Friday, April 18, 2014

Stay Close To The Action With Yellowstone Motels

By Essie Osborn


The landscape of the USA makes for some absolutely unforgettable experiences. Standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon or hearing the roar of the Niagara Falls are things everyone should do at least once. Another is to head to big sky country and walk on top of a volcano so huge that for many years geologists never realized what they were actually dealing with. For quick access to this experience of a lifetime, be sure to book a stay at one of the Yellowstone motels.

Yellowstone National Park covers the northwestern corner of the state of Wyoming but also stretches into neighboring Idaho and Montana. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was the first of the world's national parks. It has an area of nearly 3,500 square miles.

The most iconic feature of the park is Old Faithful. As its name suggests, this volcanic geyser erupts faithfully every 91 minutes or so. On average the boiling water shoots about 145 feet up in the air during an eruption, which lasts several seconds. It may not be the park's most impressive geyser but it's certainly the one you're guaranteed to see erupt. The park's visitor center has the estimated times for eruptions.

Old Faithful may be the park's most famous geyser but there are many, many more. They just don't erupt that regularly. Because Yellowstone is really a volcanic caldera, there are huge areas of geothermal activity. Boardwalks have been built for visitors to walk on, since the earth's crust can be deceptively thin and it's very easy to fall down into a boiling hot pool of mud or water.

Yellowstone National Park is not only a place of bubbling pools and geysers. The landscape here is spectacular and you'll definitely want to bring your camera. There are waterfalls, lakes, rivers, a plateau, beautiful mountain scenery and three large canyons. The area is also home to a huge petrified forest.

Most visitors get around by car but in spring there is a car free week when cycling is just heavenly. Trips on horseback or hikes are popular ways of exploring too. Many different species of wildlife live within park boundaries, among them bison, deer, moose, elk, mountain lions, bears and wolves. The park is also home to many bird species.

The national park offers various accommodation facilities but these become fully booked very quickly, especially in the summer months. However, the towns of Gardiner and West Yellowstone, both in Montana, are just outside park boundaries. Gardiner lies on the northern side and has a few motels in a small-town atmosphere. West Yellowstone lies to the west and has a museum, an airport and a wide selection of motels and other accommodation options.

The busiest time to visit is during the summer months and you'll have to book your accommodation well in advance. Fall and winter are less crowded but winter can be very cold. However, visiting during this time means that you can also try snow sports such as skiing.




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