Yellowstone National Park is situated primarily in northwestern Wyoming and partly in southern Montana and eastern Idaho. The park includes the greatest concentration of geothermal features of the world.
The park covers 8,983 square km and consists mostly of broad volcanic plateaus with an average elevation of 2,440 meters. Among the mountain ranges that protrude into the park are the Gallatin Range on the northwest, the Absaroka Range on the east, and the Tetons along the park’s southern boundary. The park is also surrounded by the Custer, Shoshone, Teton, Targhee, Beaverhead, and Gallatin national forests.
The mountains of Yellowstone are beautiful and varied but lack the precipitous vertical features of the Teton Range south of the park. The mountain ranges surrounding Yellowstone and its valleys provided shelter, protection, and food, also exist protective natural highway between Wyoming and Montana.
The park was the first of its kind, and is known for its wildlife and its many geothermal features, especially Old Faithful Geyser, one of the most popular areas in the park. It also has the world's largest concentration of geysers, more than 300 geysers, or two thirds of all those on the planet.
The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory monitors earthquakes and volcanic activities in the Yellowstone National Park. There are permanent stations that monitor earthquakes, deformation, and hydrologic data in real-time. There are also historic data available from field surveys that are not in real-time.
The park is one of the largest intact temperate zone ecosystems remaining on the planet. Hundreds of species of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles have been documented, including several that are either endangered or threatened. The vast forests and grasslands also include unique species of plants. Grizzly bears, wolves, and free-ranging herds of bison and elk live in the park.
To the north of what is now Yellowstone Park flows one of its great rivers, the Yellowstone River. The Yellowstone River Valley offers little protection, in several hundreds of miles, for travelers who travel downstream from the Yellowstone Valley; also Indians are subject to attack from warring Indian Tribes.
You can also hiking, camping, fishing, enjoying exhibits, films, and attending Ranger-led programs are among the many ways you can enjoy Yellowstone National Park.
Evidence indicates that the area was used by hunters for at least 5000 years. Native Americans have first claim on the Yellowstone Plateau and lived in the area in peaceful tranquility until the early 1800s, undisturbed by the presence of white men. The Crow, Blackfoot, Bannock, and Shoshone tribes were frequent inhabitants.
The park was first viewed by people from the United States relatively late. The Rocky Mountain ranges which surround the park area, and its remoteness, are largely responsible for this. The first white man to visit the Yellowstone area was probably the famous mountain man and adventurer John Colter, who wandered throughout the Rocky Mountain area in 1807-1808 following completion of his participation in the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Geographical Survey in 1871 attracted the interest of the public for many of the unusual features that existed in the area. Additional notoriety was gained through the work of painter Thomas Moran and photographer William H. Jackson.
The idea for a national park was promoted by Cornelius Hedges, Nathanial Longford, and others. And thanks to the construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad, they saw the benefits of the creating the park since it would generate potentially advantages on the tourism.
Congressional delegate William H. Clagett along with the leadership of Senator Pomery worked to create legislation to create Yellowstone Park. It was created upon a roll call vote with 115 ayes, 65 nays and 60 abstaining. Yellowstone National Park was established by the U.S. Congress as a national park on March 1, 1872, as the nations, and the world’s first national park by President Ulysses S. Grant.
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 was created to discover and preserving its majestic beauty was growing. It was designated a World Heritage site in 1978 by the UNESCO.