Yellowstone National Park celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2022, making it the first national park in the U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone Protection Act into law in 1872. The park was home to 27 Native American tribes for over 10,000 years before its establishment. Yellowstone stretches over 3,472 square miles and is larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined. It is located at the convergence of the Great Plains, Great Basin, and Columbia Plateau. The park’s landscape includes Yellowstone Lake, with over 1,000 native flowering species and 225 species of invasive plants.
Yellowstone is home to various geothermal features, including more than 10,000 hydrothermal features such as geysers and hot springs. The park’s most famous geyser, Old Faithful, erupts every 45 to 125 minutes, reaching heights of up to 185 feet. The geothermal areas have boardwalks and trails for visitor safety, as hot springs have caused more injuries than any other natural feature in the park. Yellowstone’s wildlife includes the largest population of mammals in the lower 48 states, with 67 species of mammals present. Grizzly bears, mountain lions, and bison are among the diverse wildlife found in the park.
Yellowstone has a rich history, with over 1,800 archeological sites and more than 900 historic buildings. Presidents such as Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, and Gerald Ford have visited the park, with Harding even posing for a photo with a famous black bear named Jesse James. The Yellowstone Club, a private ski and golf community near the park, has attracted celebrity members like Bill and Melinda Gates and Justin Timberlake. The popular TV drama “Yellowstone” showcases the struggles of ranchers in the modern-day West. The park has been the subject of numerous quotes from conservationists like Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir.
With a diverse landscape, abundant wildlife, and geothermal features, Yellowstone National Park continues to be a cherished American treasure. Visitation to the park reached record levels in 2021, with millions of visitors exploring its vast wilderness and enjoying its natural beauty. Yellowstone’s legacy as the first national park in the U.S. and its significance as a symbol of America’s natural heritage remain deeply ingrained in the hearts of all who visit.
