Yellowstone National Park, set aside as a national park on March 1, 1872, is located mostly in the U.S. state of Wyoming, though it also extends into Montana and Idaho. The park was the first of its kind, and is known for its wildlife and geothermal features, especially Old Faithful Geyser, one of the most popular areas in the park.
Aboriginal Americans have lived in the Yellowstone region for at least 11,000 years. The region was bypassed during the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the early 1800s. Aside from visits by mountain men during the early to mid-1800s, organized exploration did not begin until the late 1860s. The U.S. Army was commissioned to oversee the park just after its establishment. In 1917, administration of the park was transferred to the National Park Service, which had been created the previous year. Hundreds of structures have been built and are protected for their architectural and historical significance, and researchers have examined more than 1,000 archaeological sites.
Yellowstone National Park spans an area of 3,472 square miles (8,987 km²), comprising lakes, canyons, rivers and mountain ranges. Yellowstone Lake is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in North America and is centered over the Yellowstone Caldera, the largest supervolcano on the continent. The caldera is considered an active volcano; it has erupted with tremendous force several times in the last two million years. Half of the world's geothermal features are in Yellowstone, fueled by this ongoing volcanism. Lava flows and rocks from volcanic eruptions cover most of the land area of Yellowstone. The park is the centerpiece of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the largest remaining, nearly-intact ecosystem in the Earth's northern temperate zone.
Hundreds of species of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles have been documented, including several that are either endangered or threatened. The vast forests and grasslands also include unique species of plants. Grizzlies, wolves, and free-ranging herds of bison and elk live in the park. Forest fires occur in the park each year; in the large forest fires of 1988, nearly one third of the park burned. Yellowstone has numerous recreational opportunities, including hiking, camping, boating, fishing and sightseeing. Paved roads provide close access to the major geothermal areas as well as some of the lakes and waterfalls. During the winter, visitors often access the park by way of guided tours that use either snow coaches or snowmobile.
Yellowstone
- Old Faithful
- Yellowstone Grand Canyon
- Fountain Paint Pot Trail
- Mud Volcano Area
- Gibbon Falls
- Tower Falls
- Lamar Valley
- Mamooth
- Norris Geyser Basin
- Hayden Valley
- Lower Geyser Basin / Fountain Paint Pots
- West Thumb Geyser Basin
- Montana na severu
Park na jeden den
If your interests are Geysers and Thermal Activity, then you will want to visit the area south of Madison Junction. This would include the Lower Geyser Basin, Fountain Paint Pot, Midway Geyser Basin, Biscuit Basin and the Upper Geyser Basin or Old Faithful area. You could easily spend more than half a day at the Upper Geyser Basin / Old Faithful area. Check at the Old Faithful Visitor Center for predicted eruption times of the different geysers in the basin. There are many geysers to watch and enjoy besides Old Faithful and many that are more spectacular. Beehive is tremendous, as is Castle, Giant and others. This total area is filled with geysers, hot pots and pools that are beautiful and fun to enjoy.
If your interest is Wildlife, then you will enjoy the drive from West Yellowstone to Madison. There are buffalo, elk, sometimes moose, Canada geese, ducks, trumpeter swans, coyotes and other wildlife on the hillsides and meadows along the Madison and throughout the area.
Wildlife viewing is not an exact science. They have daily and seasonal habits, but also tend to do what they would like when they like. Usually, the morning and evening is the best time for viewing wildlife as they come out to eat. During the day they normally go into the trees and shade to rest from the heat and from eating.
Grizzly bear watching has been good for the past two years at Fishing Bridge and Hayden Valley. Buffalo, elk, eagles, geese, ducks, otters, black bear and some wolves have been seen from the Mud Volcano area north through Hayden Valley to Canyon.
Cesta kolem dokola po "osmičce" má cca 200 km s cca 8 zastávkami
