Brits Abroad: A Weekend in Yellowstone

Yellowstone National Park is a well-known name back in the UK. We’ve all heard of it, seen pictures of it and, at some point, expressed a desire to visit should the chance arise—for me the chance arose last Friday.

Six of us, all international exchange students, piled into a beat-up Hyundai Odyssey with enough beers, boxed wine and Cliff bars to sustain a small town. We set off down Highway 89, bass tumbling out of the blown stereo, towards the park where we were to link up with two other cars full of fellow internationals (and a few token Americans) to find camp. Our decision to make the voyage down to Yellowstone was so spur-of-the-moment that nearly every campsite was full, barring Bridge Bay which was over sixty miles away from the entrance. Our initial dismay at having more driving ahead of us was quickly quelled by the sheer beauty and scale of Yellowstone. Our sixty-mile journey to camp took us through vast meadows, steep canyons and gifted us stunning views of Yellowstone Lake, all the while spotting bison, elk, bald eagles and one incredibly picturesque moose in a creek.

Our weekend really got started on Saturday morning as we ventured to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The striking contrast of dark green pine against the bright volcanic cliffs provided the perfect backdrop for the lower falls. A short hike along the northern rim of the canyon offered up more spectacular views and a particularly memorable spot for lunch; perched high above the river on a rocky outcrop with very little room to maneuver, risky but rewarding.

Not satisfied with a short, flat hike, we enquired after something more challenging. A ranger told us their favorite hike was up Mt. Washburn, so off we went. The trail meanders up the mountain rather gently, wrapping around it to its peak at 10,243 ft. We were rewarded with panoramic views across Yellowstone and clear conditions gifted us views south to the Teton Range. Mt. Washburn; highly recommended by knowledgeable rangers, now highly recommended by the not-so-knowledgeable me.

Sunday was a more relaxed day with less hikes and more sightseeing. West Thumb Geyser Basin was first up and is home to hot springs so enticingly blue that all we wanted to do was jump in. A short drive north took us to Old Faithful, a world-famous geyser that I felt doesn’t live up to the hype it receives. Located just meters from the carpark in the heart of a tourist hub, the geyser was fairly underwhelming. Nice to say you’ve seen it once, but I doubt I’ll be back in a hurry.

Before we loaded up the Odyssey and headed back to Bozeman, we parked on the side of the road two miles south of the North Entrance. A short walk down the banks of the Gardiner River took us to what locals call the Boiling River, where a hot spring flowed into the cool water. It was a fine balancing act to find a place where the temperature was comfortable, but when we did it was the ideal spot to relax after a long weekend. The picturesque location coupled with the spa-like waters gets my full recommendation.