Photo by: Jacob Lips
Geysers, bison herd and plant taxonomy—these are just some of the famous attractions of Yellowstone National Park, which encompasses the states of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. It covers an area in the range of 18,750 to 34,375 square miles, rich in natural resources.
The park is not only a place of wonders, but it is also shrouded in history as the home of Native Americans for the last 11,000 years.
History
The park was named after the Yellowstone River, a tributary of the Missouri River. The river flows in the vicinity of the park.
Its historic importance is based on human settlements that were built by Native Americans, 11,000 years ago, because of its animal resources. In the 1800s, various explorations concluded that the area is interesting because of its geothermal regions, which eventually became the most famous tourist spot in the park.
In 1871, American geologist Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden led the Hayden Geological Survey, which explored the northwestern part of Wyoming. He then submitted a comprehensive report, that became the basis for President Ulysses S. Grant to sign the Act of Dedication that created Yellowstone National Park on March 1, 1872.
In 1978, the area was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Photo by: Jacob Lips
Geothermal Features
The park is home to over 10,000 hydrothermal features, and more than 500 geysers. According to the National Park Service, this park is home to the largest concentration of geysers in the world.
The most common hydrothermal feature in the park is the hot spring. The geysers or hot springs with a constricted plumbing system, provide a great experience especially when it spouts water. Half of the world’s geysers are found in this park.
The fumaroles are also interesting sites in the park.
The park is also home to the Yellowstone Caldera, a supervolcano. It is located in the Wyoming region of the park. Visitors can take a mud volcano trail, which will lead to the mud pots.
Photo by: Jacob Lips
Flora and fauna
There are over 1,300 species of plants at the Yellowstone National Park. It is interesting to note that these plants continue to propagate, despite the lava flowing in the area.
There are three endemic plants in Yellowstone, believed to thrive because of the park’s geothermal presence. These are Ross’s bentgrass, Yellowstone sand verbena, and Yellowstone sulfur wild buckwheat.
Picking flowers is not allowed in the region, which is known for its abundance of wildflowers. There are also beautiful herbarium specimens in the park.
Visitors fascinated by vegetation would love the forests, which cover about 80% of the park. There are also shrubs, mostly sagebrush-steppe and wetlands.
The park is also known as the largest megafauna in the United States, where the oldest and largest public bison herd can be spotted. Grizzly bears, wolves and elk live in the park. There are also rare sightings of lynx and wolverine.
Yellowstone National Park boasts of a rich biodiversity.
Photo by: Jacob Lips
Things to do
There are various things to do at the Yellowstone National Park, the most common would be to walk around and enjoy the greenery, while listening to the natural soundscape, originating from animals in the massive ecosystem. And surely, walking around the geothermal spots is also an invigorating experience.
Here are some of the activities one can enjoy at the park with their friends and families:
Camping – there are 12 campgrounds with more than 2,000 campsites at the park. They are usually available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Guided tours – some guests prefer to go around the park with a tour guide who can explain the spots better. Visitors can choose to partake in backpacking, cycling, fishing and hiking tours.
Old Faithful viewing – this is probably the most common activity at Yellowstone National Park. There are hundreds of geysers in the park, but not all of them have predictable eruptions like the Old Faithful. People can stay overnight and sleep at the Old Faithful Inn, built in the year 1903.
Canyon Village exploration – visitors can explore several waterfalls at the Yellowstone’s canyons. There are also hiking trails in the area with varying difficulty levels.
Horseback riding – visitors could bring their horse to the park as long as it meets park regulations. But one may also tap outfitters who provide guided tours on horseback.
Snowshoeing – yes, the park continues to operate even during winter.
Photo by: Jacob Lips