Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, located in Yellowstone Wyoming, is the oldest national park in the United States. It was established by Congress and signed into law by Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872. The park is home to Old Faithful Geyser, the continent’s largest supervolcano and a range of animals from grizzly bears, elks and gray wolves.
The human history of Yellowstone National park dates back more than 11,000 years. Various tribes of Native Americans, such as the Blackfeet, Bannock, Kiowa and Shoshone, have all conducted ceremonies, gathered plants and minerals and conducted trade with other tribes at Yellowstone. In 1807, John Colter, a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, was the first European-American to enter the Yellowstone area in an effort to find new customers for fur trading.
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Yellowstone’s fur trade eventually dried up, and while it was a minor site during the American gold rush in the 1860s, the land became the country’s first national park after a series of military and scientific expeditions were presented to Congress in 1872.
Today, Yellowstone National Park sees millions of visitors a year from all over the world. Visitors can hike, bike, fish, camp, boat, picnic and see wildlife while at the park. In addition to these tourist activities, the park also has around 1,600 archeological sites with more than 379,000 cultural objects and natural science specimens, many of which are housed in the park’s museums.
The park grounds are home to 67 species of mammals, 322 recorded species of birds, 16 species of fish, 6 species of reptiles and 4 species of amphibians. While the animal life is a major attraction of Yellowstone National Park, its geological traits also drive visitors to the park.
With more than 300 geysers and hot springs, Yellowstone National Park’s geothermal features highlight its position as one of the world’s largest supervolcanoes. The Yellowstone Caldera was responsible for the formation of the Snake Plain River prior to being covered by the Yellowstone Plateau. Now the volcanic activity heats mud and allows geysers to spout with regularity.
For more information on Yellowstone National Park, visit the park’s official Web site.
(Text by Noel Kirkpatrick)
(Photo: Wiki Commons)
Articles about Yellowstone National Park
Fri, Mar 23 2012 at 9:25 AM EST
Video: For the first time in more than a century, a herd of purebred Yellowstone bison are roaming in Montana.Mon, Feb 20 2012 at 12:18 PM EST
In honor of the famed photographer's 110th birthday, here are 10 of his most awe-inspiring photos from the U.S. National Archives.Tue, Nov 22 2011 at 11:43 PM EST
A precedent-setting case on the ravages of global warmingWed, Oct 26 2011 at 7:30 PM EST
The woman says that researchers failed to warn cabin owners about bears and that they did not follow established protocols for posting warning signs.Tue, Oct 11 2011 at 7:04 PM EST
The estimated 600 grizzlies in the Yellowstone National Park region are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.Mon, Oct 10 2011 at 11:31 AM EST
Exxon said an oil-spill response team from its Billings refinery had laid a containment boom at the point of origin.Mon, Oct 03 2011 at 9:43 PM EST
A mother bear previously allowed to roam free after killing a hiker has been euthanized after being linked to a second fatal bear mauling in August.Wed, Sep 28 2011 at 2:56 PM EST
A report shows temperatures in the past decade in the area have exceeded the rate of warming worldwide compared to the 20th-century average.Sat, Sep 24 2011 at 5:55 PM EST
The attack is the latest in an unusual spate of bear attacks in the Yellowstone area this year.Tue, Sep 20 2011 at 8:32 PM EST
A hiker killed by a mother grizzly bear this summer may have unwittingly helped provoke the attack by running from the animal.- 1. Solar Storm
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