YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Millions of people visit Yellowstone National Park (YNP) every summer, and Buckrail photographer Nick Sulzer recently captured the crowds on their quest to see the abundance of geysers, waterfalls, wildlife, rivers and lakes in the park.
YNP reported that there were a total of 914,612 recreational visits in June, making it the second busiest June on record. The first busiest June was in 2020 with 719,054 visitations. This year’s numbers through the end of June show that there have been 1,633,739 million visits to Yellowstone in 2024, according to YNP.
Warm weather and summer vacations can make August a popular month to visit the park. Visitors can expect longer lines at entrance stations and parking lots with access to popular attractions often fill up during morning hours.
According to YNP, the park is home to more than 500 active geysers (more than half that exist in the world) and 10,000 plus thermal features. Old Faithful, located in the Upper Geyser Basin in the southwest section of the park, is Yellowstone’s most famous geyser due to its frequent eruptions. This geyser is quite a spectacle with eruptions reaching 100 to 180 feet in height. Old Faithful has erupted more than a million times since Yellowstone became the world’s first national park in 1872, according to YNP.
Visitors are to stay off of the delicate and boiling hot crust covering and surrounding thermal features. While large hydrothermal explosions happen on average every 700 years, Biscuit Basin’s recent eruption on July 23 is a stark reminder to stay on the boardwalks and designated trails. Yellowstone’s Biscuit Basin was recently closed for the rest of the summer after its plumes spewed up to 400 and 600 feet tall on July 23.
The park’s 34,375 square mile nearly intact ecosystem boasts the largest concentration of mammals (approximately 67 species) in the lower 48 states, according to the National Park Service. Vehicular traffic often jams up around bison, bears, moose, wolves, elk and other animals. Many animals use the roads to commute or certain species, like bison, are known to stop on roadways and refuse to budge. Drivers are to be alert and obey speed limit signs for the safety of animals and themselves.
Always maintain a minimum of 25 yards (23 m) from all wildlife and 100 yards (91 m) from bears and wolves. If traveling to Yellowstone National Park this summer or fall, plan ahead to ensure a safe visit and to protect the park for generations to come.
