The Canyons, Valleys and Lakes of Yellowstone National Park

After road tripping from Texas to Jasper National Park, the carful of kids are exploring Yellowstone National Park for a week. With two amazing days at the Old Faithful Inn behind us, we're moving on to the historic Lake Yellowstone Hotel, the most glamorous property in Yellowstone NP.

Yellowstone National Park encompasses almost 3,500 square miles, that's larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined. So when you don't stay in the park, it makes for long days but with over 2,000 rooms or cabins and close to 2,200 campsites, you don't have to leave the park.

On my first trip to Yellowstone NP fifteen years ago, I camped for four days in the centrally-located Canyon Campground. When it came to plan the carful of kids' trip, I am doing things a little different. I want to explore a few different areas so we are moving around the park in a circle at a leisurely pace to make this trip a memorable one.

Our final destination for the day is Yellowstone Lake but we will take the long way to get there. The most congested part of the park is the southern entrance so I route the carful of kids around that area as much as possible.

To get to Yellowstone Lake from the Old Faithful Inn area, we drive north to the Madison and Norris Junctions before heading east to Canyon Junction. With this route, we will bisect the park.

At the Norris Junction, the carful of kids stop to explore the Norris Geyser Basin after a quick walk through the Norris Geyser Basin Museum that's dedicated to the geothermal activity in the area.

The Norris Geyser Basin is the hottest and most changeable of the Yellowstone Caldera, the supervolcano that creates all the geothermal activity and at least 1,000 earthquakes a year. The bubbling and hissing can be heard from the top of the trail that leads down to the basin; a few steps down the path the carful of kids hit of wall of invisible stink.

This is as close to the Norris Geyser Basin the carful of kids are willing to go.

There's a revolt on the stairs and the carful of kids decide for themselves aren't exploring the basin along the wooden boardwalks. They aren't walking any farther.

"But, it's cool and educational," I protest.

With noses pinched, the carful of kids shake an emphatic No in unison and head back up the stairs--my oldest leading the way.

What can I do but surrender and the carful of kids load back up in the SUV. Sometimes it's not worth the battle. We head out to our next stop, Canyon Village--home to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

The Canyon Village has all the necessities including a small grocery store, gas station, laundry facilities, pay showers and a post office. There is one of the larger campgrounds with 273 reservable sites and a lodge with over 500 rooms and cabins, complete with a deli and restaurant.

The Canyon Village, completed in 1957, was the first project completed for the National Park Service's 50th Anniversary and the Mission 66, a program to revitalize our national parks. The carful of kids stop and walk around, pick up a loaf of bread and a bag of ice before we head over to the Canyon Visitors Education Center, a great stop for the family with an educational movie and lots of interactive displays.

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is on the Must-Do List

Our next stop is the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone--a 20 miles long, 1,000 feet deep canyon formed by the Yellowstone River. This is an area that should not be missed if you are short on time.

There are two routes along the Grand Canyon, the North Rim Drive and the South Rim Drive, both have limited parking and the North Rim Drive is one-way. Each side should be explored, there are restrooms and picnic tables in this area, the carful of kids grab one for lunch.

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is a postcard picture area--don't miss it.

If you're not up for a hike, there's a walking path next to the rim with great overlooks, like Lookout Point or Inspiration Point. For an up-close look, you can hike the Brink of Lower Falls Trail or Uncle Tom's Trail, both include lots of stairs.

The carful of kids explore the Grand Canyon and find an Osprey's nest with chicks before we load up to head south through Hayden Valley. Yellowstone is rich with wildlife and the valleys of Yellowstone are the best places to find them.

Bison sit along the road through Hayden Valley.

Hayden Valley is named after the geologist, Dr. Ferdinand Hayden, who lead the first official expedition in 1871 that convinced Congress this area needed to be protected as the World's First National Park. The valley is actually an old lake bed that's bisected by the Yellowstone River as it heads south to Yellowstone Lake.

Home to herds of bison, grizzlies, elk, wolves, coyotes and moose as well as many species of birds, it is one of the areas wildlife photographers camp out for photos. Be sure to have your binoculars ready as you drive through the heart of Yellowstone.

The carful of kids start to see the water of Yellowstone Lake, at 136-square miles it's the largest freshwater lake in North America above 7,000 feet. This area houses the Lake Village, Bridge Bay Campground with 432 tent sites and Fishing Bridge RV Park with 325 sites for hard-sided RVs along with a marina.

The Lake Yellowstone Hotel, the oldest hotel is an elegant retreat.

The carful of kids have a reservation for tonight in the Lake Village area but first I want to pop in on the tour of the historic Lake Yellowstone Hotel, departing everyday at 5:30 from the lobby. It is the oldest standing hotel, dating back to 1889, and is the most refined property in Yellowstone.

Inside a room of Lake Yellowstone Hotel.

While Robert Reamer was building the Old Faithful Inn, he renovated the Lake Yellowstone Hotel by adding the classic white columns to the hotel. It features a gracious turn of the century lobby with a string quartet each evening and a great bar.

The Bathroom of a Lake Yellowstone Hotel Room

After an insider's tour of the Lake Yellowstone Hotel, we check in at the front desk for our Frontier Cabin. They are great for families, as the hotel rooms cater to the quiet life of adults.

The exterior of our Frontier Cabin, I think it needs a window box.

I was a little hesitant  because the outside of the Frontier cabins looked a little shabby but the interior is nice and basically a free-standing hotel room. Within walking distance of our cabin is the Lake Yellowstone General Store with its lunch counter that's open from breakfast to dinner serving family-friendly favorites and ice cream.

The interior of the Frontier Cabin

The Bathroom of the Frontier Cabin

The carful of kids beg to eat at the general store and we agree, leaving the babysitter/older sister in charge while we head over to the Lake Yellowstone Hotel Dining Room for an upscale date night on vacation. Dinner alone is a treat and served on the only white tablecloths in Yellowstone National Park.

A date night on vacation, yes, please!

We make it back to the cabin and find the carful of kids playing games, remember there are no TVs in Yellowstone National Park before calling it a night.

Up Next: Exploring Yellowstone's Northern Entrances


Know before you go:  Yellowstone National Park is open every day and the 7-day admission is $ 30 for a private vehicle or you can purchase an annual America the Beautiful Pass for $ 80 to gain entry to the majority of the national parks and monuments. There are seasonal road closures in the majority of the park except for the North and Northeast Entrance that are open year-round to vehicle traffic.

Reservations for the Lake Yellowstone Hotel Dining Room are made when you check-in for your room or cabin.

Reservations are recommended for all lodging and camping in Yellowstone National Park during the high season.