Idaho - Yellowstone National Park

Primarily located in Wyoming and parts of Montana (see the full description under the state of Wyoming), 2.2-million-acre Yellowstone National Park extends into parts of Idaho as well.

Idaho’s nearest Yellowstone entrance — the park’s busiest — brings you to geyser paradise. Plan your itinerary right and you can enjoy lookouts near Canyon Village and Artist Point and pay visits to Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic Spring the same day. Have more time? You’d be wise to stretch your stay to fully bask in the beauty.

Offering some of the best fishing and wildlife viewing in the state, the Greater Yellowstone Region is home to the gateway of Island Park, Idaho, where forests and rivers sit within the world’s the largest caldera — a nearly 50-mile hollow formed when a supervolcano erupted 2.1 million years ago.

Looking for a scenic drive? The 64-mile jaunt along Highway 191 spans two states and two mountain passes and skirts Hebgen Lake, Earthquake Lake and Henry’s Lake.

If seeing a bear tops your bucket list, a drive through Yellowstone Bear World in nearby Rexburg, Idaho, guarantees up-close sightings. The wildlife park is home to grizzly bears, black bears, elk and moose. It features a petting zoo and amusement rides, too. Cap off the detour with a stop at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, a wildlife center and educational facility with resident grizzly bears, gray wolves and river otters.

About the Park

Location - Mostly in Wyoming, extending into Montana and Idaho

Established - March 1, 1872

Area - 2,221,766 acres