The Last Minute Travel Fact Center

Yellowstone National Park became America’s original National Park on March 1, 1872. Yellowstone’s unique geothermal features make it unique from any other place in the world. In addition to the many geothermal features throughout the park, Yellowstone is also widely known for it’s Grand Canyon, a deep gorge in the land cut out by the Yellowstone River which boasts jagged copper-colored rock walls on either side, which many believe to be the reason for the park’s name. The Yellowstone Lake and Gallatin River are also main attractions at the park.

The park spans nearly 3,500 square miles, mainly in Wyoming, with sections expanding west into Idaho and Montana. Yellowstone National Park has beautiful mountain scenery, incredible plant and wildlife, forests, rivers, lakes, and almost 300 waterfalls. Lower Yellowstone Falls descends from the Canyon Rhyolite lava flow, and is nearly twice as high as Niagara.

The busiest months to visit the park are July and August. It is open all year, and winters provide a completely different atmosphere for exploration. Summer temperatures are generally 70 to 80-degrees, cooling off considerably at night. Spring and Fall range from 30 to 60-degrees, and nighttime often drops into the single digits. Winter temperatures can be anywhere from 0 to 20-degrees during the day, and the snowfall averages 150 inches per year. The higher the elevation, the lower the temperature and the more snow, especially in the mountain ranges surrounding the park.

Old Faithful is just one of more than 10,000 geothermal features found within the park. It erupts about every hour and a half from the Upper Geyser Basin, which has the most geothermal activity in the park. There are more than 300 other geysers throughout Yellowstone, making up two-thirds of those found on earth.

Other geothermal wonders include many multi-colored hot springs such as the Grand Prismatic Spring. Which is one of the largest thermal springs on the planet, with striking colors and features. Mammoth Hot Springs is another popular location in the northwest section of the park, where visitors can get in to soak in mineral hotsprings and relax, or view the unique beauty of the terraces at near Mammoth hot springs hotel. Yellowstone National Park has even hotter natural features including bubbling mudpots and fumaroles that emit boiling steam and gases from below the earth.

The Yellowstone River flows through a portion of the park and is responsible for another one of Yellowstone’s most popular attractions, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. This impressive canyon was carved from the rock and gravel by the Yellowstone River, and is nearly 900 feet deep and a half mile wide. It is believed that the golden colored rocks on the sidewalls of the canyon, caused by iron compounds in the rock which rusted under heat, is where the name “Yellowstone” came from.

There is abundant plant and wildlife at Yellowstone National Park, due to the variety of environments here. Almost three-fourths of the park is forested, providing habitat for many birds and other species. About 60 types of mammals live in the park. Elk, moose, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, deer, and bears are among the most commonly seen. There also are more than 1,350 native plant species. The forests are made up of a combination of spruce, fir, aspen, and pine trees. An abundance of wildflowers bloom in the spring and summer.

Many outdoor adventures are available for people visiting Yellowstone National Park. There are more than 1,100 miles of hiking and backcountry trails visitors can take advantage of. People also horseback ride, llama pack, and mountain bike. Yellowstone also boasts many water sport activities in the summer time, from boating and fishing Lewis and Yellowstone Lake, to whitewater rafting and fly fishing the Madison, Gallatin and Yellowstone Rivers. There are companies near the park that offer whitewater rafting and scenic float trips. Visitors also enjoy kayaking, canoeing, and paddling on the park’s waterways.

In winter Yellowstone Park becomes a completely different world of fun and adventure, catering to snowmobillers, cross-country skiiers and wildlife enthusiasts alike. Snowmobiles are a primary way people get around the park in the winter, and snowmobile rentals are widely available. Snowcoach guided tours of the park are also very popular. There are some resorts in the mountains nearby for downhill skiing and snowboarding.

Yellowstone’s unique landscape, wildlife and unusual geothermal features have made it one of America’s and the worlds most beloved national parks. It is a place of mystery, wonder and adventure which attracts over 3million visitors each ear.

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