Yellowstone, the United States’ first national park, still
reigns as one of America's most dramatic and oft visited. The
geyser Old Faithful, a potent reminder of the earth's geothermal
forces, shoots steaming spray into the air with remarkable regularity.
Yellowstone also has grazing bison herds, thick forests with bears
and wolves and canyons laced with waterfalls.
At 3,472 square miles, Yellowstone is big. Most of the park --
96 percent -- rests within Wyoming, dipping into Montana and Idaho,
as well. The Grand Loop Road stretches for 142 miles and cuts
a “figure 8” through the park, leading to or near
most major sites and destinations. These are divided into five
geographically diverse areas: Geyser, Mammoth, Roosevelt, Canyon
and Lake.
To experience the real Yellowstone, you must get out of your
car and off the road. Even with young children you can do small
hikes as well as enjoy special experiences such as cookouts and
stagecoach rides. For additional adventures, go horseback riding,
boating, fishing and hiking in warm weather or snowshoeing and
cross-country skiing in winter.
Yellowstone, created in 1872 by President Ulysses S. Grant, looms
large in America’s imagination, both for what the park preserves
and for what it recalls--a time of unlimited potential and larger-than-life
landscapes. Every American family should see Yellowstone. In summer,
however, it seems as if they all do, creating slow drives and
more cars than bison along some park roads.
If you have ’tweens and teens, consider a visit in winter
when the crowds vanish, but the wildlife and the wonders remain.
In winter, Yellowstone provides a spectacular landscape for snowmobiling,
snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. In 2009 Yellowstone welcomed
3.3 million visitors, but only 87,000 of them toured the park
from December through March. Especially for a summer visit, book
your lodgings and outings as far in advance as possible.
Written by Candyce H. Stapen
Overview