20+ Interesting Facts About Yellowstone National Park

20+ Interesting Facts About Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone is the most famous national park in the United States. year marks 150 years. For such a long history, a lot of interesting facts have accumulated about him. Interested in learning more about a popular US attraction? Then don't miss today in USA.ONE magazine:

Yellowstone Park is 150 years old

What might you not know about it?

Fascinating Yellowstone Facts 20+ Interesting Facts About Yellowstone National Park

The first national park in America was founded March 1, 1872. Based on trails and archaeological sites, Yellowstone has been inhabited by humans for the last 11,000 years. For example, 27 tribes of Indians lived in it 10 thousand years before the foundation of the park.

In the early 1900s, the federal government ordered the extermination of almost all bison and raptors. According to National Geographic, the last wolf pack in Yellowstone was wiped out in 1926. To restore the balance of the ecosystem, 41 wolves were brought into the park in the mid-1990s. Mountain lion and grizzly populations have also grown due to increased protection.

Yellowstone Park is located in 3 US states. 96% of its territory is in Wyoming, another 3% in Montana and 1% in Idaho. It is larger than the two US states — Delaware and Rhode Island — combined and extends over 8,992 sq. km. km, occupying more than 890 thousand hectares.

20+ Interesting Facts About Yellowstone National Park

The highest point in Yellowstone National Park is Eagle Peak (11,358 feet), and the lowest — Reese Creek (5.282 feet). About a thousand native flowering plant species and another 225 imported ones grow on its territory. The forests of Yellowstone Park are 80% lodgepole pine.

There are 290 waterfalls in the national park, one of which — Lower Falls — throws out 240 thousand liters of water per second. The park itself is located on top of an active volcano, but its eruption in the next hundred years is unlikely. To monitor its activity, the Yellowstone Volcanic Observatory was established in 2001.

The park contains one of the largest calderas in the world measuring 55 x 72 km and over 10,000 hydrothermal features, which include hot springs, mud pots, geysers and fumaroles. There are about 500 active geysers alone, which is more than half of all geysers in the world. At least 20 people died from severe burns received from them.

20+ Interesting Facts About Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone is home to the largest bison herd in all of North America. After 60 million individuals were exterminated in the 1800s, the park restored their population from 3 to 4 thousand per year. As of 2019, the park was home to 16 fish species, 5 amphibian species, 6 reptile species and 285 bird species, 150 of which nest in Yellowstone.

The most popular destination among visitors is Dunraven Pass, where you can see carpets of wildflowers. And from Mount Washburn, a panorama opens up at a distance of 32 to 80 km around. During the summer peak, 3,200 employees work in the national park. It has 9 houses and hotels with 2,000 rooms. Yellowstone also has 52 picnic areas and a marina.

In 2021, the park received a record 4,860,537 visits. This is 28% more than in 2020. From April to October, the Milky Way is visible above it. You can also see the northern lights here once or twice a year.

20+ Interesting Facts About Yellowstone National Park

On the territory of the national park there are about 1800 architectural monuments, more than 20 thousand museum exhibits, 20 thousand rare books, periodicals and manuscripts, as well as 30 historical vehicles. The Yellowstone Research Centers hold millions of archival documents.

The Park Research Library collects printed and unpublished material about the park for the public to see. 25 attractions, neighborhoods, and locations in Yellowstone Park are listed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks.

The park ranger in the summer of 1936 was young Gerald R. Ford, who later became President of the United States. As head of state, he returned to Yellowstone in 1976 to renew his interest in America's parks.

Yellowstone Club is the world's only private golf, ski and adventure community. Its members include celebrities such as Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel, Gisele Bundchen, Tom Brady, Bill and Melinda Gates. Individual residences and luxury properties are available for purchase.

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