Hey everyone! If you’ve been following along, then here is the next segment of the great Virtual Yellowstone Roadtrip!
Today’s post will take us East along the stretch of the Grand Loop Road from Old Faithful Village to West Thumb Village.
While there’s not an abundance of things to do on this stretch of the road, there is still a bit of history and a few geological features. So if you’re searching for things here to enjoy, so let’s get into it!
Skiing? In Yellowstone???
It’s more likely than you think!
In the winter season, when few brave the journey to Yellowstone, there are actually a few skiing slopes (mostly near the Old Faithful Village) that visitors can enjoy.
Skiing in Yellowstone is generally a self-guided activity, but they do recommend that you check in with park rangers before heading out. For more information on how to plan your skiing adventure along the Grand Loop Road, check out the NPS website here.
Washburn-Langford-Doane September 17, 1870 Campsite
This campsite is a huge part of Yellowstone’s history.
In 1870, three explorers traversed that area that is now Yellowstone. They made all kinds of maps and recounted a ton of Yellowstone’s unusual features, thereby capturing the interest of the public and contributing to Yellowstone’s designation as the U.S.’s first National Park.
Pretty cool, huh?
You can only access the campsite from the Spring Creek trail, which can be accessed from multiple pull-offs along this section of the grand loop road.
Scaup Lake
Named for the Scaup ducks that make this lake a sanctuary, this lake is located right next to the grand loop road, meaning that you can enjoy spotting the ducks easily from one of the pull-offs.
Experience the Continental Divide by Driving through Craig and Norris Passes
The continental divide describes an area where two tectonic plates meet. There are a couple of continental divides in Yellowstone, but here, giant mountains formed when the plates rubbed together bajillions of years ago. As a result, you get to enjoy the continental divide by driving through perilous, winding roads of mountain passes.
Shoshone Lake
Shoshone lake is a huge lake located about halfway between Old Faithful and West Thumb. It’s actually the second largest lake in Yellowstone and you can get there by hiking 5 miles south from the Lone Star Geyser Basin, or 3 miles south via the DeLacey Creek trailhead.
It’s a great place to fish for trout if that’s something you’re into.
Shoshone Geyser Basin
Situated on the Southwest side of Shoshone Lake, Shoshone Geyser basin is only accessible by hiking. Which means its very rarely visited. That’s a shame though, since Shoshone Geyser basin contains one of the highest concentration of geysers in the whole world! Some standouts include Knobby Geyser, Soap Kettle, and Minute Man geyser.
It’s a whopping 8.5 mile hike from Lone Star geyser, so this is truly one of Yellowstone’s hidden gems.
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Well there you have it! Short, sweet, and to the point, that’s everything to see between Old Faithful and West Thumb in Yellowstone. Truthfully, I usually just drive straight through from one village to another, but the historic campsite really piques my interest, and if I make it back to yellowstone anytime soon, I’ll try and check it out for myself.
Thanks for reading pals, and please PLEASE let me know if I missed anything!
Next up, Everything you need to know about West Thumb village in Yellowstone
To backtrack, Everything you need to know about Old Faithful village in Yellowstone