Recreation options in Yellowstone are limited only by your curiosity and physical stamina. For summer visitors who are up to it, an overnight backpacking trip in Yellowstone is a great way to experience the park (and escape the crowds at the same time). Advance reservations for backcountry campsites can be made beginning 1 April for the upcoming year. The reservation must be made by mail, and there's a fee of US$20 for the trip, regardless of the length of your campsite stay or the number in your party (if made in person less than 48 hours prior to your stay, there is no fee). Advance reservations increase your chances of getting a campsite. Begin by requesting a Backcountry Trip Planner, which contains a reservation form and information on hiking in the park. (Phone 307-344-2160; http://www.nps.gov/yell/publications/pdfs/backcountry/index.htm). Be sure you understand the details of picking up your permit and other requirements that must be met.
Xanterra Parks & Resorts offers a variety of guided tours, including sightseeing buses and boat rentals. National Park Service rangers also provide tours and guided hikes, many of which are free of charge. Details about tours and services offered during your visit are in the seasonal publication Yellowstone Today, as well as at visitors centers, hotels and campgrounds.
Bird Watching
Birding opportunities are abundant in most areas of the park. Around 320 species have been identified to date, about 150 of which are known to nest and breed within the park's boundaries. Bald eagles, osprey and pelicans frequent the Yellowstone Lake area, and swans may be seen along the Madison River midway between the West Entrance and Madison Junction. Osprey are also visible around the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone area. Spring and fall migratory seasons offer opportunities to spot birds not commonly found in the park. Birders should plan a stop at the Fishing Bridge visitors center, where the exhibits focus on birds and their role within the park, and where there is a high probability of seeing pelicans. An easy 1-mi/1.6-km loop hike begins about 1 mi/1.6 km east of the visitors center and leads you through several areas with good viewing potential.
A birder's checklist is available on the park's Web site at http://www.nps.gov/yell/naturescience/birds.htm.
Boating & Sailing
Private boats of all types (including float tubes) need to have a park permit that must be obtained in person. Boats are prohibited on all rivers and streams except the channel between Shoshone and Lewis lakes, where hand-powered boats are allowed. Rafting trips can be arranged on surrounding waterways, and boat rentals, guided fishing charters and scenic cruises are available from Xanterra at the Bay Bridge Marina on Yellowstone Lake.
Fishing
Yellowstone is working to stabilize and increase its native fish populations, especially the cutthroat trout. Fishing is allowed in the Yellowstone River (except in areas marked as nonfishing areas), Yellowstone Lake and other streams around the park. Rules pertaining to size and possession limits depend upon the species, but the maximum number of fish that may be kept by any one person is five per day.
A park permit is required for anglers 12 and older (free for 12- to 15-year-olds; a fee is charged for anglers 16 and older), but a state license is not necessary. Bait fishing is not allowed, and nontoxic (lead-free) tackle is required. Regulations and permits are available at ranger stations, visitors centers and general stores.
Occasionally, the park must apply fishing restrictions in certain areas. Information on current fishing restrictions can be found at the park Web site at http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/fishrestrict.htm.
Hiking & Walking
While you're driving through the park, take time to stretch your legs and enjoy the scenery up close, along the park's marked walking trails. They're a great—and not too difficult—way to get close to natural wonders you've seen only in photographs. (A walk may also provide an escape from the worst of the crowds: Studies show that the average visitor never gets farther than 0.25 mi/0.40 km from his or her vehicle.) Trails are well-marked, with distances posted.
Possible trails include those located at the Mammoth Hot Springs terraces, Norris Geyser Basin, Fountain Paint Pot, Upper Geyser Basin, West Thumb Geyser Basin, Mud Volcano and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Elephant Back Loop Trail (south of Fishing Bridge from the East Entrance) climbs to a great overlook of Lake Village over the course of about 4 mi/6 km. At the trail junction, choose either direction, since both lead to the top. Moose and deer frequent this area. From the overlook, see the Pelican Valley to the left, Yellowstone Lake and its islands ahead and the Absaroka Range rising above the lake.
Ranger-led hikes are a great way to learn about Yellowstone's geothermal features and wildlife. Most are free, but a fee is charged for half-day Ranger Adventure Hikes, which are longer and more specialized. Reservations for Ranger Adventure Hikes can be made at park visitors centers.
Horseback Riding
Trail rides organized by Xanterra head out from Canyon, Mammoth and Tower-Roosevelt. Each ride covers a very different section of the park. They last one or two hours, and reservations are recommended. Trail rides are appropriate for riders ages 8 and older. Stagecoach rides depart from Tower/Roosevelt. They make an affordable, less physically taxing way to experience the Old West. You can make reservations at your hotel or a visitors center.
Skiing
Cross-country skiing is the name of the game at Yellowstone: Miles/kilometers of outstanding terrain, with groomed trails and roadways, are a pleasure for even novice skiers. Backcountry skiing on ungroomed trails is popular, too. Rental equipment is available at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Old Faithful Snow Lodge.
Snowshoes are the footwear of choice for many winter visitors. And at Mammoth, a skating rink is set up every winter, with skates available to rent.
Spas and Health Clubs
If you're eager to go "hot potting" (soaking in hot springs), consider taking a drive to one of the hot springs resorts north of Yellowstone. Chico Hot Springs in Pray, Montana, is just a half-hour drive from the gateway community of Gardiner. In fact, there are more than two dozen developed hot springs in Montana. For more information, visit http://visitmt.com/tripplanner/wheretogo/hotsprings.htm.
Swimming
Hot springs and thermal pools don't add up to swimming at Yellowstone—water from geothermal features can measure up to 170 F/76 C, and a dip can be fatal. There are no swimming pools at any in-park lodgings, and most of the lakes, rivers and streams are too cold. Along the north entrance road from Gardiner to Mammoth, however, a section of the Gardiner River known as the Boiling River lends itself to swimming. A footpath leads from a parking area to a hot spring that is open in the summer after the high water recedes. Access is during daylight hours only, and bathing suits are required.
Other Options
West Yellowstone is touted as the snowmobile capital of the world, thanks to the amount and quality of its annual snowfall and the wealth of trail opportunities in and around the park. Some visitors choose to stay in gateway cities and make day trips into the park on snowmobiles. However, the use of snowmobiles in the park is a controversial issue. Some people believe they have an adverse effect on air quality and wildlife—instead of conserving energy as the animals normally do in the deep snowpack, they flee from the loud motorized vehicles.
In recent years, the park's official stance toward snowmobiles has wavered with the political winds. Only snowmobiles that are part of guided trips are allowed in the park. Xanterra provides guides and snowmobiles from Mammoth and Old Faithful; additional authorized outfitters are located in West Yellowstone, Cooke City and Gardiner.
