Plans

We have three pieces of news worth noting in terms of Yellowstone travel options for both winter and summer journeys.

The enigmatic and unpredictable Steamboat Geyser erupted for the first time in eight years, giving a small group of random Yellowstone National Park visitors a very rare and special experience.

With its fairly regular eruption cycle and prominent ten-foot tall cone, Lone Star Geyser is one of the standout geysers in Yellowstone. How is it, then, that it hasn’t become a major attraction on par with Old Faithful? Part of the problem, perhaps, is that you can’t drive to it.

It's always best to reserve rooms at Yellowstone National Park as early as you can, but that's not always possible. Here are some tips for staying in the Yellowstone area during an impromptu July or August visit.

It seems a little off-kilter to offer registration for Winter 2011-2012 events when plenty of snow from last winter is still on the ground, but the Yellowstone Association will begin accepting registrations for winter field seminars on June 15 for members, one week later for non-members.

With several road closures -- including the road between Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower Junction due to rockslide-- on the traditional start of the real summer season in Yellowstone National Park, some planning is in order to avoid closed roads and rough patches.

PREPPING FOR SUMMER 2011: One housing change is slated for Yellowstone National Park in 2011, as the Pioneer Cabins at Canyon Lodge have been upgraded and renovated to be at par with the Frontier Cabins.

PREPPING FOR SUMMER 2011: If you're planning your Yellowstone National Park vacation for Summer 2011, consider including the nonprofit Yellowstone Association Institute (YAI) on your itinerary; they offer 75 great programs from early April through mid-October.

For our money, perhaps the most underrated winter activity in Yellowstone National Park is snowshoeing. Here's a look at one of the most spiritual experiences possible in America's Oldest National Park.

West Thumb Geyser Basin is one of the most unassuming thermal areas in Yellowstone National Park. It features no major attraction like Old Faithful or Morning Glory, nor is it particularly active. Containing no continually erupting geysers, West Thumb is mostly a collective of hot pools and springs, varying in size and shape.