What you can expect to see at Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park is, without a doubt, one of the best-known parks in North America. With its immense size of 3,471 square miles, the park has a lot that you can take in while you are there, even though it’s hard to see everything on the first visit alone. Here are the absolute must-sees when you do take a trip there.
Old Faithful
Since Yellowstone is the largest active geyser field in the entire world, it is no wonder that it has the most well-known active geyser in the world, too. Old Faithful was so named because of the frequency in which it erupts. The average time is once every 74 minutes, but that means anywhere from an hour to an hour and 40 minutes it will erupt and it is not 100 percent predictable. The geyser can reach up to 180 feet high and erupt for up to five minutes.
Colorful hot springs
As Yellowstone has so many geysers it should come as no surprise that there are also many hot springs in the area. The hot springs are brightly colored and remarkable, including the Grand Prismatic Hot Spring. The Grand Prismatic is bigger than a football and has been noted as the third-largest hot spring in the world.
Artist Point
So not only are there geysers and hot springs but Yellowstone is also home to some amazing waterfalls. There is even a Grand Canyon here. The canyon’s walls form the sides of three waterfalls, which you can overlook from Artist’s Point. The lookout is so named because of the phenomenal view that would inspire any artist.
Hiking Trails
It is easy to get caught up in the splendor of geysers and hot springs and forget about the amazing hiking that Yellowstone has to offer. There is a 1,300-mile trail system throughout the park, with trails in a variety of difficulty levels, allowing you to take a path that is easy, especially with children, or try something a little bit harder.
Dinosaur Fossils
Given the size of the park, it is no wonder that the park has seen many dinosaur discoveries throughout the years. There are dinosaur museums near the park as well as paleontological sites. There are also petroglyphs and pictographs along rock walls, marking different eras in time, allowing visitors to get a glimpse of the past. Inside Yellowstone itself, you can check out the petrified forest or the lava-formed basalt columns.
Wildlife
A huge array of wild animals call Yellowstone home. Bison, grizzlies, wolves, moose, and even eagles can be spotted throughout the park, but if you venture up to the northeast area of the park, you may run across a herd of wild horses. Yellowstone bison, which are rarely seen elsewhere in the wild, form the largest herd in the world.
Fishing
Yellowstone Lake has a large amount of good fishing, which may not have been the first thing you would have thought of when it comes to the park. The native fish are cutthroat, brown trout, rainbow trout, as well as brook trout. The fish are enormous as well, ensuring that you will get an amazing catch on any fishing adventure.
Taking advantage of all of the wonderful national parks throughout the United States is a wonderful way to spend your vacations, regardless of whether you are traveling with children or not. With children, it is a great way to share time in nature with them while helping promote the conservation of the beautiful scenery that can be seen and enjoyed throughout North America.
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