Are you an outdoors lover looking for the perfect place to vacation? Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park are two of the most beautiful natural areas in the world. You’re sure to have a great time at either; however, trying to choose the right one to visit can be daunting.
We’ve tried to make things easier on you by comparing the two national parks. Here are some of the differences between a Grand Teton vacation and a Yellowstone National Park tour.
More about Yellowstone
Yellowstone is one of the most-visited national parks in the world. It’s home to a variety of amazing animal and plant life, including moose, bison, elk, bighorn sheep and much more. The park is also home to some of the most popular attractions in the United States, including Old Faithful, the Lower Falls at Canyon, Mammoth Hot Springs and Lamar Valley.
Yellowstone National Park was officially established in 1872 and features over 2,219,791 acres of land. It was the first national park established in the United States and is home to beautiful lakes, canyons, mountain ranges and more. While the interior of Yellowstone National Park is closed between the summer and winter seasons, the northern range is open all year. You can find even more information on the park’s official website.
If you’re an avid hiker or camper, there are few places better to visit than Yellowstone National Park. The park features miles of scenic trails where you can take in views of the amazing landscape and wildlife. There are also a multitude of campsites all over the park, many of which feature all the amenities you’d need for a fun camping experience.
More about Grand Teton
Grand Teton National Park is an especially great place to enjoy all your favorite outdoor activities. The park offers excellent opportunities when it comes to horseback riding, camping, hiking and much more. Like Yellowstone, Grand Teton is a great place for sightseeing, as it’s home to a beautiful mountain range and two majestic lakes, Jackson Lake and Jenny Lake. These lakes offer excellent opportunities for fishing, canoeing and all your favorite water activities.
One of the best things about Grand Teton National Park is that it stays open all year, unless there’s inclement weather. Grand Teton National Park, which was established in 1929, is much smaller than Yellowstone, comprising around 310,000 acres of land.
So, which one should I visit?
Visit both if you can! If you have to pick one, Yellowstone National Park should probably be at the top of your list, especially if you’re more interested in sightseeing. There’s so much to see in Yellowstone National Park that you could spend days exploring without even scratching the surface—that’s why we recommend joining one of our Yellowstone National Park tours. At Yellowstone Tour Guides, we offer everything from day tours to overnight backpacking treks. All of our tours are led by qualified tour guides and are available at fair prices. Schedule your next adventure with us!
Yellowstone National Park features more than 40 peaks that soar over 10,000 feet, and the beautiful Mt. Washburn is one of them. Standing at 10,243 feet, Mt. Washburn is Yellowstone’s most visited high peak, and many visitors choose to take Mt. Washburn guided tours to learn more about this natural wonder and to take advantage of its most scenic views. Read on to get to know more about Mt. Washburn and how it formed.
Ancient origins
The Mt. Washburn we marvel at today is actually all that remains of a volcano that erupted around 640,000 years ago. On Mt. Washburn guided tours, you’ll be able to see how the eruption formed the vast Yellowstone caldera, allowing visitors to get a sense of the amazing scale of the Yellowstone super-volcano.
As you travel to the summit of Mt. Washburn, you’ll notice dark breccia consisting of angular volcanic stones that formed 50 million years ago. As watery mixtures of ash and rocks flowed downhill to tropical lowlands, the deposits settled to the matrix you can see today. Mt. Washburn, and the Washburn Range as a whole, consists of lava flow debris that was preserved on the side of a volcano.
Visiting Mt. Washburn
The time of year you visit Mt. Washburn has an amazing effect on the scenery you’ll enjoy during your visit. Snow often obstructs Dunraven Pass, one of the typical routes to the summit, until the end of June.
In July and August, visitors can marvel at the stunning wildflower displays along the mountain, but keep in mind that afternoon thunderstorms are frequent during this time of year. In August and September, you’ll have to keep a lookout for grizzlies that flock to the area looking for whitebark pine nuts and other forms of sustenance. You’ll also likely be able to see bighorn sheep and many other active fauna in their natural habitat, but be sure to stay on trails to avoid disturbing the natural vegetation of the area.
Once you’ve reached the top of Mt. Washburn, you’ll enjoy stunning views and interpretive exhibits inside the shelter at the base of the fire lookout. You’ll be able to see an endless panorama from the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and beyond.
While experienced hikers are able to summit Mt. Washburn on their own, Mt. Washburn guided tours help visitors make the most of their time on the mountain. You’ll take advantage of your guide’s knowledge, stories and personal connection to Yellowstone National Park as a whole, providing an enriching experience that truly brings the area to life in a memorable way.
Learning about Mt. Washburn, and Yellowstone National Park in general, is a fascinating experience for nature-lovers of all ages. Whether you’re visiting solo, with your family or as part of a larger group, Mt. Washburn guided tours will give you the inside scoop on one of America’s natural treasures. Learn more about Mt. Washburn and other amazing peaks and mountains by booking your tour with Yellowstone Tour Guides today.
Planning a visit to Yellowstone National Park? The Great Divide is a feature you’ll undoubtedly see on many Yellowstone National Park tours. It crosses through the park, creating the stunning scenery for which the area is so well known. Read on to get to know more about this unique and beautiful natural feature.
Continental divides in terms of geography and purpose
Continental divides exist throughout the world—they’re found on every continent. In most basic terms, these natural features separate a continent’s river systems, allowing water to flow into oceans, bays or seas. They’re sometimes called drainage divides, since they separate drainage basins or watersheds, and they occur in raised terrain, including large hills and mountain ranges.
Precipitation that falls on one side of the divide will travel to one drainage basin, while precipitation that falls on the other side will travel to another. Continents can have more than one continental divide. North America, for example, is bordered by more than two bodies of water and features more than one divide, with most scientists claiming that between three and five divides exist within the continent.
Since scientists disagree on the precise borders between ocean basins, the number of true divides in the continent continues to be a topic of scientific debate, but the most well-known divide is the Great Divide.
North America’s Great Divide
While there is no single continental divide that’s unique to North America, the Great Divide, also known as the Continental Divide of the Americas, runs from northwestern Alaska to the southern tip of South America. The Great Divide is distinguished by high elevations along much of its course, and the divide in America includes the Rocky Mountains, which send water eastward to the Gulf of Mexico and westward to the Pacific Ocean.
The Great Divide is characterized by spectacular scenery along its entire length, particularly where it crosses into Wyoming within Yellowstone National Park. While the entire length of the Continental Divide Trail extends over 3,100 miles, visitors to the area often pick up the trail in certain spots to make the most of their visit.
Many of the best Yellowstone National Park tours include a trek along the Great Divide Lookout Trail. Visitors have a chance to walk along the divide at a height of 8,700 feet and enjoy gorgeous views of Shoshone Lake and Mount Sheridan.
The Continental Divide Trail takes visitors through Yellowstone National Park, but most people go off the trail to explore the many other interesting areas of the park. By going off the trail, visitors can explore geysers, waterfalls, mountains and the unique wildlife within the park.
If you’re planning a visit to Yellowstone National Park, make the most of your trip and see world-class natural features and wildlife within the park by taking a Yellowstone National Park tour. Get in touch with Yellowstone Tour Guides today to learn more about the best trips and trails to take to make sure you see everything you want to see during your visit.
Hot and dry weather make this the worst time of year for wildfires in the Western United States, and Yellowstone National Park is in danger of going up in flames each summer. The risk of massive wildfires increases each year due to the ongoing climate crisis. For this reason, there are many Yellowstone National Park fire restrictions in place to help keep wildlife and tourists safe from wildfires. The rules change throughout the year depending on the weather, but this post will cover the regulations in place when the fire danger level is “very high,” as it is most summers.
Backcountry
Be sure to check out the backcountry if you’re up for a real adventure, but be mindful that the untamed backcountry can be more prone to wildfires. Currently, all charcoal and wood fire campfires are prohibited in the backcountry, even in established fire rings. Smoking is also banned throughout the backcountry and on all trails, except in designated areas. Smokers may light up next to the designated fire rings in campsites or within a three-foot diameter area barren of all flammable materials. You don’t have to live without heat in the dark, though. Portable gas stoves and lanterns are currently allowed. However, the area must be barren or cleared of overhead and surrounding materials. Be sure to double-check your surroundings before starting your stove or lantern.
Frontcountry and developed areas
The first restrictions are a bit more lax in developed areas. However, they’re still in place and must be followed. Campfires are only allowed in established campgrounds and day-use picnic areas. If you start a fire, it must be extinguished and cold to the touch before you leave the site. Smoking is only permitted in an enclosed vehicle, a single-family dwelling or a day-use picnic area.
Why must you follow these rules?
Some tourists have the faulty thinking that their small fire can’t possibly do any harm, so they think Yellowstone National Park fire restrictions don’t apply to them. That’s far from the case. These are the reasons you need to follow all posted rules:
Stay safe: A single spark from a campfire or cigarette is enough to start a wildfire in an instant. Not only does that jeopardize your safety, but it puts all of the other Yellowstone tourists in danger.
Protect the park: A wildfire will completely destroy all of the plants and animals in its path. What’s worse is that it can take decades for the park to return to the state it was in before the fire. Do your part to protect Yellowstone by following all of the fire regulations.
Avoid fines: As you can imagine, the authorities take these fire regulations very seriously. Starting fires in unauthorized zones can lead to thousands of dollars in fines and even jail time.
Book a tour with us
There’s still plenty of time to see Yellowstone this summer, but don’t do it alone—book a tour with Yellowstone Tour Guides. Contact us today to book a trip or to learn some more about the current Yellowstone National Park fire restrictions..
In May, a Yellowstone tourist attempted to get an up-close cellphone picture of a mother grizzly bear and her three cubs. Not only is that dangerous, but it’s also in violation of one of the Yellowstone National Park laws. The tourist is now facing federal charges for attempting to approach and take photos within 100 feet of wildlife. The Illinois woman is also faced with one count of feeding, touching, teasing, frightening or intentionally disturbing wildlife. U.S. Park Police were able to find the woman because another tourist witnessed and recorded the event. In the video recording, the defendant appears to get within 15 feet of the bear before backing off when the grizzly briefly charged at her. The woman will go in front of a magistrate judge on August 26 to answer to her charges. If she is convicted, she could be sentenced to a year in prison and be ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
Other laws you need to follow
Other laws you need to follow Taking photos of grizzly bears isn’t the only rule in Yellowstone. Here are a few of the Yellowstone National Park laws that keep you, other visitors and wildlife safe:
Animals: Whether it’s an 800-pound bear or a two-pound rabbit, park rangers do their best to protect all of the animals in Yellowstone. After all, the park is designed in part to be a sanctuary for them. But don’t worry, you won’t need to study all of the laws before your trip. Policies are posted throughout the park in an intent to ensure everyone is well aware of the laws.
Fires: Hot and dry conditions make summer the worst season for wildfires in Yellowstone. While we can’t do anything to prevent wildfires started by lightning strikes, tourists can do their part by adhering to posted fire laws. Additionally, you should never start a fire or smoke outside of a designated area.
Trails: We know it’s tempting to do a little off-road driving or biking to get a better look at the beautiful surroundings, but don’t do it—leaving the trails can result in some hefty fines. We promise you can get a great view of everything from the safety of the road.
Hot springs: The thermal hot springs are a major attraction in Yellowstone, but there are rules in place to protect the springs and visitors. Swimming is prohibited in the springs, as is walking off designated trails to get a better look at the hydrothermal areas.
Camping: Sleeping under the stars in Yellowstone is an experience you’ll never forget, but you can’t just set up your tent anywhere you please. In addition to obtaining the right permits, all campers must stay within designated camp sites during their stay.
See Yellowstone with our team
Book a trip with Yellowstone Tour Guides instead of attempting to experience the park on your own. From day hikes to multi-day vacation packages, we offer a package for everyone. When you book with us, you can rest easy you’ll stay in good standing with all of the Yellowstone National Park laws and have a great time during your visit!
