Yellowstone National Park

No matter how much you want to escape the crowds at Yellowstone National Park (www.nps.gov/yell), make time for the madhouse scene at Old Faithful. The enduring geothermal geyser is every bit a national icon as the White House or the Grand Canyon. The crowned jewel of America’s park system in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone deserves to be visited repeatedly. Beyond Old Faithful, there are snowcapped peaks, freshwater lakes, rolling rivers and famous forest denizens like the wolf and grizzly bear. A spectacular array of thermal areas reminds visitors that the park is indeed a living landscape, and well mapped walking paths offer visitors a variety of perspectives.