Negotiating Yellowstone

Yellowstone can easily be divided into five geographic regions. Mammoth Country covers the northwestern corner of the park, Roosevelt Country sprawls across the northeastern corner, Canyon Country is just south of Roosevelt Country and takes in the Upper and Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, Lake Country covers the southeastern portion of the park, and Geyser Country lies near the park's southwestern corner.Within Mammoth Country you'll find delicate limestone terraces crated by minerals deposited from the water of hot springs. Tour Roosevelt Country and not only will you find the sprawling Lamar Valley but also thick forests and rushing rivers.

Canyon Country, along with encompassing the two waterfalls, also claims the expansive Hayden Valley with its bison herds. Within Lake Country is Yellowstone and Heart lakes, two large bodies of water that attract bald eagles, white pelicans, moose and bear.

Geyser Country contains the Upper, Middle, and Lower geyser basin. A sub-category of this region is the extreme southwestern corner of the park, known as Casade Corner for its many waterfalls.

Connecting the five main regions is the Grand Loop road, a figure-eight shaped route that connects with the park's entrances at Gardiner, Montana; West Yellowstone, Montana; Cooke City, Montana, and near Cody, Wyoming, and Jackson. Wyoming.

As this 154-mile-long loop winds through the park's interior it links together Yellowstone's lodging accommodations at Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful, Grant Village, Lake, Canyon, and Tower.