This article describes several popular scenic drives in Yellowstone National Park and attractions along the way.
Yellowstone National Park is full of outdoor activities such as hiking, horseback riding, biking, photography and fishing. However, it is a vast park with many different geologically diverse areas which you will want to explore. Luckily, there are several iconic scenic drives to help you take in the majesty of the park. The most popular scenic drives in Yellowstone Park are primarily accessed via a loop.
The park roads consist of an upper and lower loop forming a figure eight with access from the north, south, east, and west. Either loop can easily take an entire day to explore. Some people may even try to drive the grand loop, which consists of both the upper and lower loop without the cut through in the middle and is 142 total miles (229 km).
The top scenic drives are the Lower Loop Drive, Upper Loop Drive and an extension to the upper loop drive called the Optional Lamar Valley Out and Back Drive. There are a number of significant attractions along each scenic drive section. They are, starting from the north to the south, Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower / Roosevelt, Norris, Canyon Village, Madison, Lake Village / Fishing Bridge, Old Faithful and Grant Village. We describe each of these sections of Yellowstone’s popular scenic drives and their attractions.
Note: There are restrooms at most of the parking areas throughout the park. Many are vault toilets, but some in the major hubs have flush toilets. Click here to get a detailed map of restrooms in Yellowstone.
Lower Loop Scenic Drive (96 miles / 155 km)
Click here to see a visitor’s map of the park to better understand the road layout and sightseeing locations.
Old Faithful to Madison (16 miles or 26 km)
Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin Area
This is one of the larger and more popular areas in the park and is home to the Old Faithful Inn, Old Faithful Lodge Cabins, Old Faithful Snow Lodge & Cabins, several restaurants, a Visitor Education Center, gas station, general store, post office, ranger station and first aid station.
Start the lower loop scenic drive at the Old Faithful area where there is plenty to see and do. The Visitor Education Center is a great place to start. Here you can pick up maps, ask a park ranger any questions you may have, watch the park movie, get the latest geyser eruption times for Upper Geyser Basin and buy a souvenir or two.
Next, check how long before Old Faithful is scheduled to erupt and either wait for the next eruption or take a walk through the Upper Geyser Basin and catch Old Faithful when you return. Upper Geyser Basin is home to the following geysers: Old Faithful, Beehive, Plume, Giantess, Castle, Grand, Daisy, Riverside and Great Fountain as well as many steam vents and pools.
There’s a good chance you will encounter bison at one or more of these thermal basins especially when the temperature get colder as the bison seek out the heat and the grass that is still available on these warmer parts of the ground. Sometimes these bison will be very close to the trail or boardwalk so be aware and never approach these animals even if you see other visitors walking by or taking photos. You don’t want to be the one who finally provokes it.
Black Sand Basin and Biscuit Basin
After leaving the Old Faithful Area head counter-clockwise or north to find Black Sand Basin and, just beyond that, Biscuit Basin. Both of these areas have parking, but can also be reached by footpaths from the Upper Geyser Basin. Black Sand Basin features Cliff Geyser, the chromatic Rainbow Pool and Sunset Lake. Biscuit Basin is home to the majestic Sapphire Pool and Jewel Geyser.
Midway Basin
Continuing north, Midway Geyser Basin is the next stop along this route. This basin is home to one of the most famous features, the Grand Prismatic Spring, which is the largest hot spring in the park.
Optional Firehole Lake Drive and Fountain Paint Pot
After leaving Midway Basin and heading north, there is a short optional detour on the right called Firehole Lake Drive, which will take you past Great Fountain Geyser and White Dome Geyser.
Shortly after leaving Firehole Lake Drive you will arrive at Fountain Paint Pot where you can see fumaroles, geysers, hot springs and mud pots including Fountain Paint Pot.
Fountain Flat and Firehole Canyon Drives
Just up the road from Fountain Paint Pots, Fountain Flat Drive no longer allows automobile traffic, but is open to walkers, hikers and bikers. It is fairly wide, flat and covered in gravel.
Heading a bit further north and just outside of Madison on the left is the optional Firehole Canyon Drive detour, which takes you past the Firehole Falls. This is a one-way road and you will have to drive past the exit on the left, continue driving north and look for the entrance on the left. Sheer rock walls tower over you as you meander along the river. It is well worth the detour. When finished, backtrack north to Madison.
Madison to Norris (14 miles or 23 km)
Madison Junction Area
A picnic area, information center, restrooms and the Madison Campground are located here. The town of West Yellowstone is about 30 minutes west if you are looking for lunch options.
Gibbon Falls
Gibbon Falls is an 84 foot (26 meter) high waterfall that tumbles over the remnants of the Yellowstone Caldera rim. It is right next to the road and can be viewed as you drive by, but there is a parking area and walkway to the falls if you want to spend a bit more time here.
Artists Paintpots
Artists Paintpots is a relatively small area that consists of colorful hot springs, two large mud pots and various other hissing, bubbling and steaming thermal features. There is a small but worthwhile trail here that wends its’ way through a number of geothermal features. At 1 mile (1.6 km), this is a great leg stretcher and the view of the paintpots from Monument Geyser on the ridge is stunning. If you’ve read or watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy, this is what you might imagine Mordor would look like.
Norris Geyser Basin and Museum
Norris Geyser Basin is located right in Norris and is home to Steamboat Geyser, the world’s tallest active geyser. This is the hottest geyser basin in the park and home to a number of pools, funnels, cauldrons and springs. The Norris Geyser Basin Museum is one of the park’s original trailside museums built in 1929–30. The museum is a National Historic Landmark with exhibits, a bookstore and NPS interpreters.
Norris to Canyon Village (12 miles or 19km)
This stretch of road has beautiful scenery, a picnic area and possible wildlife sightings. The picnic area is not far from the 60 foot Virginia Cascade. These falls can be accessed and viewed via the one way Virginia Cascade road, formerly an old stagecoach road.
Norris Junction Area
A picnic area, restrooms, information center, general store, two museums, and the Norris Campground are located here.
Canyon Village to Fishing Bridge / Lake Village (16 miles or 26 km)
Canyon Village Area
If you are feeling hungry, there are several places to eat in Canyon Village, so it can make a good meal stop. There is also a Visitor Education Center, restrooms, gas station, general store, the Canyon Lodge & Cabins, and Canyon Campground.
Hayden Valley
The road between Canyon Village and Fishing Bridge runs along the Yellowstone River so has spectacular scenery. You will pass through the Hayden Valley, a vast grassland that is an excellent area for wildlife viewing and home to much of Yellowstone’s bison population. The valley is also home to grizzly bears, the Wapiti Lake wolf pack, coyotes, and many small mammals and birdlife. Time part of your drive through the Hayden Valley for morning or evening if possible to maximize wildlife spotting opportunities.
Upper and Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River
This area is also called the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The falls are a short walk from the parking area along a paved path with multiple viewing areas. There is also a longer and more challenging hike that takes you further along the rim of the canyon.
Mud Volcano
The Mud Volcano, Mud Cauldron and a few other thermal features are a bit of a drive down the Hayden Valley, but well worth a stop. Watching the muddy water burble up is mesmerizing and the large steam vent located here looks like a dragon’s lair. Mud Volcano releases a mud spring, also called Dragon’s Mouth Spring. The water below the cavern reaches 180 degrees F. Water and steam slosh and froth out of the cavern entrance, looking and sounding like a breathing dragon.
LeHardy’s Rapids
LeHardy’s Rapids mark the exact spot where Yellowstone Lake ends and Yellowstone River begins. They are a short walk down a hill from the parking area. It’s best if you happen to be there during the spring when the rare Harlequin Ducks come to breed. The ducks swim in the rapids and navigate the many currents to catch food underwater. The males, in particular, have colorful markings, like their namesakes.
Fishing Bridge / Lake Village to Grant Village (21 miles or 34 km)
Fishing Bridge / Lake Village Area
A general store, gas station, ranger station, first aid station, boat ramp, Museum and Visitor Center, Lake Yellowstone Hotel & Cabins, Lake Lodge Cabins, Fishing Bridge RV Park, Bridge Bay Campground are located here.
West Thumb Geyser Basin
West Thumb Geyser Basin is located on the edge of Yellowstone Lake just before you get to Grant Village. This geyser basin is unique in the park as it is right along the edge of Lake Yellowstone. There are a few unique geothermal features here including the Abyss Pool and Fishing Cone.
Grant Village to Old Faithful (17 miles or 27 km)
West Thumb / Grant Village Area
This portion of the Lower Loop drive has a number of twisty sections where you climb over mountain passes and cross the U.S. Western Continental Divide twice. West Thumb and Grant Village are adjacent to each other on the scenic shore of Yellowstone Lake. Just three miles apart, they are sometimes considered as one location. Both are excellent places to stop and enjoy the lake. There are a few picnic areas, restrooms, a visitor center, gas station, general store, post office and boat ramp located here.
Isa Lake
If, like us, you enjoy seeing all things quirky when you travel, Isa Lake is worth a stop! Straddling the Continental Divide at Craig Pass, this lake has the unusual claim to fame of being the only natural lake in the world to drain into both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. It is also unique in that it does this backwards.
Lone Star Geyser
Once you finish driving over the mountain passes you will eventually get to the Lone Star Geyser. This is a more difficult geyser to get to as it is a 4.8 mile (7.7 km) round trip hike on an easy path. This geyser erupts about every 3 hours and shoots 30 to 45 feet (9 to 14 meters) in the air. There is a log book near the geyser that lists the last time it erupted. If you see it erupt, add an entry into the log book!
Kepler Cascades
This 150 ft waterfall is on the Firehole river, 2.5 miles (4 km) southeast of Old Faithful. The cascade has multiple drops, the longest being 50 feet (15.25 meters). It is viewable from a roadside pullout.
Yellowstone National Park Travel Guide
Upper Loop Scenic Drive (70 miles / 113 km)
Click here to see a visitor’s map of the park to better understand the road layout and sightseeing locations.
Mammoth Hot Springs to Tower / Roosevelt (18 miles or 29 km)
Mammoth Hot Springs Area
There is a Visitor Center, Historic Fort Yellowstone, gas station, general store, post office, park headquarters, first aid station, the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabins and the Mammoth Campground located here.
Start the upper loop scenic drive at the northern park entrance and Mammoth Hot Springs, the second most popular area of the park. This is a great place to get a bite to eat, do some souvenir shopping at the general store and explore the upper and lower terraces of the hot springs. The lower terraces are accessed via a series of raised walkways while the upper terraces can be viewed via the scenic Mammoth Terrace Drive.
Blacktail Plateau Drive
Leaving Mammoth Hot Springs and driving clockwise or east toward the Tower / Roosevelt area you will eventually see the Blacktail Plateau Drive on your right. This is an unpaved road that is generally accessible by most vehicles and is one of the places, in addition to the Hayden Valley, where you may see the wolves of Yellowstone. This seven mile, one-way road is less visited so may be a little quieter than the main loops during peak season and is ideal for wildlife viewing.
Petrified Tree
Shortly after the exit to the Blacktail Plateau Drive is a short road leading to the Petrified Tree, which is the petrified remains of an ancient redwood. More petrified trees can be found on the easily accessible Specimen Ridge just outside of the Tower Junction heading into the Lamar Valley.
Tower / Roosevelt to Canyon Village (19 miles or 31 km)
Tower / Roosevelt Area
This section of the upper loop runs parallel to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, providing spectacular views. You ascend Mount Washburn and will cross Dunraven Pass, the highest mountain pass in Yellowstone at 8,859 feet, providing you with great panoramic views. The Mount Washburn area is also known as a great place for grizzly bear and bighorn sheep spotting. It can snow at this altitude, even in the summer, so bring layers! At Tower Junction, there is a gas station, general store, ranger station, the Roosevelt Lodge Cabins and the Tower Fall Campground located here.
Tower Fall
Located just south of the Tower / Roosevelt junction, Tower Fall is 132 feet (40 meter) high and is visible from an overlook just a short walk from the Tower General Store. This waterfall is most notable for the large pinnacle of rock at its’ top that resembles a tower.
If you wish to add the Optional Lamar Valley Out and Back Drive click here.
Canyon Village to Norris (12 miles or 19km)
This stretch of road has beautiful scenery, a picnic area and possible wildlife sightings. The picnic area is not far from the 60 foot Virginia Cascade. These falls can be accessed and viewed via the one way Virginia Cascade road, formerly an old stagecoach road. A picnic area, restrooms, information center, general store, two museums, and the Norris Campground are found at Norris Junction.
Norris Geyser Basin and Museum
Norris Geyser Basin is located right in Norris and is home to Steamboat Geyser, the world’s tallest active geyser.
This is the hottest geyser basin in the park and home to a number of pools, funnels, cauldrons and springs. The Norris Geyser Basin Museum is one of the park’s original trailside museums built in 1929–30. The museum is a National Historic Landmark with exhibits, a bookstore and NPS interpreters.
Norris to Mammoth Hot Springs (21 miles or 34 km)
Roaring Mountain
You will drive through verdant meadows, bogs, and acidified, Mordor-like terrain on this longer and more diverse section of the upper loop road. Wildlife viewing abounds, and with the bogs and marshes, habitat is prime for moose. Roaring Mountain is in the “Mordor-like” section of this drive. It’s slopes are covered in steam vents, or fumaroles. The steam hisses loudly as it is released, causing the most active slope to ‘roar’.
Obsidian Cliff
Obsidian, a strong and sharp volcanic glass, was mined here by indigenous people since the end of the Ice Age. It was highly valued because numerous tools could be fashioned from obsidian—most popularly, knives, spear/arrow tips, and other sharp-edged objects. In fact, obsidian from Obsidian Cliff was so sought after in early America that it was traded as far away as Ohio and Canada. Archaeological studies have been done on how the obsidian from Obsidian Cliff was distributed, which has provided evidence of the direction and extent of prehistoric trade networks.
Yellowstone National Park Travel Guide
Optional Lamar Valley Out and Back Scenic Drive
Click here to see a visitor’s map of the park to better understand the road layout and sightseeing locations.
The Lamar Valley, which runs along the Lamar Valley, is known as America’s Serengeti for a reason. The wide open, expansive grassland is home to numerous large animals. The most famous inhabitants are the Junction Butte and Lamar Canyon wolf packs. This is also a great place to see herds of bison, pronghorn, grizzlies, coyotes, deer and bald eagles. There are many pullouts along the road, so ample opportunity for photography.
At the Tower / Roosevelt junction continue east toward the northeast entrance and take in the beautiful views as the Lamar Valley widens out the further east you drive. When you are ready, turn around and head back to the Tower / Roosevelt junction and head south. Otherwise, you will eventually exit Yellowstone National Park from its’ Northeast Entrance.
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