Have you ever wanted to visit Yellowstone’s Old Faithful? During COVID, a virtual visit to Wyoming and Montana’s national park may be a great option for you. Yellowstone is uniquely prepared for visitors to enjoy this park’s amazing features without even leaving your couch.
I know – the skeptics out there will say you have to visit Yellowstone to fully appreciate it. And while I agree, sometimes that just isn’t possible. Add to that, the NPS has done a fantastic job of creating virtual visits that allow wannabe tourists views they likely won’t see.
First, these photos say it all. Mammoth Hot Springs looks amazing in the summer, but you won’t see it in the winter without using a virtual visit. While the north entrance, near Mammoth Hot Springs, is open, Yellowstone doesn’t receive many visitors in the winter.
Compare Mammoth Hot Springs summer and winter views.
And views of the more popular thermal features in the summer and winter.
Now, tell me the truth. How many of you have visited Yellowstone and never saw a bobcat or wolf? Well, a virtual visit can fill that gap for you.
Yellowstone is truly an amazing place.
Every part of the park is different. Even if you are lucky enough to visit and spend alot of time, I guarantee you still won’t see everything. The only way that is assured, is if you live there.
And I’m not certain you would see everything then either.
The landscape is different every day. Where else in the world can you expect snow 365 days a year in one portion of the park, and have t-shirt weather in another portion of the park? A place where wildlife roams free, including the elusive gray owl, wolf packs, and baby grizzly cubs. Where the geothermal features and geysers literally change by the minute.
Only in Yellowstone.
Why take a virtual visit to Yellowstone?
The answer is seemingly too simple. What better way to get an “insider’s” view? To see famous landmarks like Old Faithful from another’s perspective. And to do it all in a safe, ecologically and socially responsible manner that is good for the environment and safe during COVID.
The brutal reality of today’s travel environment.
Travel is riskier today than ever. People are more health-conscious, during COVID tourists face uncertainty – not knowing if lodging will remain open, restaurant availability for food, and access to fuel and services during road trips.
Safety requirements differ between the states that coordinate access to Yellowstone. For example, Wyoming’s safety requirements are different than Montana’s requirements. These are confusing times.
So how to enjoy Yellowstone National Park during these uncertain times?
Virtual travel has become vitally important for a variety of reasons. Our desire to remain connected to the world. A reminder that there is life after COVID. Our unending curiosity about nature. Luckily, the National Park Service has created several resources to help satisfy these needs.
Yellowstone has really embraced the realities of virtual travel. This park offers several webcams, virtual tours, park apps, and videos.
I fell in love with Yellowstone’s webcams quickly.
We were planning a trip to Yellowstone in May of 2020 when COVID hit. Starting in March, I watched the webcams, getting my “fix” of the park just in case we couldn’t go.
What I found instead was a glimpse into a Montana winter wonderland. As I watched the snow melt around Old Faithful, I realized being able to watch this pre-historic land wake up in the spring was truly a gift.
Then the National Park Service started posting videos of wolf packs in the Old Faithful area. I’ve grabbed a couple of still photos from those videos, look in the video section. Talk about being a mouse in the corner! Seeing live footage of Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin is absolutely amazing.
Seeing the webcams at Roosevelt Arch, Electric Peak, Mammoth Hot Springs, Mount Washburn, and the West Entrance Gate refresh every minute – well, first I’m grateful I’m not waiting in line to get into the park. Quickly followed with awe and amazement at the sights laid out before me.
Truly amazing!
I never thought about a virtual tour of Yellowstone.
Once I started exploring the NPS webpage for virtual tours though, I fell in love. To tell you the truth, I’ve been through the park on 3 separate occasions and thought I had covered alot of ground.
And I have.
But I have never visited Canary Spring at Mammoth Hot Springs on a virtual tour. Or take a virtual walk from Uncle Tom’s parking lot to the Upper Falls. I have explored the path to Dragon’s Mouth Spring at Mud Volcano, but it was oh, so different than what you can experience on a virtual walk.
You can even take a virtual walkout to Lookout Point to see the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River. What a great option for enjoying the Montana side of Yellowstone during COVID!
Now, full disclosure. You won’t feel the spray of the falls or smell pine in the air. But you also won’t smell the overpowering sulfur odor in the Mud Volcano region. The virtual tours are an acceptable tradeoff for me when I need a Yellowstone fix.
Have you downloaded the Yellowstone app?
It may be time to think about it. On the app, you can explore Yellowstone collections, specific topics, or take a self-guided walking tour. The app features real-time statuses for geysers – like really, here is a suggestion. If your dream is to visit Old Faithful and COVID or other restrictions are preventing it, download the app, get the prediction for when the next eruption is due, then watch Old Faithful’s eruption on the webcam.
Easy peasy!
I don’t know about you, but I love me some video!
Yellowstone’s webcam-video webpage contains all sorts of videos from both the Montana and Wyoming sides of the park. Do you want to watch a memorable Old Faithful eruption? Got it. Never been able to catch the Grand Geyser, Beehive Geyser, or Mugwump Geyser erupt? Well, now you can.
And this is one of my favorites. I love the videos catching wildlife encounters.
This is one example of the great videos you can find on the Yellowstone NPS website. This particular video shows the Wapiti wolf pack interacting with the buffalo herd near Old Faithful in March.
Here are a couple of teasers from the video.
I almost guarantee you won’t see this on a visit to the park. Seriously. check out these videos. They are pretty cool.
More about virtual visits to Yellowstone.
Now, I have to be honest. I have visited Yellowstone. In total, we have spent over a couple of weeks in the area. And while we had great experiences and spent a lot of time exploring the park, we didn’t get nearly the exposure to Yellowstone features as is provided in this video series.
And there’s more. From Yellowstone’s photo gallery, Yellowstone Science with info about the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, to general park information, the national park site for Yellowstone is a virtual treasure trove.
If you are up to it (I’m teasing…), check out my full-length post devoted to Yellowstone, with photos and a video produced by the Travel Junkie team. There are lots of ways for you to have a virtual visit to Yellowstone.
Maybe you are up to a road trip.
If you are – I say do it. Be safe. Wear face masks, respect social distancing, and maintain proper hygiene. Our last visit to Yellowstone was during COVID, and I have to say, I felt safer during our road trip than I did at home. We explored Lamar Valley, which was a new experience for us.
There were also incredible wildlife experiences. Literally coming close enough to touch your vehicle. No lie.
If you want to learn more about our road trip experience, check my road trip feature story here.
Visiting Yellowstone National Park is truly a bucket list experience.
Entering from the East Entrance in Wyoming is completely different than entering from the North Entrance in Montana. Regardless of how you approach Yellowstone, there are incredible features to thrill every visitor.
Many folks dreaming of visiting Yellowstone and all the really cool features
Whether you visit Yellowstone from Wyoming or Montana entrances, there are a few things to take into consideration.
Beware of wildlife roaming free – true story here. We were lounging in the shade beside our RV in the campground. Listening to music and maybe enjoying a beverage. When I look up and see…
A buffalo ambling his way out of the forest and across the road right in front of us. As he crossed the road, he angled in closer and closer to our car.
I was absorbed in trying to capture him on video, and followed him intently with my camera until he had finished crossing and was beside the car.
Only to have Papa Joe quietly say “there’s another one”. And as I looked up, the second buffalo was right in my face. Well not quite, but he could have scraped my side-view mirror. While my window was open…
No lie. This is their land, and they are comfortable roaming it.
Seriously. I enjoy the Montana entrances, mostly because I get to enjoy the amazing Montana countryside while doing so. Are you ready to explore Montana Big Sky Country?
Don’t get me wrong. My favorite campground is on the South Entrance in Wyoming. Wyoming has some incredible features too. I plan to have a Wyoming feature story soon. Be sure to subscribe to receive an update when that is published!
Visit the Park’s Visitor’s Center.
I think this is always a good idea, for several reasons. You can get maps, updated advisories, Ranger-led tours, and much more. For more general National Park visitor tips, check out my National Park story here. Check online before planning on a visit to the visitor center, many have altered schedules because of COVID.
Here are my final words.
Yellowstone is a great destination, but the timing needs to be right for your visit.
If this isn’t the right time for a road trip through Wyoming or Montana, tap into Yellowstone’s virtual resources. Be safe and responsible if you do venture out. Follow guidelines, take plenty of food and water, and bear spray.
Here is one last photo as an incentive. A virtual visit to Yellowstone allows you the ability to enjoy Yellowstone in a way that you can’t during a visit is absolutely priceless. Don’t overlook this opportunity!
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