Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park

Set aside as a national park on March 1, 1872, Yellowstone was the first National Park and is known for its wildlife and geothermal features, especially Old Faithful Geyser, one of the most popular areas in the park.

Yellowstone National Park spans an area of 3,472 square miles (8,987 km2).

Half of the world's geothermal features are in Yellowstone.

Yellowstone has numerous recreational opportunities, including hiking, camping, boating, fishing and sightseeing.

The park sits on the Yellowstone Plateau, at an average altitude of 8,000 feet (2,400 m) above sea level.

Yellowstone National Park has one of the world's largest petrified forests, trees which were long ago buried by ash and soil and transformed from wood to mineral materials.

The Yellowstone Caldera is the largest volcanic system in North America. It has been termed a "supervolcano" because the caldera was formed by exceptionally large explosive eruptions.

Yellowstone is widely considered to be the finest wildlife habitat in the lower 48 states. There are almost 60 species of mammals in the park, including the endangered gray wolf, the threatened lynx, and grizzly bears.

Location

Mostly in Wyoming, extends into Montana and Idaho
Wyoming
USA

Getting There

Yellowstone National Park is a vast and popular destination with many points of interest, so the best way to get around depends on what you want to see and where you are starting from.

There are several gateway towns to Yellowstone that offer public transportation options such as shuttles, buses, and tours to the park. Some of these towns include Bozeman, Montana; Cody, Wyoming; Jackson, Wyoming; and West Yellowstone, Montana. Once inside the park, there are also shuttle buses that operate between the major attractions and lodging areas.

If you are starting from further away or prefer to drive, the park is easily accessible by car and has several major highways that pass through it. However, be aware that traffic can be heavy during peak season and parking can be limited at popular attractions.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Wyoming that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.