The Wandering Wheelchair: National Park Series Yellowstone National Park
Erin Buchanan
2.4.21
Welcome back to my series on national parks! As you know, my family and I have made it our mission to visit a few of our country’s national parks each year. The summer of 2017 we took our first long road trip out west, and Yellowstone National Park was on the itinerary! I have a disability and use a manual wheelchair as my primary mode of mobility. That can make it a little complicated, but if you do your research it can go pretty smoothly! There are many sites to see, but below I will touch on a couple of my family’s favorites.
Yellowstone is the founding father of our country’s national park system. It was established on March 1, 1872. Yellowstone is situated primarily in Wyoming, but it also creeps into neighboring Montana and Idaho. It is over 2.2 million acres in total! That is larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined! There are multiple entrances to access the park. We entered in from the south entrance via Grand Teton national park (more on that in another blog!) As you go through the entrance of every national park you will stop at the ranger station. Here you pay your entrance fee ($35 for car) and obtain a map from the park ranger. If you have a disability you can apply for the National Park’s Disability Access Pass and this allows you to enter all the parks for free! I got mine a few years ago and it has saved us a lot of these fees. Once you enter, don’t forget to stop and get your picture at the entrance sign! This is a tradition we started with our kids. So, we always stop! We broke the visit up into two days and two loops. This was the best way, we thought, to tackle all the magnificent sights of this grand park!
One of Yellowstone’s largest attractions, and the most well-known is a geyser named “Old Faithful.” It is absolutely a sight to see! Located in the Upper Geyser Basin, in the southwest section of the park, this natural phenomenon attracts over 3 million guests per year! The geyser-viewing area has a large boardwalk leading out and is the most accessible and visitor-friendly in the park. It has a bench seating area situated back far enough for a safe view of the eruption. The ranger station tracks the time, height and length of an eruption to predict the next eruption and that is posted on a countdown clock inside the Old Faithful General Store. This is a great place to get souvenirs. Don’t forget to pick up something “Huckleberry” when you visit! That’s a big deal in these parts. Old Faithful Inn also located here is a lodging/dining option.
We visited at the beginning of June and there were some crowds. Lots of tour companies parked at the major landmark stops. But don’t worry! There is plenty of room for everyone here!! The climate fluctuated throughout the day depending on the elevation we were at. I was glad to have packed jackets as well as sweatshirts. We packed a picnic lunch and pulled off at one of the marked picnic spots. They have trash receptacles that keep the bears out as well as signs warning you not to “feed the wildlife!” This was something we were not used to seeing!
One of the other important landmarks on our list was Mammoth Hot Springs. This is located at the north end of the park. There are upper and lower terraces that offer different views of the springs. The upper level has accessible views of the springs. The lower level has sections of accessible boardwalk but has transitions from asphalt walkways to boardwalks that may require some assistance. They have rangers posted all over and they are very knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions you may have.
Pets are allowed to visit in the parks as well, but must stay on roads or parking areas. They are not allowed on hiking trails. But service animals are allowed everywhere in the park. Remember to keep yourself and your animals hydrated while visiting the park. They can become exhausted and overheated just like we can!
My best advice for this park is to plan ahead! Split up the park into two days, one for each loop. If you visit the nps.gov website, it will give you a complete breakdown of each park and its accessibility for hearing, mobility, and visual impairments. You can also read about all of the highlight attractions and which ones you don’t want to miss! Yellowstone has multiple options for lodging, including inns and campgrounds. There are multiple gift shops, restroom/picnic areas, gas stations, and even post offices! Perfect for mailing out post cards to friends and family! Study the map and make sure you plan on which entrance to enter and exit out of so you don’t wind up in a different state unknowingly! Pack snacks and stay hydrated if you plan to hike on one of the many trails! Be aware of the wildlife that live there and heed the warnings to stay distanced from them. Especially when they have babies with them as they are extra protective!
Please visit www.nps.gov for more information on Yellowstone National Park as well as many other park locations. It’s an amazing website and a must-visit tool when planning your vacations!
I would love to help you with your next vacation!
Erin Buchanan
601 832-1561 or erin@wishesfamilytravel.com