Last Updated on: 8th December 2024, 06:27 am
For those with several days in Yellowstone, exploring Yellowstone Lake is one of the top things to do in the park. The lake covers 136 square miles, and with 110 miles (180 km) of shoreline, there’s plenty to do and see nearby. Highlights include West Thumb Geyser Basin, a few interesting hikes, and a Yellowstone Lake boat tour, all of which will be covered in the guide below.
You can either complete the following itinerary over the course of a day, or pick and choose the attractions that most interest you. While I started at the Grant Village Campground – situated right by the lake – it shouldn’t be hard to visit the attractions in reverse if you’re coming from the opposite direction.
The following guide also assumes you’re visiting in summer, as the lake is largely frozen between December and late May.
For more information on accommodation in Yellowstone and interesting Yellowstone Lake tours, be sure to check the end of the article.
West Thumb Geyser Basin
Yellowstone is full of geyser basins. While I never get tired of them, some visitors do get ‘geysered out’ after visiting several basins. But there’s something especially unique about West Thumb Geyser Basin.
West Thumb Geyser Basin was the first hydrothermal part of Yellowstone to be described in a publication when a letter from a trapper about the area was published in 1827.
Believe it or not, this was once one of Yellowstone’s most visited areas. It used to be home to a campground, cabin and cafeteria. And there was even once a stagecoach route connecting it directly with Old Faithful.
But the amenities were cleared away in the 1980s to better preserve the area. While by no means secret today, you’ll likely encounter fewer crowds here than at the geyser basins of southwest Yellowstone.
While the geysers and hot springs themselves are fairly typical compared with the rest of the park, the entire area offers views of Yellowstone Lake. Not only can you see hot springs and geysers right along the lakeshore, but some are even located within the lake itself!
Along the lake, you’ll find the Fishing Cone, which is submerged underwater, and the Big Cone, which rises just above the surface.
Back in 1919, Fishing Cone erupted and the hot water flew 40 ft in the air. But it’s now quite calm.
Speaking of explosions, Yellowstone Lake is actually deeper here than anywhere else, and geologists believe that it was a result of a massive explosion that occurred around 125,000 years ago.
Nowadays, you’re less likely to see eruptions here than at the other geyser basins throughout the park, and geologists aren’t quite sure why.
As with other geyser basins at Yellowstone, boardwalks take people around the area to protect them from the scolding hot waters. Back near the center of West Thumb Geyser Basin, highlights include the Black Pool, Abyss Pool and King Geyser.
While a single loop takes visitors around the entire basin, don’t miss exploring the smaller loop within, which provides some of the best views of the geysers.
It’s from the inner loop that you can observe an area with numerous craters, some of which are named Ephedra Pool and Perforated Pool.
Another major highlight of the area, meanwhile, is Thumb Paint Pots, which does indeed resemble spilled paint.
If you could only make it to one landmark situated alongside Yellowstone Lake, make it West Thumb Geyser Basin.
A Yellowstone Lake Boat Tour
To truly experience Yellowstone Lake, I wanted to experience what it looked like from within. And so I booked a boat tour for 10:30 am that morning.
These boat tours are run by Xanterra, and they’re officially known as Yellowstone Lake Scenicruise tours. The excursions last one hour and they depart at 9:00, 10:30, 1:00, 14:30 and 16:00.
Tours depart from the Bridge Bay Marina. And for those coming from West Thumb Geyser Basin, the drive is about 25 minutes. With plenty of time to kill before the start of the tour, I made various stops at scenic viewpoints along the way.
Checking into the tour, I waited around the lake until it was finally time to board. Our guide then stood in front of the passengers, explaining various things about the geography and ecology of the lake, in addition to the history of Yellowstone National Park.
Early on in the tour, we passed by the Lake Yellowstone Hotel, which has been welcoming guests since 1891. It was established by the Northern Pacific Railway in the early days of tourism to the western United States.
And as Yellowstone’s popularity grew, park officials decided to expand it in the early 20th century. Robert C. Reamer, the architect behind the Old Faithful Inn, was called on for the project, giving it its current Colonial Revival Style.
Back then, there weren’t many restrictions in place in regards to construction and development. But now that there are, we shouldn’t expect any new hotels like this in Yellowstone any time soon – if ever.
Another major figure of Yellowstone’s early history was E.C. Waters, one of the first entrepreneurs to take advantage of the park’s popularity. Within the lake are several islands, and it was on Dot Island that Waters built a zoo.
Our tour took us right up to the island, where we could also see remnants of a ship. The parts belonged to a large steamship – also managed by Waters – that ended up shipwrecked within the lake.
Ultimately, E.C. Waters would be banned from Yellowstone in 1907 due to his poor treatment of the animals, his customers, and his disregard for preserving the park’s natural landscape.
You may still be wondering – is a Yellowstone Lake boat tour worth it? Tours cost a reasonable $22, but with so much to do around the park, it’s competing with a lot of other activities for your time.
All in all, I found the tour enjoyable and informative, but certainly not essential. If you’ll be spending a full day around Yellowstone Lake, then it won’t be hard to include in your itinerary. Otherwise, don’t feel like you’re missing out on much by skipping it.
The Natural Bridge Trail
Whether or not you take a boat tour, the Bridge Bay Marina also happens to be the starting point of the short but interesting Natural Bridge Trail.
The trail is 1.1 miles (1.8 km) each way and it should take you about an hour in total.
As the name suggests, the hike takes you to a natural bridge. But until the bridge, the trail is flat and takes you through a forest. You shouldn’t expect any views of the lake other than at the very beginning.
Finally reaching the bridge, it was more impressive than I’d anticipated. It stands at 51 ft (18 m) and is comprised of rhyolite. And you don’t just have to admire it from the bottom but can also hike up right up to it.
A fairly steep and slippery – but not terribly difficult – uphill trail takes you to an area right behind the arch. And while the lake isn’t visible, the views from here make the hike well worth it.
It’s worth mentioning that when hiking anywhere at Yellowstone, you should be carrying bear spray with you (and also research how and when to use it).
While I didn’t see any animals on the trail, I did encounter a large bison at the Bridge Bay Marina parking lot, of all places! He was just relaxing under a tree as an audience gathered at a distance.
While I’d been hoping to use the restroom, the bison was partially blocking the path there, and so I had no choice but to try again elsewhere.
Elephant Back Trail
Moving on, I wanted to try another hike that provided views of the lake from above. From Bridge Bay Marina, the trailhead for the Elephant Back Trail is just a five-minute drive northeast along Grand Loop Rd.
You’ll have to look carefully for a small parking area near the trailhead, as there are no major signs. In my case, I found a spot on the opposite side of the trailhead, after which I crossed the road and found a dirt path running parallel to the road.
And before long, the trail would take me deeper into the forest.
The Elephant Back Trail is a loop trail that’s 3.6 miles (5.8 km) in total and it would take me a couple of hours to complete. Again, while I didn’t encounter any bears here, you’ll definitely want to carry bear spray with you.
This hike is relatively obscure, and I only encountered a handful of other hikers. While this is normally great news for those looking to escape the crowds, it’s not ideal for those hoping to avoid bear encounters.
To let any potential bears know of your presence, it’s best to talk loudly with your hiking companion, or perhaps occasionally clap if you’re by yourself.
Locals who live in bear country generally discourage the use of bear bells, even nicknaming them ‘dinner bells.’ But for whatever reason, you will find bear bells for sale at some of Yellowstone’s gift shops.
As mentioned, the Elephant Back Trail is a loop trail, though the loop itself is relatively short, with the flat beginning portion taking up almost half of the hike.
Eventually, you’ll reach the hill, which will bring you up around 800 ft. While this hike does offer various vantage points of the lake from above, none of them are completely clear.
There are no dedicated overlooks along the trail, and you’ll only be able to catch glimpses of the lake by peaking through the trees.
All the shots of the lake shown here are the result of zooming in through gaps in the trees combined with cropping the image. If you only have a smartphone, don’t expect to be able to capture much.
While the views of the lake were a bit underwhelming, if a peaceful walk through the forest away from the crowds is what you’re looking for, consider hiking the Elephant Back Trail.
Storm Point Trail
Shortly past (or before, depending on which direction you’re coming from) the Elephant Back Trail, the road will fork. By continuing straight, you’ll simply continue along Grand Loop Road.
But if you’re hoping to see a bit more of Yellowstone Lake, be sure to turn onto E Entrance Rd. I decided to go as far as the Storm Point Trail before heading back west again.
The Storm Point Trail is a 2.3 mile (3.7 km) loop and while flat, it offers stunning views of the lake. With more stops on my itinerary that afternoon, I only went as far as the lake before turning back. But the views of the lake I saw were among the best I witnessed that day.
Avalanche Peak
Further east along E Entrance Rd is the Avalanche Peak Trailhead. This hike is probably the best way to see unobstructed views of Yellowstone Lake from above. But it’s considered a strenuous hike with 2,000 ft of elevation gain, and it takes most people at least three hours to complete.
Unfortunately, I wouldn’t have time to fit Avalanche Peak into my itinerary, but looking back, I wish I’d hiked it instead of the Elephant Back Trail.
More Around Yellowstone Lake
If you’ve gone as far as the Storm Point Trail, you’ll have passed the Fishing Bridge, while you will of course pass it again on your return to the Grand Loop Rd. Originally built in 1902, the bridge we see today was constructed in 1937.
As the name suggests, people would once stand atop this log bridge to fish. Unfortunately, however, the popularity of fishing at this bridge led to a decline in the native cutthroat trout population.
Later, at some point in the 1990s, it was detected that nonnative lake trout were prevalent in Yellowstone Lake. And this invasive species started wreaking havoc on the ecosystem. While the native cutthroat trout have long been food for numerous wild animals that live in this region, they are also commonly killed and eaten by the larger lake trout, leaving less food for other animals.
Fortunately, things are finally turning around, and the cutthroat trout population is finally rebounding.
Just north of Yellowstone Lake, be sure to make a quick stop at the LeHardy Rapids which are part of Yellowstone River.
Heading down the steps from the parking area and walking along the boardwalk, you can see the water that originates at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone before it flows into Yellowstone Lake.
This is also a great spot to watch native cutthroat trout make occasional leaps into the air.
If you’ve followed this itinerary and are continuing north, be sure to check out the Mud Volcano. And after that, the scenic drive will take you through Hayden Valley – one of the best places in Yellowstone to spot wildlife.
Additional Info
As mentioned above, typical Yellowstone Lake boat tours can be arranged through Xanterra’s website.
But there are still other options for those looking for a more unique experience. Fans of kayaking should consider this Yellowstone Lake Twilight Tour, which even allows you to see the West Thumb Geyser Basin from the water!
If you’re looking for an earlier start, this 4-Hour Morning Kayak Tour also takes you past the geysers. It even includes lunch.
At around 2.2 million acres, Yellowstone National Park is absolutely massive, and there are few cities or towns right by the park. And even if there were, you’d still want to change locations at least once to easily make it to all the main areas.
Rather than present an exhaustive list of all the different options and variables, I’ll explain what my travel companions and I did. In the end, I’m very pleased with the way the trip worked out. What follows is a brief summary, but you can learn more details in our comprehensive Yellowstone Itinerary.
Yellowstone should be explored over the course of three or four days. Assuming you can spend four nights in the region, it’s best to camp within the park and to do so at two different locations.
Not only will this save you money, it will also save you a lot of driving time. It also makes it possible to observe wildlife at dusk and dawn.
Note that driving in Yellowstone in the dark is not advised due to the lack of lighting and presence of large animals on the road. As such, you can count out staying in a nearby town and getting a head start by departing before sunrise.
Coming immediately from Grand Teton National Park, I entered Yellowstone via the South Entrance and headed straight for the Grant Village Campground. The next day, after exploring the geysers of southwest Yellowstone, I spent another night at the same campsite.
The following morning, we packed up our things and explored Yellowstone Lake and nearby areas. That night was spent at the Canyon Village Campground, located in the east part of the park where the two main loop roads intersect.
Again, we spent two nights in total at the same campground, allowing easy access to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It was also within reasonable driving distance of Mammoth Hot Springs on the final day. (We’d then head north into Montana).
Yellowstone’s campgrounds are run by the Xanterra Corporation, and you can make reservations at this link.
Both campgrounds I stayed at had shower areas, though they unfortunately weren’t within walking distance of the campsite. There were plenty of bathrooms in the main camping areas, however.
Note that you can also find proper hotels/lodges at both Grant Village and Canyon Village. But not only can they get very pricey, you’d have to book many months in advance to secure a spot. On that note, even camping sites should be booked several months ahead of time.
At the time of writing, Yellowstone costs $35 to enter (learn more here).
If you’re visiting from abroad, note that in contrast to many other countries, US parks typically charge per vehicle rather than per person. However, if you’re traveling by bicycle instead, they’ll charge you for an individual pass which costs $20, while those on motorcycles will be charged $30.
Considering how many National Parks and National Monuments there are to see in the Southwest alone, the best option for most will be to buy an ‘America the Beautiful’ Annual National Parks Pass.
These cost $80 for the year. In most cases, you’re already saving money by just visiting four National Parks/Monuments anywhere in the country within a full year.
What’s more, is that only one person in your vehicle needs to have the pass. Additionally, seniors can buy the pass for just $20. So if you have someone over 62 in your party, just have them get the annual pass and everyone else will be set.
As for where to get the pass, you can purchase it in person at most National Parks or Monuments. But you can also order it in advance online.
Fortunately, a park pass/entry ticket is all you need to visit Yellowstone right now, as the park has not implemented any permit or timed entry systems like other popular parks have.
The guide above is just one of many Yellowstone-related articles on this website. Just starting out with planning and aren’t sure where to begin? These articles have got you covered:
- Top 5 Things to Do in Yellowstone
- The Perfect 4-Day Yellowstone Itinerary
- Yellowstone: The Ultimate Packing List
And here’s a list of our other location-specific Yellowstone guides:
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