West Yellowstone
West Yellowstone, a fun-filled town, is Yellowstone National Park's busiest gateway and a mecca for year-round outdoor recreation enthusiasts. It is also the closest entrance into America's First National Park from Big Sky being under and hour's scenic drive.
When you enter the park through the West Entrance, you will drive 14 miles until you reach Madison, a jumping off point for geyser basins to the north and south. Head south and you will see the largest geyser basin in Yellowstone called the Lower Geyser Basin, which includes Fountain Paint Pot, Firehole Lake Drive area and the Great Fountain Geyser. You’ll want to stop at the Midway Geyser Basin, slightly south, which is home to the dazzling Grand Prismatic Spring, which has resident bacteria that creates rainbow-like rings in the spring.
Further south is the Upper Geyser Basin, which is home to Old Faithful, Biscuit Basin and others. At least 150 geysers exist in 1 square mile here.
Up north you’ll find Norris Geyser Basin, the park’s oldest and hottest thermal area with two walkable zones. It’s home to the Steamboat Geyser, which is the world’s tallest geyser at 300-plus feet. If you drive farther north, up to the park’s northern border with Montana, you can explore the boardwalks of Mammoth Hot Springs, a two-tier travertine wonder.