Mammoth Hot Springs

Amazing experience at Mammoth Hot Springs! We traveled all the way from Moscow and were absolutely blown away by the stunning landscapes and natural beauty. The visit was smooth with no wait time, and the weekday timing was perfect. Highly recommend to everyone!

Wonderful place........beautiful old buildings set in a stunning location. The hot springs are outstanding and very varied. Tip: have the huckleberry fudge ice cream in the dining room!

An amazing mammoth hot springs are mammoth. Keep your binoculars to observe minor details. Afternoon could get hot try to do it early or later in the day. Lot of walking for sure. Beautiful drive if you enter from Upper Level Springs. Wonderland it is.

Nice boardwalks allow yo to see all the terraces in Mammoth Hot Springs. Parking can be challenging, but there's 3 parking areas that are at the start of a boardwalk. It doesn't matter which boardwalk you start at as they all lead to the same terraces all the way to the top. Many different points of interest to stop and take pictures. Overall pretty easy hike as it's all boardwalks with minimal inclines. It's worth the stop.

From firsthand personal experience. It id very hard to find handicap parking and the journey by walker is an utter nightmare. Not very accesable for those of us with mobility issues due disabilities. I know my custom power chair would not be able to use the pathway due to degree of the incline, and accessing ramps. I gave 5 stars because my amazing husband went up and video taped the area for me.

The road from Norris junction to Mammoth had many nice shady picnic areas. Mammoth was busy, but the walkways provided for formation viewing were not bad at all. Most of the best sights could be seen from a vehicle. Going into the main area were many elk grazing.

This is probably the first spot you hit once inside the Yellowstone park. Sure! Mammoth Hot Springs is a truly mesmerizing natural wonder in Yellowstone National Park. The terraced limestone formations, created by centuries of geothermal activity, look like something from another planet. The colors and textures constantly change, making every visit unique. The boardwalks are well-maintained and offer easy access to stunning views, even for families and older visitors. Early morning or late evening visits are especially magical, with steam rising and wildlife often nearby. The Upper and Lower Terraces each offer distinct perspectives, and the historic Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel nearby adds charm to the experience. Rangers are friendly and informative, enhancing the educational aspect of the visit. It’s a photographer’s dream and a must-see for nature lovers. Be sure to bring water, wear comfortable shoes, and take your time exploring. Mammoth Hot Springs is a highlight of Yellowstone and a place you’ll never forget.

Mammoth Hot Springs is truly a must-see when visiting Yellowstone National Park. The terraces are absolutely breathtaking — a stunning display of nature’s artistry. The white and orange limestone formations look like something from another planet, constantly changing shape and color due to the geothermal activity below. It’s fascinating to see how hot water from deep underground flows over the rocks, leaving behind layers of travertine that form these beautiful steps and pools. The boardwalks are well-designed and easy to walk, making it accessible for all ages. There are plenty of scenic viewpoints where you can stop, take photos, and simply admire the natural beauty. The Lower Terraces are especially impressive, but I highly recommend also driving up to the Upper Terraces for a quieter experience and panoramic views. What made the visit even more special was the chance to see wildlife. I saw elk casually walking around the area, which added to the magic of the place. There are also informative signs along the paths that explain the science behind the springs, making it both an educational and awe-inspiring experience. Whether you’re into geology, photography, or just looking to enjoy something truly unique, Mammoth Hot Springs is an unforgettable stop in Yellowstone. Don’t skip it!

Wow! Truly amazing and beautiful. The little town just below is so cute. So many elk. Loved it here.

A must-see. If you're entering Yellowstone at their North entrance, you can't miss it. It's conveniently located with plenty of parking. Allocate at least an hour to walk through the area with the many natural features, each with their own uniqueness. They maintain the boardwalks making it easy to navigate. There's also a driving section to take you through the more hidden features.

Located in the North End of Yellowstone, I believe this is still one of the top spots to stop at and well worth it even if you're coming from the West End. I stayed in the North End, so this was my very first stop and first exposure to the magnificent natural history of Yellowstone. Mammoth Hot Springs welcomed us to the beautiful natural formations of the park. The drive here was quite the scenery. You can spot a few animals grazing on grass. It can be quite packed on certain times of the day, so I suggest going here as early as possible. There is a lot of parking and the walk around the area is quite accessible. They have a lot of boardwalks set up for everyone to experience all of the beauty, thus you will not have to worry about tiring yourself out or walking/hiking on rugged trails. There are two sections: an upper and a lower area. I parked in the lower area and walked to the upper area. The stairs that connect the lower and upper area can be a bit tough, but they do have parking in the upper area as well.

I enjoyed coming here on my first visit to Yellowstone. This area was formed when the hot springs started to cool and formed calcium carbonate deposits. Mammoth Hot Springs has an upper and lower terrace. There are many boardwalks you can walk on to see all these beautiful colorful springs. There is plenty of parking in the nearby town that will allow you to reach the lower springs. There is a small parking area at the top that you can reach by taking Upper Terrace Loop Drive Rd. It will give you a view of the upper terrace from the top. Around 50 hot springs lie within this area. Mammoth Hot Springs is just south of the North Entrance to Yellowstone. It is quite a drive to reach this area if you driving here using Grand Loop Rd. There is quite a bit to do in the town area. There is lodging, restaurants, an education center and gift shops. The lines to the restaurants were really long and parking was hard to find when I came here because of the large crowds. But once I got settled in, I enjoyed walking around the hot springs. They are really fascinating and unique to see. There is a lot of animal sighting in this area. Watch out for the elk that hang around the boardwalks. They are pretty territorial and will come at you if you get too close.

Wow! Such a neat place to stop at just inside the north entrance. This place was definitely one of my favorites while visiting Yellowstone National Park. It is unreal to see in person and looks like something from out of a movie. Be forewarned: the smell of sulfur is very strong here, as well as with many of the areas inside the park. I didn't find it bad enough to not want to enjoy this amazing piece of landscape, though. There is no hiking involved to see this unique attraction. There is a wooden walkway that leads you right to it so anyone can enjoy. There are two viewing areas to see the hot springs.....an upper and a lower area, and each offer breathtaking views. I highly recommend stopping here regardless of what entrance you take into the park. It really was a surreal experience!

This was one of my top three favorite things at Yellowstone. It can get really crowded so I recommend getting there early. There was no one there when we drove by to go to Lamar Valley at 7:30am, but by the time we came back at 9:30am it was very crowded and parking was hard to find. I've seen a lot of hot springs, but this is the only place I've seen terraces like this. They're so unique and truly incredible. The whole area is covered in boardwalks. We probably spent an hour exploring the area. Don't forget to go down to Artist's Pallette. It was the prettiest part. You'll feel like you're on another planet here. Definitely a must see while in Yellowstone.

This was my first time ever going to Yellowstone. I drove from Bozeman, Montana and the drive was nice and easy. I entered from the North end of Yellowstone and Mammoth Hot Springs is one of the first stop. I'm glad I stopped here cause it was gorgeous. I lucked out cause it snowed a little bit in the morning and it made everything look so amazing! The good thing is they have a near by area to park your car. It's a quick easy walk to this. They have a nice walkway to the Icy area. Note: no pets are allowed in this area and it is handicap accessible. Advice: you should drive up higher and park your car and see the view from the top - it is definitely worth it. The walk wasn't that bad either. Very important: your going to lose signal so your phone won't work, make sure you ask for a map when you come in from the North entrance. The cost to come in was $35. Enjoy!

These hot springs are mammoth! It looks like you're on some other planet, where the surface of the ground turns liquid every so often and drips like candle wax down terraces to make pools and stalagmites throughout the side of a hill on Yellowstone. I don't know how you could possibly give these hot springs anything less than five stars. When I came, the north entrance was sealed off due to flooding, making this a bit more challenging to access, from the interior of the park. It's located right next to a village that has a general store, lodging (which was closed) and a post office with some administrative offices. There's elk in here! I saw some real close up! Restrooms are iffy with these vault toilets, with no running water. If you gotta have that, head into the General Store. This is an easy place to check out with a car, you can see a lot of it from just cruising the trail that goes through here, which takes you past some of the best hot springs.

What a cool place! We hiked around the trails, there is A LOT of stairs, but we saw a bull elk SUPER up close and personal which was cool. It took us about an hour or so to walk around and take photos and we didn't even make it all the way to the top. I def think Mammoth is a place to stop and check out, lots of wildlife in that area also.

This was really amazing! We got here super early and walked up and down steps and hills seeing all the points, along with just wandering. It was beautiful!

It feels and looks like you're on another planet in spots. Although this was not one of my favorite places in Yellowstone, I truly enjoyed seeing it and checking it off of my list. It's close to the both the north entrance and Mammoth Springs Hotel. It also sits at a lower elevation and is open all year long. They have two terraces, an upper one and a lower one. It's a slight trek to see both, so make note. The views are worth it though. The quality of pictures will greatly depend on the amount of sun and its direction. We didn't hit it at the best time and had plans to come back for better pictures, but time didn't allow for that. Maybe next time.

Lots to see - worth the stop! There are several parking lots and a driving loop for this attraction. We parked on the side of the road on the beginning part of the driving loop. There is a boardwalk and stairs around most of the sights. We walked down and around the Minerva Terrace and back up. This is not an easy walk back up. Lots of steps and a steep asphalt walkway with a serious crown. Beautiful sites, lots of sites to see from one location. Well worth the stop!

Cool place and great place to rest and eat before heading out or bank south in this HUGE national park. Well worth the visit and walks of upper and lower terrace.

Awesome location and very cool vintage vibe. It's an old army base used to counter poachers when the west was being "tamed,"and still has many of the buildings and barracks from over 100 years ago. The hotel has large halls and many historic pictures and artifacts. The hot springs are very cool and you can do a nice hike with the kids from the safety of a boardwalk. The only negative for us was the Terrace restaurant. Think Disney. Way overpriced and food was terrible. We had the whole gamut (entree, appetizers, and kids meal) and it was all pretty bad. The service was very good though. Overall, it's a really cool place to stay. Just bring food or go outside the park to eat!

My son and I viewed these from Mammoth Terraces Trail. You can park above in a smaller lot and get a great view without the boardwalk workout. It looked like white frozen glaciers with some pink and yellow tones. Cool to see but way other awesome places in YNP to spend your time at.

1. My wife always liked hot springs and geysers, which is why we traveled 1000 miles to Yellowstone. Me, I've seen enough hot springs through the steam vents in the sidewalks of San Francisco! 2. Our first day in Yellowstone in early June, we drive from the west entrance through Madison and onto Norris, 28 miles and 75 minutes drive. So far so good until we see a sign stating construction, 30 minute delays along the road from Norris to Mammoth Hot Springs. 3. Now we've been to Mammoth Springs in May some 8 years ago, before, and this same road was also under reconstruction at that time. Every year in the late spring the road is being rebuilt after the heavy winter snows. It is what it is! 4. The road is totally torn up, with the upper layer removed leaving a packed dirt road underneath. One way road in several sections, with traffic halted. Road wetted down to keep the dust down -keep your car windows up, your engines off, despite the hot temperatures! 5. It takes us 2 hours to drive the remaining 21 miles from Norris to Mammoth Hot Springs, in the northern section of the Park, arriving at 2pm 6. We get to Mammoth Hot Springs, and immediately head for the cafeteria, where I get a chili hot dog, and my wife a sandwich. Decent grub in a clean area at a reasonable price, amid tourists talking all sorts of foreign languages. 7. Mammoth Hot Springs has a good looking historic hotel, restaurants, several gas stations, park headquarters, a visitor center and historic Fort Yellowstone. Tourist mecca! 8. The place also has three huge parking lots next to miles of boardwalks spanning two very huge terraces on the edge of a hillside. 9. Mists of steam rise from the terraces. Some are active and some inactive. The active ones are orange and white, whereas the inactive ones are gray. Pretty cool my wife says. Unfortunately it was a cloudy day late in the afternoon. The colors would have looked more brilliant in the sunshine earlier in the day. 10. There is an upper terrace and a lower terrace. The upper terrace is accessible by walking from the bottom, as we did, or by car. No buses, trailers or RVs allowed on the upper terrace drive, which is closed in winter. 11. From the upper terrace, the place looks like an orange, grey and white lake, depending on where the terrace is active. Looks more like a waste area of toxic brews! 12. We see crystal shaped white formations where the hot steam has touched the rocks. 13. The wind picks up, and the clouds darken, with raindrops picking up. Very common in the summer for thunderstorms to roll in. 14. Of course, I'm in shorts and sandals, from driving all day, and get a free hair wash on my way down to the car, on the 20 minute walk downwards. 15. It takes us about 2 hours to drive from this remote area in extreme Northern Yellowstone National Park, to Lake Yellowstone hotel. A harrowing drive on the curvy, winding mountain road at Tower Roosevelt to Canyon, and then to our hotel. 16. I told my wife, I only drive the road to Hana in Maui once per marriage. And only once per marriage for the road to Mammoth Hot Springs!

We missed this our first trip to the area .. but glad we found it this time. In additions to the very unusual formations .. lots of elk here and at the abandoned miltary town nearby. We did the short walk ..

Welcome to the headquarters of Yellowstone National Park! Mammoth Hot Springs (Mammoth) is located 5 miles south of the North Entrance. It is the only district that is open year-round due to its lower elevation (6,239 feet). At Mammoth, you'll find beautiful travertine features, Fort Yellowstone, elks and hiking trails. Terraces: The hot springs are divided into Lower Terrace which is all boardwalks (about 1.5-2 miles) and Upper Terrace which is a one-way 1.5-mile road. If you have a bus, RV, or trailer, you cannot drive on the road. There are 4 parking lots and 1 overflow parking for the Lower Terrace. At the Upper Terrace Drive, there is 1 big parking lot just before you enter the one-way road and 2 parking lots along the drive. There are also several pullouts along the drive to allow you to take photos. Fort Yellowstone: All the buildings you see with the red roofs are part of Fort Yellowstone. The fort was built when the U.S. Cavalry, Company M, managed the park for 32 years (1886-1918). The only building you can go in is the visitor center (yes the VC is part of the fort, it used to be a Bachelor Officers' Quarter); other than that, it's more of a walk around the exterior, reading the wayside signs along the way. Most of the buildings are occupied by private residences (Mammoth employees) so be respectful when viewing the buildings. Elk: It's popular to see the elk munching around Mammoth. They're literally everywhere and can come out any time in the day or night. They love the grass which is Kentucky Bluegrass. It was put in when the U.S. Cavalry managed the park. You'll most likely see cow elk (females) until the rut season (mating season) when the bull elk (males) come into town with their shiny antlers. The rut season is September and October. Remember to stay 25 yards away or you may get attacked by an elk! Hiking Trails: Popular hiking trails in Mammoth include Beaver Ponds Trail, Bunsen Peak, Wraith Falls, Lava Creek, Blacktail Deer Creek to Yellowstone River Trail, Rescue Creek Trail and Sepulcher Mountain. Don't forget to carry bear spray and make lots of noise! You're in bear country. Amenities include: Campground - Mammoth Campground Lodging - Mammoth Hotel and Cabins Restaurant - Terrace Grill, Dining Room Post Office General Store Gas Station Large Public Restrooms

This is one of my top attractions for Yellowstone. Why? because it's different. All of the colorful geysers, get a bit redundant inside of the park. You do stop getting amazed after the 5th or 6th one. Not to mention my wife and I saw some other variations in New Zealand, but we had never see anything like Mammoth Hot Springs!!! This thing is massive. You can see it from far away as you're driving towards it any direction. You can park at many different areas including from the above.

They have a lot of short, well paved hikes all around here with plenty of views of the hot springs. The parking lot at the top isn't too big so I would get there early. It's also on the way out of the park too.

Mammoth Hot Springs are a short walk from the hotel and are best viewed earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon to beat the crowds and tour groups. Different, beautiful views of the terraces that grow more rapidly (and differently than other parts of the park) due to the softer nature of limestone. It's worth noting that the views are constantly changing (and may look "dead" if there's no water). The address listed is used as a general address for much of the park, so it's advisable to follow the signage within the park. The NPS also has a guide/map just as you enter the pathway to the springs (they ask for a 50 cent donation or that you return it) so you can take it during a self-guided tour of the springs.

Since we were staying at the nearby Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, these hot springs were the first Yellowstone attraction we explored. We went in the late evening, just before sunset and right when some ominously grey clouds appeared overhead, so there were barely any crowds. Success! The boardwalk lets you trace a path up, down and around the various terraces. I would recommend hitting as many terraces as possible, as each gives you a unique view. Since the form and colors of the hot springs are constantly changing, no two visits to them are ever the same!

This was beautiful. We got to see it before the sunset and it was gave it that extra touch. We made it a point to stop here and the Old Faithful. Totally worth it all, we also made small pit stops along the way that were just great. Love this summer road-trip.

This review is solely based on the perspective of a limited walking/disabled person. This place is magical and has a boardwalk all the way around it BUT IT'S NOT A EASY boardwalk. It is divided into two separate sections. You have a right lower part and a left hight part. The right lower section is pretty accessible for a wheelchair or hover round or even a cane. The upper level is steep and a long walk. Even if you are in a wheelchair whoever is pushing you better be in fantastic shape bc not only do you have to go up.... You have to go down. In a hover round it may work depending on battery life and what kind of steepness it can handle. I would highly recommend that you visit the lower level and research the top before trekking upon your journey.

Loved this place although parking is a real bear. It's a bit of an uphill walk but the view of the terraced hot springs are amazing!! Nice community and it's on the outskirts of the park. The boardwalk is a nice way to view all the springs although you can also drive and park along the upper terrace...but where is the fun in that!

So we driving back home when we saw this amazingly colorful mountain and stopped. It turned out to be the Mammoth Hot Springs. This place was very beautiful, probably only second to the Prismatic Spring. We came around dusk and the sight was so memorable. However, our phone cameras weren't good enough and couldn't capture the beauty of it. However, I highly recommend coming during dusk or dawn. The entire mountain stands out and you won't forget it.

Busy and not very scenic. This was the most crowded place in the park and the trails around that terraces were packed with people. The views here would be nice, however there are more colorful and striking versions of the same thing further south in the other basins.