Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park

Yellowstone National Park is a national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress with the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872.

Key Features:

Location: Park County, Wyoming, Teton County, Wyoming, Gallatin County, Montana, Park County, Montana, and Fremont County, Idaho
Area: 2,219,791 acres (8,983.18 km2)
Elevation: 8,104 ft (2,470 m)
Established: March 1, 1872
Visitors: 4,501,382 (in 2023)
Governing body: U.S. National Park Service
Website: www.nps.gov/yell/
Type: Natural
Criteria: vii, viii, ix, x
Designated: 1978 (2nd session)
Reference no.: 28
Region: The Americas
Endangered: 1995–2003
Unique Features:

Geothermal features: Half the world’s active geysers, including Old Faithful
Wildlife: Home to America’s largest buffalo herd, grizzly bears, wolves, and other wildlife
Scenic beauty: Features the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, Yellowstone Lake, and other breathtaking landscapes
Historic structures: 1,106 historic structures and features, including National Historic Landmarks
Interesting Facts:

Yellowstone is the world’s first national park and the second most popular national park in the United States
It is situated on top of a dormant volcano and is home to more geysers and hot springs than any other place on earth
The park has over 10,000 hydrothermal features, including geysers, hot springs, and fumaroles
Yellowstone is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve