The colorful terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs welcomed us to the park three days in a row–talk about an entrance! Finally, on the third day, we were able to stop off and explore around.

Watch the video HERE!

The key to enjoying Yellowstone as much as possible is to arrive EARLY! This can be challenging if you have kids or are staying a ways outside the park, but I promise that it’s completely worth it. The Mammoth Hot Springs are no exception. Parking is easier, the boardwalks aren’t crowded, and you can see the steam rising off of the hot springs (which aren’t always visible in the flat light of a grayed-over afternoon).

We parked down by the Lower Terraces and first saw Liberty Cap, Devil’s Thumb, and Palette Spring, all along one boardwalk. After getting our fill, we took the path towards the main section. It’s best if you know going in that there are stairs to see many of the springs, but the park has also done a nice job of incorporating ramps in some sections as well.

We spent some time watching the Minerva and Cleopatra Terraces, and then went up to the overlook of the Main Terrace.

It’s otherworldly up there.

If you’d rather stay in your car or don’t have time to get the crew out and walking, you can tour around the Upper Terraces on a one way road, off of Grand Loop Road. We were on a tight schedule, so we didn’t drive around, but it seemed like a great alternative!

Happy Hiking!