Yellowstone National Park, set aside as a national park on March

1, 1872, is located mostly in the U.S. state of Wyoming, though it

also extends into Montana and Idaho. The park was the first of its

kind, and is known for its wildlife and geothermal features,

especially Old Faithful Geyser, one of the most popular areas in

the park.

Aboriginal Americans have lived in the Yellowstone region for at

least 11,000 years. The region was bypassed during the Lewis and

Clark Expedition in the early 1800s. Aside from visits by

mountain men during the early to mid-1800s, organized

exploration did not begin until the late 1860s. The U.S. Army was

commissioned to oversee the park just after its establishment. In

1917, administration of the park was transferred to the National

Park Service, which had been created the previous year.

 

 

 

Hundreds of structures have been built and are protected for their

architectural and historical significance, and researchers have

examined more than 1,000 archaeological sites.

Yellowstone National Park spans an area of 3,472 square miles

(8,987 km²), comprising lakes, canyons, rivers and mountain

ranges. Yellowstone Lake is one of the largest high-altitude

lakes in North America and is centered over the Yellowstone

Caldera, the largest supervolcano on the continent. The caldera is

considered an active volcano; it has erupted with tremendous

force several times in the last two million years. Half of the

world's geothermal features are in Yellowstone, fueled by this

ongoing volcanism.[3] Lava flows and rocks from volcanic

eruptions cover most of the land area of Yellowstone. The park is

the centerpiece of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the largest

remaining, nearly-intact ecosystem in the Earth's northern

temperate zone.[4]

Hundreds of species of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles have

been documented, including several that are either endangered or

threatened.[1] The vast forests and grasslands also include unique

species of plants. Grizzlies, wolves, and free-ranging herds of

bison and elk live in the park. Forest fires occur in the park each

year; in the large forest fires of 1988, nearly one third of the park

burned. Yellowstone has numerous recreational opportunities,

including hiking, camping, boating, fishing and sightseeing. Paved

roads provide close access to the major geothermal areas as well

 

 

as some of the lakes and waterfalls. During the winter, visitors

often access the park by way of guided tours that use either snow

coaches or snowmobile.

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