Welcome to Yellowstone National Park!
A Brief Overview
Yellowstone National Park has a rich history. Known as “the world’s first national park,” it was established in 1872 by Ulysses S. Grant. The establishment of Yellowstone birthed the concept of natural preservation and the importance of wildlife conservation. The park area has been known to humans for over 11,000 years. Yellowstone spans over two million acres, located primarily in Wyoming. The area of the park also extends into Idaho and Montana. The park is home to many breathtaking sites that would have any visitor amazed. Yellowstone serves as a dream to hikers, outdoorsmen, photographers, campers, and all other tourists alike. Those that visit will be enthralled by Yellowstone’s endless landscape and never ending adventures.
Overview of Yellowstone's Attractions
Old Faithful
Yellowstone is home to a multitude of fascinating attractions. These include the stunning Grand Canyon of Yellowstone as well as the well-known Old Faithful geyser. Yellowstone is centered around Yellowstone lake, one of the largest lakes in North America. These are just some of the attractions that draw Yellowstone’s three million visitors every year.
Welcome to Our Humble Biome!
A map of the Taiga biome.
Yellowstone is primarily found in the Taiga biome. A biome is an area that can be classified by the plants and animals that inhabit it. Factors such as temperature, soil, water, and light determine the types of organisms in any given biome. The Taiga biome, or boreal forest biome, is the largest of eight different biomes in the world. This biome is constituted by long, harsh winters, short summers, and a wide variety of climatic conditions. Another outstanding feature of the Taiga biome is the coniferous forests.
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
The American bison.
Yellowstone National Park has a diverse ecosystem. An ecosystem is different from a biome because an ecosystem is the interactions of living and nonliving things in an environment. Any given biome can be made up of many different ecosystems. The Yellowstone ecosystem is famous for its unique distribution of flora and fauna as well as volcanic, hydrothermal, and glacial features. Yellowstone is home to the Yellowstone Caldera. This is the largest super volcano in North America. This volcano is rich in quartz and potassium feldspar. Poor soils are a result of these minerals, which gives rise to the abundance of lodgepole pine in the area.
Yellowstone’s ecosystem supports its plethora of wildlife. The ecosystem of Yellowstone is one of the largest remaining, intact ecosystems in the world. The park supports many mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians. Found in the park alone are 67 different species of mammal, 322 bird species, 16 fish species, 10 reptiles and amphibian species, over 12,000 insect species, and over 1,000 species of vascular plants. Some of the most famous wildlife in the area are the American Bison, Bears, Bighorn Sheep, Elk, Trout, and the Boreal Toad. As the largest mammal in America, Bison serve as one of Yellowstone’s main attractions.
Yellowstone’s ecosystem supports its plethora of wildlife. The ecosystem of Yellowstone is one of the largest remaining, intact ecosystems in the world. The park supports many mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians. Found in the park alone are 67 different species of mammal, 322 bird species, 16 fish species, 10 reptiles and amphibian species, over 12,000 insect species, and over 1,000 species of vascular plants. Some of the most famous wildlife in the area are the American Bison, Bears, Bighorn Sheep, Elk, Trout, and the Boreal Toad. As the largest mammal in America, Bison serve as one of Yellowstone’s main attractions.
For More on Yellowstone:
Watch these wonderful videos for a visual of Yellowstone and the bison: