Take a Trip, Midwest: Yellowstone National Park!
Take a Trip, Midwest: Yellowstone National Park!
Idaho, Montana, Wyoming
This park is one of the last natural ecosystems in Earth’s temperate zone. It was created because it holds most of the world’s geysers inside, and it also contains herds of bison and elk along with wolves and bears! Yellowstone is a wonder of nature and full of beauty so let’s go take a trip!
History of the Park
Many Native Americans were using this land as part of their home and would have been part of the natural development of the land. But the first European Americans that encountered what is now Yellowstone National Park was in the early 1800’s. The first organized expedition to explore this diverse land was in 1870. Very soon after this expedition, after seeing the wonders of this area, the park was founded and protected in 1872! That is really early compared to some of the parks we have already explored! The railroad arrived in 1883, which made the park much more accessible to travelers and because of that and westward expansion and development the park opened up to automobiles in 1915. It is one of America’s oldest treasures!
Top Attractions
Yellowstone is a huge park. Yellowstone is also much more isolated than Grand Teton National park and so there is more planning that needs to happen to enjoy this park. If you are passing through it is much more difficult to really appreciate all that Yellowstone has to offer, but if that is all you are doing you will still see a lot of cool things. Bison roam everywhere! On the other hand if you make Yellowstone your destination and enjoy camping you can really dig into everything that the park has to offer. You will drive a lot no matter what! Lets see what is here!
Outdoorsman’s Heaven – Yellowstone is filled with camping, boating, hiking, bicycling and ranger-led activities that would keep any outdoorsman busy for weeks! Much like Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone is rich with the opportunity to connect with the world around you and to experience nature in a way that no other place on earth can offer!
Here is a map of the park. The park’s main road is made into a circle because there are a 5 enterances that surround the park.
Hot Springs Along the Loop – Hot Springs are all along this route. These springs come up from deep inside the earth and make for a spectacular viewing experience. Although, you should know, that because of the sulfur in the springs the smell is far from pleasant.
Old Faithful – Old Faithful is obviously the most famous stop. This geyser goes off about every two hours, sometimes sooner and sometimes later. It is a grand display of nature! When you go see this you will have plenty of great seating but unless your really lucky, plan on sitting for a while before you get to see it.
Other Attractions – Make sure you visit the West Thumb, where you will see awesome hot springs. Make sure you also check out the Yellowstone Falls! These falls are a little bit of a hike off of the main road but worth it if you can make it. There are a few other attractions listed here: http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/placestogo.htm
Places to Stay
This park is isolated from any major cities or towns to stay in therefore the park has the corner of the market when it comes to places to stay. If you are not just driving through as we did you will want to take advantage of the campgrounds. There are 12 campgrounds to stay at! But if camping is not your thing then the park does have 9 lodged totaling up to 2,000 rooms. Which means there should be room for you!
For more information go here.
