Yellowstone, The Worlds First National Park

Yellowstone National Park was the first National Park in the world, established in 1872 by the U.S. Congress, signed by Ulysses S. Grant. The land stretches and area of 3468 square miles and parts are located in three separate states. Wyoming covers the vast majority of Yellowstone at approximately 96 percent, Montana at about 3 percent, and Idaho at 1 percent. Every year at least 2 million people from all over the world visit Yellowstone National Park.

Planning a visit to Yellowstone can be difficult; you have to get your hotels months in advance. The parks busiest time is the month of July when the temperature is an average 75 degrees during the day and nights can still be below freezing. When I went in late May there was still snow on the ground and still snow falling from the sky. It is possible for it to snow any month of the year with an average annual snowfall of 80 inches by the Mammoth Hot Springs and an average of 150 inches by the Yellowstone Lake. In the higher elevations it is common for the snowfall to be double that around the Yellowstone Lake.

What made Yellowstone stone so famous was its abundance of wildlife, from moose to bison, elk, bears, wolves, and many others. Not only is Yellowstone filled with animals, its sitting on a giant underground volcano. This volcano produces hundreds of hot springs and geysers. The most famous geyser we all know is Old Faithful. Old Faithful got its name because it is the most predictable geyser, erupting over 3,700 gallons of boiling water, roughly over 140 feet in the air, nearly every 75 minutes.

There is a lot more to do in Yellowstone then just seeing Old Faithful. There’s hiking the mountains, horseback riding in the plains, fishing in the lake, guided tours, hot springs, animal reservations, just a ton of ideas for the family or a couples retreat. So make sure when visiting your trip is well planned out, you really don’t want to miss what Yellowstone National Park has to offer.