The
first and still the most popular national park in the
United States, Yellowstone sits astride the Continental
Divide in northwestern Wyoming, edging over the borders
of Montana and Idaho.
This
is the world's foremost geothermal region, where molten
rock rises close to the surface, providing the heat which
results in the hundreds of geysers, fumaroles and mudpots
which abound in the park.
It's
an area where catastrophic volcanic eruptions brought
immense changes to the landscape, including the great
caldera (a collapsed volcano) which created Yellowstone
Lake about 600,000 years ago. Every year the abundant
snowfall melts into the ground and then the water
percolates upward, forced back through the ground as
steam. Old Faithful -- the world's most beloved geyser --
is the prime example of this geothermal action.
The
Park
The
park is largely situated on a high mountain plateau, with
large meadows and sub-alpine forests. There are several
large lakes, roaring rivers and high waterfalls. The area
attracted early explorers; the first were fur trappers
and mountain men (Jim Bridger, John Colter and others)
who relished the beauty and natural wonder of the region.
Prospectors came to the park area but moved farther west.
The movement to create a national park and wilderness
preserve began when the first Hayden Expedition of 1871
helped to convince Congress to declare the area a
national park in 1872. The early developers of the park
were more interested in geology than in the abundant
wildlife which lived on the mountain slopes and meadows
of Yellowstone. The elk, deer, bears, bison, coyotes,
antelope, mountain lions and eagles, among many other
species, provide visitors with the thrill of meeting
wildlife face to face. Some of the elk are so tame now
that they summer on the lawn of the main park visitor
center at Mammoth Hot Springs.
In
addition to the geysers and colorful geothermal pools,
the park contains some of the most dramatic geological
scenes in the country, including the Grand Canyon of
the Yellowstone, the Upper and Lower Falls,
several examples of petrified forest, the Cascades of the
Firehole River and the magnificent Absaroka
Mountains.
2.5
million people visit Yellowstone each year. Because the
great majority of these visitors see the park during the
summer months, the public facilities can become quite
crowded. If it is at all possible, it is advisable to
plan your visit for the spring or fall periods when
things are a bit calmer. Wilderness such as Yellowstone's
should be enjoyed with a certain freedom from falling
over other people or other people falling over you. The
fall is a particularly enjoyable season at Yellowstone,
as the aspens turn into gold and the brisk mountain air
awakes your senses. The facilities open during summer
months operate until mid-September, making the two weeks
after Labor Day a perfect time to visit. The late May and
early June period is an equally-pleasant time to enjoy
the solitude. The park roads closed in winter open for
traffic by late April/early May and close around October
31.
Park
Attractions
Geysers
and Hot Springs are found in the western side of the
park, many of them along the 50 miles of road which
connects Mammoth Hot Springs (near Gardiner Montana) and
Old Faithful. This area is comprised of several
geothermal basins which have more than 250 geysers and as
many as 10,000 other known features. The Mammoth Hot
Springs Terraces, near the main visitor center are
best seen from trails and boardwalks. Upper Terrace Drive
is a 1.5 mile road which winds among large travertine
terraces which have been built by active and extinct hot
springs. The Main Terrace Area features a series of loop
trails with boardwalks which take visitors through active
terraces and around some old and now-dead springs. The
Mammoth area plays host, during the winter, to some of
the park's wildlife who come down from their summer range
to this warmer climate.
South
of Mammoth is the Norris Geyser Basin, the hottest
of the geyser areas and the oldest.The basin features two
major trails: around the Porcelain Basin, a distance of
.75 mile, and the Back Basin Trail which leads 1.5 miles
past several notable geysers including Steamboat, Echinus
and Porkchop. There is a museum near the parking lot,
beside Bathtub Spring.
Upper
Geyser Basin is the home of Old Faithful and many
other geysers, hot springs, fumaroles and mudpots. It's
located on the loop road just west of Grant Village and
West Thumb. Old Faithful erupts more frequently than most
of the other large geysers, every 45 to 90 minutes. Its
eruptions last 2-5 minutes and the spout reaches a height
of over 100 feet -- as much as 180 feet. Other large
geysers in the basin include Castle, Grand, Giant,
Beehive and Daisy. The Upper Geyser Basin is the location
for several lodges and eating facilities, centered in the
Old Faithful area.
Midway
Geyser Basin, north of the Upper Basin, features the
Grand Prismatic Spring and Excelsior Geyser. North of
here you'll see Firehole Lake -- a large hot spring --
and the Fountain Paint Pot, along with several notable
geysers including Clepsydra, White Dome, Great Fountain
and Steady. These features are found along a short loop
(Firehole Lake Drive), off the main park highway.
The
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone extends from
Canyon Village -- near the center of the park -- to Tower
Junction on the north park road. The most spectacular
section of the canyon is seen from a series of viewpoints
along the North Rim and South Rim, in the Canyon Village
area. This area includes the Upper and Lower Falls. For
more on the canyon, Go
Here.
Yellowstone
Lake has 110 miles of shoreline and is North
America's largest alpine lake. Fishing Bridge, Lake
Village and Bridge Bay are located at the north end of
the lake while West Thumb and Grant Village are on the
western bay called West Thumb. Visitor facilities are
available in both areas. Scenic picnic areas are spread
along the loop road between the two main centers. There
is a museum devoted to the park's birds at Fishing
Bridge. Displays at the Grant Village are centered on the
Yellowstone wilderness areas. Backcountry permits are
available at the ranger station.
Park
Headquarters is at Mammoth Hot Springs. The Visitor
Center here offers advice on "doing" the park and has
films and a good selection of booklets about the park and
trail guides. Other visitor centers and information desks
are at Grant Village, Fishing Bridge, Canyon Village, Old
Faithful and the Norris Geyser Basin.
