Yellowstone National Park
Writer Christian T. Owen
Photographer Jim Peaco
Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is the world's first national park as well as one of the largest. Located in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, it is home to a large variety of wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, bison and elk. Preserved within Yellowstone National Park is a collection of the world's most extraordinary geysers and, of course, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
From about 11,000 years ago to the very recent past, many groups of Native Americans used the park as a home, hunting ground and transportation route. These traditional uses of Yellowstone lands continued until a little over 200 years ago when the first people of European descent found their way into the park.
The Heritage & Research Center
An ideal beginning to a Yellowstone journey would be The Heritage & Research Center, located in historic Gardiner, Montana. This 32,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility is home to Yellowstone National Park's archives, research library, archeology lab, herbarium, museum collection and rotating exhibits. Public tours are offered Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m., from June 1 through September 9, 2010. Space is limited to 10 participants, so please call 307.344.2662 to reserve a slot.
Lamar Valley
Ride through "America's Serengeti," the Lamar Valley, located in the northeast section of Yellowstone National Park. View bear, bison, elk and wolf from a distance as they cross over untouched landscape. It is a broad mountain valley carved out by glaciers during the last ice age. The Lamar Buffalo Ranch was built in the early part of the century in an effort to increase the herd size of the few remaining bison in Yellowstone, preventing the feared extinction of the species. Also, there were no wolves in Yellowstone in 1994. The wolves that were reintroduced in 1995 and 1996 thrived, and there are now more than 300 of their descendents living in the Greater Yellowstone Area. Lamar Valley is Yellowstone's prime location for viewing wildlife. There are also abundant fishing opportunities there.
Old Faithful
With more than 10,000 thermal features, visitors can watch steaming geysers erupt in all their glory. Known worldwide as one of nature's grandest phenomenons, Old Faithful is one of the most predictable geysers in Yellowstone Park. The geyser follows two types of eruption patterns—short ones that last from one and a half to two minutes, and long ones that last from three to five minutes. Eruption heights are from 106 to 184 feet with discharges of up to 8,400 gallons of water per eruption. The geyser's average interval between eruptions is currently about 92 minutes. Construction continues on the new Old Faithful Visitor Education Center as the world's most famous geyser erupts in the background. The center is planned to open to the public on August 25, 2010.
Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces
Heat, water, limestone and a rock fracture system through which hot water can reach the earth's surface create approximately 50 hot springs in the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces. Current geothermal activity is linked to a cataclysmic volcanic explosion 600,000 years ago in this area. The source for the water flowing out of Yellowstone's geothermal features is rain and snow. Cold water falling from slopes in and around Yellowstone seeps deep into the earth. Cold ground water is warmed by heat radiating from beneath the earth's surface, and a system of fissures carries the water upward to create the hot springs.
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, 24 miles of twisting rock cliffs carved 1,200 feet deep, begins with two thundering waterfalls. The Lower Falls of the Yellowstone are twice as high as Niagara. Visitors can explore trails leading to multiple vantage points for breathtaking views along the north and south rims. Timbered slopes and grassy meadows surround the canyon. Hayden Valley to the south is a serene contrast to the scenic cliffs, and Mount Washburn to the north provides an alpine view of canyon country.
Wintertime in Yellowstone
As remarkable as Yellowstone National Park is during the rest of the year, it is often said among park staff who live in Yellowstone that winter is their favorite season. Because winter is a vulnerable time of year, wintertime travel to Yellowstone is under constant study to ensure the safety of animals, residents, visitors and the natural landscape. A new page in the history of Yellowstone National Park began with a two-year project to manage winter use in the park. Through winter 2010–2011, the temporary plan includes limited, regulated snowmobile and snow coach access into Yellowstone. At the end of next winter, however, all motorized snow-vehicle access into Yellowstone will end unless Yellowstone National Park and the National Park Service implement a new plan to define such use, a topic that has generated much debate.
Regardless of the season, this multi-statewide park is a must-see destination in one of the most beautiful parts of our country. Visit Yellowstone and experience American nature at its absolute best.
