Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is the oldest national park in America. It covers an area of 3,472 square miles (8,987 square kilometers) in Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. It’s an amazing place with deep canyons, tall waterfalls, serene lakes, rolling meadows, and green forests. There are colorful mudpots and spouting geysers (pools of underground water that spew jets of hot water and steam).

Yellowstone National Park

Most of the park is a series of plateaus, or tablelands. Rugged mountain ranges rise along the park’s northern, eastern, and western boundaries. The highest point in the park, Eagle Peak, rises over 11,358 feet (3,462 meters) in the east.

The Yellowstone River drains much of the region. The river runs through the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, which is 1,200 feet (370 meters) deep in some places. The river has also carved spectacular waterfalls into the rock. Yellowstone Lake is the largest high-altitude lake in North America. It measures about 20 miles (32 kilometers) long and 14 miles (23 kilometers) wide.

Geysers and Hot Springs

Yellowstone has more geysers and hot springs than any other area in the world. These are heated by an underground layer of magma, hot liquid rocks, and gases. The layer is about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) below the earth’s surface. An explosion of gas and magma about 600,000 years ago created Yellowstone’s rugged landscape.

Geyser

Evidence of this ancient time is present in the park today. At the Fountain Paint Pots, visitors can see hot springs and multi-colored bubbling pools of mud called mudpots or paintpots. The Grand Prismatic Spring is Yellowstone’s largest hot spring. This deep blue pool measures 370 feet (110 meters) across.

The western region of the park contains several geyser basins. Old Faithful, the park’s most famous geyser, is the largest. It erupts every 45 to 110 minutes. Each eruption sends a plume of boiling water 100 to 180 feet (30 to 54 meters) into the air.

Wildlife

Yellowstone is one of the largest wildlife preserves in the United States. Only Alaska has more large and small animals. Hunting is forbidden in the park. Bears, antelopes, coyotes, and buffalo roam the area. Elk are the park’s most commonly sighted animals. More than 30,000 elk live in the park during the summer. In the winter, most migrate to warmer climates.

More than 300 species of birds pass through Yellowstone’s canyons and mountains. Swans, herons, pelicans, and eagles feed on trout and other fish that swim in Yellowstone’s lakes and rivers.

Plant Life

Evergreen forests of fir, spruce, and pine trees cover most of Yellowstone. Pine trees are the most common trees in the park. During the summer months, the mountains and meadows are blanketed with wildflowers. They include Indian paintbrush, monkey flower, and mountain bluebell.

The park also contains over 20 petrified forests. Millions of years ago, volcanic debris buried redwood, walnut, magnolia, and maple trees. Minerals from the mud and water seeped into the trees, turning them into stone over time. Specimen Ridge has some of the most spectacular petrified forests in the park.

What You Will Do

Yellowstone National Park Waterfall

Yellowstone is a great place for hikers. There are more than 1,100 miles (1,770 kilometers) of trails winding through the park. Park rangers lead guided hikes and evening campfire programs. There are plenty of campsites, and even cottages, cabins, and hotels.

Fishing enthusiasts love Yellowstone. Fishing is allowed in nearly all of the park’s rivers and streams, but a permit is required. Boats and canoes can be used on most of the lakes in the park. A boat permit is required. During the winter season, heavy snow covers the park. All roads except one are closed. There’s plenty of room for cross-country skiers and snowshoers to enjoy the park’s trails in relative solitude. A plan to provide limited snowmobile and snow coach access began in the fall of 2009. It was to be effective for the following two winters.

Park History

For thousands of years, many Native American tribes crossed the region to hunt for bison and elk. Among them were the Bannock, the Crow, and the Blackfoot. One tribe, the Sheepeaters, lived in what is now the park.

In 1803, the U.S. government obtained the Yellowstone area as part of the Louisiana Purchase. John Colter was the first white explorer to see the region. He arrived on foot in 1807 as a member of the Meriwether Lewis and William Clark expedition. Fur trappers explored the region in the 1830s and 1840s. When the trappers returned home, they told amazing stories of the huge spouting geysers and hot springs they had seen.

Intrigued by their stories, the government sent geologists to map the area in 1871. One year later, Congress passed a bill to establish the park and protect the region’s precious natural resources. President Ulysses S. Grant signed the bill into law, creating the first federally protected national park for the enjoyment of all Americans.

Map

Map of Yellowstone National Park

Map of Yellowstone National Park