Yellowstone National Park vacation rentals

When it comes to natural wonders, Yellowstone National Park is an overachiever, with more than 2.2 million acres of pristine wilderness teeming with wildlife and astounding natural features. Formed by a series of explosions of a supervolcano beginning more than two million years ago, Yellowstone’s unique geography includes the world’s largest concentration of active geysers alongside dramatic canyons and winding rivers. Grizzly bears, gray wolves, moose, and bison roam the park — just a fraction of the more than 400 animal species that call Yellowstone home. Hiking, camping, horseback riding, fishing, and boating are all options for a Yellowstone getaway.

During the summer — when most people visit Yellowstone — the park boasts temperatures around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, with cooler nights. Spring and fall usher in a range between 30 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and sometimes snow. Winter can be extremely cold, with temperatures dropping to 20 degrees and below zero. Access to the park is limited in winter, but visitors can still partake of cross-country skiing and other activities. No matter what time of year you book one of Yellowstone’s cabins for, pack layers — summer brings thunderstorms, and the climate changes depending on elevation year round.

Old Faithful

Of the 500 geysers in Yellowstone, Old Faithful is easily the local celebrity. While most geysers are capricious about their schedules, Old Faithful lives up to its name by rocketing thousands of gallons of boiling water up to 184 feet into the atmosphere about 17 times a day. You can safely experience this spectacle from nearby boardwalks, and the park helpfully posts predicted eruption times at the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

If you’re curious about how astonishing the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is, just run the numbers: It’s 20 miles long, up to 4,000 feet across, and plunges to 1,200 feet. The Yellowstone River roars over one edge, forming the 109-foot Upper Falls and, downstream, the towering Lower Falls, which plunges 308 feet to the canyon floor and surging river. A network of trails and stairs traverses the canyon, offering lofty views of the drama.

Grand Prismatic Spring

The largest hot spring in the United States — and the third largest in the world — is also an ever-shifting liquid rainbow, with a shockingly bright blue center ringed in oranges, reds, and greens. The spring’s multicolored display is thanks to naturally occurring bacteria in the water, and — like a gigantic mood ring — the colors swap intensities as the seasons change.