Walk the rim trail from Inspiration Point to Grandview Point for the best look at the canyon’s natural grandeur. Also consider the paved but strenuous Brink of the Falls Trail, which descends several hundred feet through steep forest. Standing beside the green river where it suddenly drops into space is one of the most exciting experiences in the park.
Continue south on the main road. The Upper Falls are, at 109 feet [33.2 meters] high, almost as impressive as the lower falls and easier to reach. A short trail leads to Upper Falls View. Half a mile [0.8-kilometer] farther south, a side road crosses the river to Artist Point, the best overall view of the canyon.
Upriver, the Yellowstone flows gently through the sage-covered hills of Hayden Valley. Go slowly and stop often in the roadside parking areas; this is prime wildlife country. American white pelicans and trumpeter swans share the river with Canada geese, gulls, and ducks. Bison are visible most of the year. Keep your distance. Use binoculars to check meadows across the river for grizzlies digging for roots or rodents. Grizzlies are often seen in the open; black bears, their smaller, shier relations, rarely. But be careful not to surprise one; both are dangerous.
Well-named Mud Volcano and Black Dragon’s Caldron are not pretty to look at, but they are impressive. Springs in this area have been known to hurl football-sized blobs of mud tens of feet. From here to the lake, the Yellowstone River provides excellent catch-and-release fishing for cutthroat trout. At Le Hardy Rapids in June you can watch cutthroat jumping on their way to spawning grounds.
Look for trout also at Fishing Bridge (no fishing allowed) where the river flows out of the lake. Two miles [3.2 kilometers] farther east is Pelican Valley, a lush l akeside meadow where you might find moose or white pelicans.
Return to the loop road, following the shore of Yellowstone Lake most of the next 21 miles [33.8 kilometers]. This is the largest lake in North America above 7,000 feet [2,133.6 meters]. The Absaroka Range, visible across the blue waters, was named for the Absaroka, or Crow Indians. The volcanic peaks define the park’s eastern boundary.
Bison frequent the meadows near Bridge Bay, while moose favor ponds along the Gull Point Road. Gull Point is a good picnic site.
