Inspiring travel stories, tips, and guides from a couple exploring the world one destination at a time.
Geothermal features number more than 10,000 in Yellowstone National Park, including the world’s greatest concentration of geysers, hot springs, mudpots, and fumaroles.
These features are the visible expression of the park’s underlying volcanic system, which is powered by a vast magma chamber deep beneath the surface.
The Grand Loop Road is a 140-mile system that was built in 1915 to connect all the major features of Yellowstone National Park. To try and drive it in one day can take 4-7 hours depending on the wildlife on the road and traffic. From Fishing Bridge, it was about a 1.5 hour drive to West Yellowstone. We were last here in the fall of 2020.
Last Updated: July 17, 2026
West Yellowstone in the fall is typically less crowded than summer and a wonderful time to see fall foliage and Yellowstone’s many attractions. The risk is cold weather and snow — and we had both on this trip. Because of COVID, international travel was largely off the table in 2020, so many people were exploring domestically instead, and there were more visitors than usual for the season. The animals were getting ready for winter, putting on their coats and building up reserves, and the elk rut was in full and dramatic swing along the Madison River.
