor center has the estimated times for eruptions.

Old Faithful and Steamboat Geyser are not the only geysers in the park. In fact, there are over a thousand. There are also many thermal pools and bubbling mud to be seen. The reason for all this geothermal activity is that the entire Yellowstone is in fact the caldera of a very, very big volcano. You'll find boardwalks all along the geothermal areas. Don't stray from these paths because if you do, there is only a very thin, very breakable crust between you and scalding hot water that will kill you.

The thermal pools and geysers great reasons to visit but the popular park also offers much, much more. The landscape here is astonishingly beautiful and a favorite among landscape photographers. You'll be able to admire and take dramatic pictures of mountains, meadows, rivers, canyons, lakes, waterfalls and a petrified forest, among others.

Most visitors get around by car but in spring there is a car free week when cycling is just heavenly. Trips on horseback or hikes are popular ways of exploring too. Many different species of wildlife live within park boundaries, among them bison, deer, moose, elk, mountain lions, bears and wolves. The park is also home to many bird species.

Because the national park is one of the most popular in the USA, accommodation options within its boundaries fill up very quickly. This is why staying just outside of park borders is often a better option. Gardiner along the northern boundary and West Yellowstone along the western boundary are the two main gateway towns and offer plenty of motels.

If you plan to visit in summer, book your accommodation weeks in advance. Summer is high season here and the park's most popular tourist areas can be quite crowded. Fall is much quieter while still warm enough while winter presents its own experiences, for example to go skiing in the area.




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