Shaka Guide: Showing You the Other Side of Yellowstone
Yellowstone’s headliners are famous for a reason—and they draw the numbers to match. Shaka Guide will still take you to Yellowstone’s iconic sights—but we won’t leave you stuck in the crowds. When the boardwalks get packed, we can point you toward quieter favorites for way less chaos, and way more wow.
Beat the Crowds: Top 10 Hidden Gems
1. Instead of: Spending Hours at Old Faithful
NPS/Neal Herbert
Try: Exploring Firehole Lake
Old Faithful is legendary—but it’s also loud, packed, and built like a stadium. Along the Firehole Lake, you’ll still see active geysers like Great Fountain, White Dome, and Pink Cone, plus steaming riverbanks and colorful pools—all spread out enough to enjoy without the crowds.
2. Instead of: People-Watching in Lamar Valley
Try: Taking a Safari in Swan Lake Flats
NPS / Jacob W. Frank
It’s true that plenty of wildlife—and wildlife watchers—roam the grassy hills of the famous Lamar Valley, but we’ve been scouring the hills for wildlife havens that are a little more private. And boy, did we find them!
My favorite? Swan Lake Flats delivers excellent wildlife viewing with far fewer cars...plus the chance to see the rare and elusive trumpeter swans! Other options include Hayden Valley, great for bison, and the greater Northern Range—the most densely populated gray wolf habitat in North America!
3. Instead of: Jostling for Space at Grand Prismatic Spring
Try: Walking Black Sand Geyser Basin
Rachel Ennis
Grand Prismatic is famous for its rainbow colors—but the crowds can be overwhelming. Black Sand Geyser Basin delivers color and action without the chaos. Along this short boardwalk, you’ll see vibrant pools like Emerald Pool, Rainbow Pool, and Opalescent Pool, plus Cliff Geyser, which erupts reliably every 20–30 minutes. It’s colorful, compact, and one of the best places in the park for a near-guaranteed geyser eruption—without the shoulder-to-shoulder shuffle.
4. Instead of: Crowding the Boardwalks at Norris Geyser Basin
Try: Hiking to Monument Geyser Basin
Shutterstock Image
Norris is fascinating—and famously congested. Monument Geyser Basin requires a moderate hike, which naturally filters out crowds. The reward is a dramatic landscape of active fumaroles, steaming vents, and expansive views over the Lower Geyser Basin, all with a sense of solitude you won’t find at Norris.
5. Instead of: Spending All Morning at Mammoth Hot Springs
Try: Swinging by the Petrified Tree
Mammoth’s terraces are incredible, and no one's gonna' deny that you should go and see them. But, if you’re already exploring the Mammoth area, add a fast detour to the Petrified Tree for a totally different kind of Yellowstone wow: a fossilized redwood from millions of years ago. It’s a simple pull-off, takes just a few minutes, and almost nobody stops.
6. Instead of: Lingering at Fishing Bridge During Peak Hours
Try: Discovering the Remains of Yellowstone’s First Bridge
Fishing Bridge is historic—but it’s also crowded. Just before you cross the Yellowstone River Bridge, take the right-hand detour for a 1-mile round-trip walk to the remains of Yellowstone’s first bridge. Built in 1871 by “Yellowstone Jack” Baronett, it was later burned by the Nez Perce during their passage through the park. It’s a quick, quiet stop with a great story—without the congestion.
7. Instead of: Sitting in Traffic on Grand Loop Road
Try: Taking the Wheel at Blacktail Drive
NPS
When traffic stacks up near Tower Junction, Blacktail Drive offers a quieter, one-way detour through rolling hills and forested terrain. This scenic road is known for frequent bear, elk, and bison sightings, plus wide-open views—without the stop-and-go of the main loop.
8. Instead of: Stop-and-Go at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Try: Hiking to Wraith Falls
NPS
The Grand Canyon viewpoints are breathtaking—but also some of the park’s busiest spots. Wraith Falls is a short 0.8-mile round-trip hike to a tall, ribbon-like waterfall dropping nearly 100 feet from a cliff face. It’s peaceful, dramatic, and rarely crowded.
9. Instead of: Rubbing Shoulders at Fountain Paint Pot
Try: Smelling the Geology at Mud Volcano
Rachel Ennis
Fountain Paint Pot is one of Yellowstone’s most accessible hydrothermal stops—which also means it’s often busy. Mud Volcano is in a more remote part of the park, and delivers a more intense, offbeat geothermal experience with fewer people. Highlights include Dragon’s Mouth Spring, which roars and sloshes with steam, and Black Dragon’s Cauldron, a violently bubbling mudpot. It’s louder, smellier, and far more memorable—without
10. Instead of: Rushing Past the South Entrance
Try: Stopping at Moose Falls
NPS
Many travelers speed through the South Entrance on their way to or from Grand Teton, just racing to the next big name stop, like Old Faithful. Moose Falls is an easy, forested walk to a wide, cascading waterfall tucked into the trees—quiet, refreshing, and often overlooked.
And all of this doesn’t even begin to cover the dozens of hikes, waterfalls, exhibits, and other secret stops our Shaka Tour will lead you to. Some more stops and sights along these roads-less-traveled include:
- Fountain Flats Drive
- Lake Butte Overlook
- Chittendon Road and Mount Washburn
- Corkscrew Bridge
- Moose Falls
- Icebox Canyon
- Soda Butte
- Roaring Mountain
- and many more!
To fully experience all of these off-the-beaten-track wonders, the quiet corners, and underrated attractions, you’ll want to join us on our Yellowstone Shaka Guide tour!
We hope that we’ve given you all the information you need to make the most of your day. Your vacation is extremely important to us so if you have any questions feel free to reach out at aloha@shakaguide.com.
For more detailed information to help you plan, check out our Yellowstone National Park 7-Day Itinerary, 3-Day Itinerary, and Know Before You Go.
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Rachel is a storyteller, nature nerd, and park enthusiast who believes every trail has a tale. When she first visited Yellowstone, she was captivated by the steaming geysers, thundering waterfalls, and wild, wide-open spaces.
Since then, she’s explored national parks across the country, learning the history, ecology, and culture that shape these wild places. Now, she’s on a mission to share the stories that live in the land—and the places that make us feel small in the best way.