Shortly after leaving Madison Junction, you’ll see the steaming geothermal area. The first sight is a mud pot-dominated geothermal feature, named for its red, yellow, and brown mud—colors caused by different oxidation states of iron in the mud. One highlight of the mud pots is their “bubbles,” formed by gases released from Yellowstone’s volcano. These bubble patterns change with the seasons.

A 10-minute drive from Fountain Paint Pots brings you to the famous Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest hot spring in the U.S. and the third-largest in the world. It measures 75–91 meters wide, 49 meters deep, and releases about 2,000 liters of 71°C groundwater every minute. A standout of Yellowstone’s hot springs, it spans over 100 meters in diameter, with vivid blue, green, yellow, orange, and red hues radiating outward from its center. It is the largest and most colorful thermal feature in the park.

A 15-minute drive leads to Yellowstone’s largest visitor center and iconic landmark: Old Faithful. Old Faithful was the first named geyser in Yellowstone National Park and remains its most famous attraction. It erupts approximately every 90 minutes, shooting water up to 40 meters high in a spectacular display. Here, you’ll find a visitor center for learning, shopping for souvenirs, and watching park-related films.

After a 30-minute drive, a mirror-smooth lake comes into view: this is the West Thumb Geyser Basin on the shore of Yellowstone Lake. Formed by a volcanic caldera collapse 150,000 years ago, this area creates a magical scene when hot springs meet the lake. Steam from the geysers drifts through the air, blending with the lake’s green waters and the blue sky above, creating a landscape unlike any other thermal area in Yellowstone. Acting as a cove on Yellowstone Lake, West Thumb hosts numerous geysers with strikingly varied hues—some clear green, others dark black like wet cement—each vent offering a beautiful, otherworldly sight.

After a one-hour drive, we arrive at the canyon section of Yellowstone National Park. Over millions of years, the Yellowstone River carved the dramatic, towering Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Artist Point, located at the top of a cliff on the south rim of the canyon, directly opposite Yellowstone Falls, is the best spot to view both the canyon and the falls. This is where painter Thomas Moran depicted Yellowstone Falls in 1872, hence the name “Artist Point.” The canyon stretches about 20 miles long and reaches depths of up to 1,000 feet. While the canyon’s depth, shape, and the rushing deep green river are impressive, the most unforgettable sight is the dazzling, multicolored volcanic rock. The canyon walls glow with brilliant hues—white, yellow, green, blue, crimson, and countless shades in between—making the entire scene look like a living oil painting. Millions of tons of these rocks hold their vivid colors firmly, neither washed away by the river nor faded by wind and sun.