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Yellowstone add ons
Yellowstone
National Park
Yellowstone
National Park is known for its steaming
geysers, crystalline lakes, thundering waterfalls, and
panoramic vistas. No matter how many times you return
to Yellowstone, you will always find something new and
different to enjoy in this 2.2 million-acre wonderland of
scenery, wildlife and geologic wonders. Created in 1872,
this was the first national park established in America. It is
larger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware
combined and lies in the states of Wyoming, Montana,
and Idaho.
The park crosses the Continental Divide three times and
has 350 miles of paved road winding through the park.
Since July and August have the most traffic, you may
want to plan your trip during the slower months.
September and October are wonderful months to visit.
This is a quieter time in the park and you may find some
fall colors in early October. If you can get into
Yellowstone in spring (May and June), you will find plenty
of wildlife – many newborns. Winter is magical and from
mid-December to mid-March the park is open to
oversnow vehicles. During these bitter cold months,
wildlife gather around the warm thermal areas where
geysers and steam rise in eerie mists and everything is
covered with ice and snow.
"Old Faithful”
is only one of
10,000 unique thermal
features found in the park. The world's greatest
concentration of geothermal features is located in this
park with hot springs, steam vents, mud pots, and 250-
300 geysers. Close to 60 percent of the world’s geysers
is inYellowstone National Park.
Wildlife
Yellowstone is home
to abundant and varied wildlife. The
best times to view wildlife is early morning and evening.
These include badgers, bison, bears, elk, wolves,
coyotes, Pronghorn antelope, Bald eagles and Big Horn
Sheep.
Lodging
There are some
accommodations in the area but many
visitors to Yellowstone lodge outside the park in nearby
towns of West Yellowstone or Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Five Regions of
Yellowstone
Mammoth Country –
Hot springs that have formed
limestone terraces colored with brightly colored algae.
Geyser Country – Home to Old Faithful and many other
geothermal features including fumaroles, mud pots, and
hot pools. Old Faithful eruptions take place at an
average of every 81 minutes.
Lake Country - Includes cold, blue Yellowstone Lake and
a land of forests, native cutthroat trout, osprey, bald
eagles, moose, bison, grizzly and black bear.
Canyon Country - Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone,
Hayden Valley and its wildlife, and Lower Falls, twice as
high as Niagara.
Roosevelt Country - Captures the spirit of the Old West -
rolling hills, covered with sagebrush, fir, pine, aspen,
spruce, and sparkling streams.
On you trip to Yellowstone, do not miss the following
favorite attractions:
Old Faithful
Norris Geyser Basin
Fountain Paint Pot
Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Grand Canyon
Mammoth Hot Spring
Blue Ribbon Trout Fishing
Grizzly Discovery Center
Whitewater Rafting
ImaxTheatre
Museum of Yellowstone
When you have finished looking at all the mudpots,
geysers and wild animals that you care to see, make sure
to drive a few miles south to the awesome
Grand Teton
and the old Western
town of Jackson Hole.
If you miss
this last part, your trip just will not be complete!
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