Yellowstone Park

Yellowstone Park
Situated in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho are 2.2 million acres of wilderness known for spectacular eruptions of superheated water, bison and grizzly bears. This huge, 3,472 square mile park covers more land than Delaware, Rhode Island, Washington D.C. and New York City combined.

Yellowstone’s footpaths, boardwalks, campgrounds and parking lots are placed so as to limit their intrusion on the natural landscape. Men of vision protected its natural resources and have created a place of recreation amongst the unspoiled forests, waterways and geothermal features within the park.

Yellowstone History

Native American tribes lived in the region for thousands of years. Early explorers, returning home with tales of the earth spewing plumes of steam higher than the trees, a glass mountain and a petrified forest, were mocked and thought to be delusional. After returning from the area in the 1830s, famous trapper and guide, Jim Bridger became known as “that old liar” after describing the area as “the place where Hell bubbled up.”

Formal expeditions were conducted in 1869 and 1870. Suddenly those earlier tales of mud bubbling in sulfurous cauldrons and glass mountains were verified and even photographed. Those photographs helped to convince members of Congress to preserve the park for future generations. The Act of Dedication, signed in 1872, declared the lands “set apart as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” The Dedication made Yellowstone the first National Park in the World.

Plant and Wildlife

Big is the word when it comes to the wildlife of Yellowstone. North America’s largest land mammal (bison), largest waterfowl (trumpeter swan) and the largest bird of prey (golden eagle) all live within the park’s boundaries. The park is also one of the only places south of Canada to see grizzly bears in the wild. Bald eagles nest within the park.

Bald eagles, sandhill cranes, peregrine falcon, bighorn sheep, elk, lynx, moose, mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, bobcats, gray wolves and a variety of smaller animals also live in the park. Bison have been living in the Yellowstone region since prehistoric times.
Much of Yellowstone’s wildlife can be viewed from the 142 mile Grand Loop Road. Traffic jams created by moose, bison and other animals are common.

Yellowstone National Park Natural Features

Those early reports of steam spewing higher than the trees were far from delusional. Yellowstone has approximately 10,000 thermal features, 290 waterfalls over 15 feet, a glass cliff and a petrified forest. Unlike Yosemite which was primarily created by receding glaciers, Yellowstone was created by thousands of years of volcanic activity. It’s that same geothermal activity which powers the eruptions of Old Faithful and other geysers within the park. Fumaroles, mud pots and paint pots are also found within the area.

Much of the park resides within the Yellowstone Caldera, a caldron shaped valley cause by the collapse of land after a large volcanic eruption. It is one of the most active calderas in the world but the last major eruption occurred 70,000 years ago. Please visit “Natural Features of Yellowstone National Park” to learn more about the park’s geothermal features, the largest North American lake found above 7,700 feet, glass mountain and petrified forests.

Yellowstone Activities

Yellowstone offers many family activities throughout the year including:

Fishing: season is between Memorial Day Saturday and early November. Something found perhaps only in Yellowstone, boiling waters from geysers and hot springs draining can actually cook fish caught on the far side of the river. Some anglers report fishing is best in the fall – less people and more hungry trout. Park issued permits are required.
Winter Sports: cross country skiing, snowshoeing, guided snowmobile and snowcoach touring. Groomed trails as well as warming huts are maintained by the park. Several guided snowshoe walks are offered in the early afternoon. Ski and snowshoe rentals are available.
Hiking, Skiing and Snowshoeing: Always stop at a ranger station before exploring the park’s 1,200 miles of trails. Fires, winter storms, high water, thermal or bear activity may force trail closures. Backcountry permits are required to stay at one of the 300 backcountry campsites.
Hunting: prohibited within Yellowstone National Park. Firearms are permitted but should not be considered a wildlife protection strategy.
Water Sports: Motorized boats are only permitted on Lewis Lake and Yellowstone Lake. The rivers are off-limits except for non-motorized boats on the Lewis River between Lewis Lake and Shonshone Lake. All boating activities are prohibited on Sylvan Lake, Eleanor Lake, Twin Lakes and Beach Springs Lagoon. Float tubes and all boaters must obtain a permit. Backcountry permits are required for boat camping. Swimming is generally discouraged as Yellowstone’s extremely hot and cold waterways are unsafe for swimming.
Camping: Over 2,086 campsite are available within the park. Some require reservations and others are first-come, first served. RV and handicapped access varies and only Mammoth offers year-round camping.
Backcountry Camping: Backcountry permits are required, permits can only be reserved up to 48 hours in advance, advance reservations are available for only a portion of the 300 backcountry campsites.

Yellowstone Events

Most of the events are held by the communities surrounding Yellowstone National Park.
Running nightly throughout the summer, kKds of all ages will enjoy frontier justice at the Town Square Shootout in Jackson, WY.

Music lovers can enjoy a variety of summer concerts, the Annual Targhee Bluegrass Festival, Orchestra Concerts and a huge variety of musical acts entertaining the crowds at many of the area’s annual festivals.

Several communities host rodeos throughout the summer months.
Amateur and professional astronomers gather for a weekend of star gazing at an series of summer events held at the Madison Amphitheater in Bozeman, MT, entitled Stars Over Yellowstone.

Winter visitors can enjoy the annual West Yellowstone Christmas stroll and Parade of Lights in early December, the Wild West WinterFest held in Bozeman each February or the Red Lodge Winter Carnival also held in February.
Various athletic competitions are held in and around Yellowstone National Park and include snowmobiling, hiking, runs, Ski-Joring and other outdoor sports.