When I planned our family trip to Yellowstone, I expected to visit all the iconic attractions. Old Faithful was the one I remembered from childhood, and after watching a few YouTube videos about the park, I was determined to see Grand Prismatic Spring for myself.
After our visit, I declared Yellowstone my favorite national park of all time. The incredible variety of landscapes, wildlife, geothermal features, rivers, canyons, and mountain scenery make it unlike any place I have ever visited.
What surprised me most, however, were several lesser-known stops that I had never heard of before arriving. These aren’t major destinations that draw huge crowds. In fact, many visitors probably drive right past them on their way to Yellowstone’s famous attractions.
Yet some of these unexpected stops turned out to be among my favorite views in the entire park.
Here are the five Yellowstone stops that surprised me the most.
Artist Paint Pots Trail
This stop was the perfect length, just a one mile loop that included a great variety of thermal features, along with stunning views. There was about 100-150ft elevation gain, which added a small challenge, but you are rewarded with tremendous views. I feel like this area has a lot to offer for a short hike.
Brink of the Upper Falls
The waterfalls were so beautiful from a distance, but I had no idea that the sheer power and force of that water would have such a powerful impact on me. Words can’t describe the feeling of seeing that heavy volume of water thundering over the falls, and your view is RIGHT THERE at the top. Just Awesome!
Calcite Springs Overlook
This one is easy to miss- just a small pullout on the Grand Loop Road north of Tower Falls. What first caught my eye was the geology exposed in the rock along the road: rows of tall, hexagonal basalt columns, like something out of Devils Tower, formed when a lava flow cooled and cracked over a million years ago.
A short walk from the parking lot brings you to the overlook, and the view opens up into “The Narrows,” the tightest squeeze in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
The river cuts through cliffs streaked pale yellow and white – the result of hydrothermal steam and sulfur gas slowly bleaching the rock from below. If the air is cool, you can actually see wisps of steam rising off the canyon walls. I couldn’t put my finger on what made it so beautiful at first, but I think it’s that contrast: the raw violence of an ancient lava flow and an active, breathing hydrothermal system, side by side, wrapped around a quiet, winding river.
Planning a trip to Yellowstone? We visited Yellowstone and Grand Teton within 5 days and managed to see so much! Interested in our itinerary?
Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook
Most everyone has the Grand Prismatic on their list of places to see. After researching the park, I was determined to make the hike up to the Overlook to see the feature from above. What surprised me the most- was that the overlook itself wasn’t worth the hype. I’d already seen that exact image so many times on social media that the element of surprise was gone by the time I got there.
BUT… I was surprised by how much I loved seeing the Grand Prismatic Spring from ground level instead, walking the boardwalk below. The view changes dramatically depending on the wind and weather the day you visit- if the air is too still, steam can obscure the colors entirely.
West Thumb Geyser Basin
This ended up being one of my favorite views in the park, and it was an area I’d never even heard of- it wasn’t even on our agenda. We were driving toward Grant Village when we spotted the sign and pulled off to check it out. The basin has an incredible mix of colors: dark forest-green trees, vivid geothermal pools, and the bright blue of Yellowstone Lake all in the same frame. The boardwalk takes you right up to the waterfront, and some of the geysers actually sit in the lake itself! The pools in this area were stunning!
