The park’s abundant archives (over five million items and growing) are a fantastic resource on the park. Drop-in visitors can peruse the temporary exhibits in the lobby. Alternatively, reserve the hour-long tour that runs at 2pm on Wednesday (Memorial Day to Labor Day) and takes you into the museum and rare book archives.
Yellowstone Heritage & Research Center
Montana
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
4.26 MILES
The imposing Lower and Upper Terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs are the highlight of the Mammoth region. An hour’s worth of boardwalks wind their way between…
26.12 MILES
Of Lamar Valley's abundant wildlife, the most famous – and to some, controversial – resident is the gray wolf. Wolves were missing from the ecosystem…
Canyon Visitor Education Center
23.24 MILES
This major center is well worth a visit for its innovative and interactive displays on Yellowstone’s geology. The highlight is a room-sized relief model…
24.34 MILES
Artist Point is probably the most famous of the canyon’s viewpoints, offering a long overview of the Lower Falls and canyon. It was not, as many people…
21.13 MILES
Norris Geyser Basin comprises Porcelain Basin and Back Basin, accessed through two connecting loops. If the world's tallest geyser, Steamboat Geyser, isn…
24.21 MILES
Popular Lookout Point, near Canyon Village, offers the best views of the Lower Falls. An adjacent 0.5-mile trail drops 500ft to Red Rock for even closer…
24.35 MILES
A side road branches off North Rim Dr to reach busy Inspiration Point, which offers an overview of the length of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and a…
20.98 MILES
One mile of boardwalks loop through Porcelain Basin, the park’s hottest exposed basin. (The name comes from the area’s milky deposits of sinter, also…
Nearby Montana attractions
0.28 MILES
Gardiner’s most photographed sight is the park’s northwestern entry gate, dedicated by Teddy Roosevelt himself on April 25, 1903, and inscribed with…
0.31 MILES
Small information station and book store run by Yellowstone Forever, the official education and fundraising partner of Yellowstone National Park. The…
3.38 MILES
One of the few places where you can take a legal soak in Yellowstone is Boiling River, halfway between Gardiner and Mammoth. From the parking area by the…
3.88 MILES
The Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel is worth a visit even if you're not staying. Piano music echoes around the lobby from 5pm, followed by video or slide…
3.9 MILES
Mammoth's recently revamped visitor center explores the park’s early history and formation – including the role the army played in protecting Yellowstone…
3.95 MILES
Mammoth was known as Fort Yellowstone from 1886 to 1918, when the US Army managed the park from this collection of buildings. Elk regularly graze the…
4.16 MILES
If you're in Mammoth on a Sunday morning, pop into this lovely English-style church (1913), where the stained-glass windows depict Old Faithful and…
4.26 MILES
The imposing Lower and Upper Terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs are the highlight of the Mammoth region. An hour’s worth of boardwalks wind their way between…