Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is a renowned national park located in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it extends into Montana and Idaho as well.

Yellowstone National Park is famous for its geothermal features. The park sits atop a massive volcanic hotspot, resulting in numerous geysers, hot springs, fumaroles, and mud pots. These features are caused by superheated water rising from the Earth's mantle, creating spectacular displays of steam and erupting water.

The park features a large high-altitude lake, Yellowstone Lake, which is the largest freshwater lake at such a high elevation in North America. It offers opportunities for boating, fishing, and hiking along its shores.

Yellowstone is characterized by various forest ecosystems, including lodgepole pine forests, subalpine fir forests, and expansive meadows. These forests are home to a wide range of wildlife, including grizzly bears, elk, wolves, and numerous bird species. It's a fantastic place for wildlife enthusiasts and photographers.

Yellowstone offers a wide range of outdoor activities, including hiking, camping, fishing, horseback riding, and winter activities like snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.

Yellowstone National Park was not only the first national park in the United States but also the first national park established in the world. Its creation on March 1, 1872, marked the beginning of the global national park movement, aimed at preserving natural landscapes and wildlife for future generations.

Yellowstone National Park is not only a natural wonder but also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a crucial conservation area. It attracts millions of visitors from around the world who come to witness its natural beauty and unique geothermal phenomena.

Yellowstone National Park Location

Yellowstone National Park is primarily located in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho. The park's vast expanse covers parts of these three states in the western United States. Here's a more detailed breakdown of its location:

Wyoming: The majority of Yellowstone National Park, including its most famous geothermal features like Old Faithful and the majority of the park's attractions, lies within the state of Wyoming.

Montana: The northern part of the park extends into Montana. This region includes areas like the Lamar Valley, which is known for its wildlife viewing opportunities.

Idaho: A small portion of the park's western boundary crosses into Idaho, but the Idaho section is relatively small and less visited compared to the portions in Wyoming and Montana.

Yellowstone National Park Map

Yellowstone National Park Area

Yellowstone National Park covers a vast area of approximately 2.2 million acres (3,468.4 square miles or 8,987 square kilometers), which includes lakes, valleys, rivers and mountain ranges. It is one of the largest national parks in the United States and is known for its expansive and diverse landscapes.

Approximately 96% of Yellowstone National Park's land area is located within the state of Wyoming. About 3% of the park extends into Montana, primarily in the northern part, and the remaining 1% of the park's area stretches into Idaho in its westernmost region.

This tri-state configuration makes Yellowstone one of the few national parks in the United States that spans multiple states. Each of these regions offers unique landscapes, geothermal features, and wildlife viewing opportunities, contributing to the park's diverse and remarkable natural beauty.

Geography and Landmarks

Yellowstone is part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the largest nearly intact temperate-zone ecosystems on Earth. The park itself sits atop the Yellowstone Plateau, with elevations ranging from 5,282 to 11,358 feet. This high-altitude setting is dominated by vast forests, meadows, lakes, rivers, and mountains.

The park is home to the Yellowstone Caldera, an enormous volcanic crater formed by a supervolcanic eruption approximately 640,000 years ago. This geologically active region gives rise to the famous geothermal features that Yellowstone is known for. The park is crisscrossed by multiple rivers, including the Yellowstone River, which runs northward through the park and creates the iconic Yellowstone Falls and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

Geothermal Features

Yellowstone contains about half of the world’s geothermal features, with over 10,000 documented sites. These include geysers, hot springs, fumaroles, and mud pots, with many of them concentrated in the Upper Geyser Basin. Here, visitors can witness the awe-inspiring eruptions of Old Faithful, one of the park's most famous attractions. Old Faithful, known for its reliability, erupts approximately every 60 to 110 minutes, reaching heights of up to 180 feet.

Other noteworthy geothermal sites include:

1. Grand Prismatic Spring: The largest hot spring in the United States, known for its vibrant colors caused by thermophilic microorganisms.

Grand Prismatic Spring

2. Mammoth Hot Springs: A series of travertine terraces formed by calcium carbonate deposits.

Mammoth Hot Springs

3. Norris Geyser Basin: The hottest geyser basin in Yellowstone, home to Steamboat Geyser, the tallest active geyser in the world.

These geothermal phenomena are the result of the volcanic activity beneath Yellowstone, where a magma chamber fuels the heat that rises through cracks in the Earth’s crust, creating the park's remarkable features.

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Waterfalls

One of Yellowstone's most dramatic landscapes is the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. This gorge, carved by the Yellowstone River, stretches approximately 20 miles long and plunges to depths of over 1,000 feet. The canyon's colorful walls, created by volcanic heat, are a stunning display of reds, yellows, and oranges.

The park is also famous for its waterfalls, with the most notable being the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls. The Lower Falls, plunging 308 feet, is more than twice the height of Niagara Falls and is one of the most photographed sites in Yellowstone.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Human History and Indigenous Cultures

The area now known as Yellowstone has been inhabited for over 11,000 years by various Native American tribes, including the Shoshone, Crow, and Blackfeet. These tribes used the land for hunting, gathering, and spiritual purposes long before European settlers arrived.

In 1807, John Colter, a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, became the first known Euro-American to explore Yellowstone. His accounts of the geothermal wonders were initially met with skepticism and earned the region the nickname “Colter’s Hell.” It wasn’t until the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition of 1870 that serious interest in the area grew, leading to its designation as a national park.

The park’s cultural significance remains deeply intertwined with Indigenous peoples, as evidenced by efforts to rename landmarks such as First Peoples Mountain (formerly Mount Doane) in recognition of Native history.

FAQs

Q. Where is Yellowstone National Park?/What state is Yellowstone National Park in?/What city is Yellowstone National Park in?

A. Yellowstone National Park is located primarily in the United States, spanning across the states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. The majority of the park's land, approximately 96%, is situated within the state of Wyoming. Roughly 3% of the park is in Montana, and the remaining 1% is in Idaho.

Q. How big is Yellowstone National Park?/How many acres is Yellowstone National Park?

A. Yellowstone National Park covers an expansive area of approximately 2.2 million acres (3,468.4 square miles), making it one of the largest national parks in the United States. This vast park spans parts of three states: Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Yellowstone's size, combined with its diverse landscapes, geothermal features, and abundant wildlife, contributes to its status as one of the most iconic and cherished natural treasures in the world.

Q. When did Yellowstone become a national park?/When was Yellowstone National Park established?

A. Yellowstone National Park became the world's first national park on March 1, 1872, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act into law. This historic legislation set aside the park's pristine wilderness, geothermal features, and natural wonders for the enjoyment and benefit of future generations, marking the beginning of the national park system in the United States. Yellowstone's designation as a national park was a significant milestone in the conservation and preservation of natural landscapes and resources.

Q. How old is Yellowstone National Park?

A. Yellowstone National Park is the oldest national park in the world, established on March 1, 1872. This makes the park 152 years old as of 2024. It was designated by President Ulysses S. Grant, marking the beginning of the national park movement, which aimed to preserve natural landscapes for public enjoyment and conservation.

Q. What river runs through Yellowstone National Park?

A. The Yellowstone River is the major river that runs through Yellowstone National Park. This iconic river originates in Yellowstone National Park's Absaroka Range and flows through much of the park's interior, eventually leaving the park's northeastern boundary.