| Page Views: 14,275 Last Visit to Yellowstone National Park: - I Visit Here Frequently | Yellowstone National Park, My Neighbor by KimberlyAnn - last update: Apr 18, 2009 |
| Great Fountain Geyser on Firehole Drive |
We have lived in the East Gate Community of Cody, Wyoming since 1976, so I have been to the park a number of times and have never tired of its beauty and variety. Yellowstone is famous for its boiling hot springs and geysers, and nowhere in the world are there the numbers of geysers as in Yellowstone. Yellowstone therefore deserves its fame for these hot wonders, but besides these amazing features you will find the beauty of rivers, mountains, deep canyons, waterfalls, prairies, vast forest, alpine lakes, and the large Yellowstone Lake. And if that isn't enough to bring you to Yellowstone, come for the wildlife. Here you may be lucky enough to see such large mammals as moose, elk, bighorn sheep, mule deer, antelope, bison (also known as buffalo), bears (black and grizzly), coyote, and wolves as well as a number of smaller mammals. You will find bird species that include eagles, osprey, trumpeter swan, and the white pelican. The list of wildlife would of itself warrant making Yellowstone an important wildlife sanctuary. Yellowstone became the world's first national park in 1872 so that the beauty of this wild place could be preserved for generations. This special place is large, with a 142-mile grand loop road that passes major scenic attractions and connects the five entrances. So give it as much time as possible, or give it a number of visits. We have lived near the park for years, and have never seen all the sites.For an Interactive Road Map of Yellowstone visit this link:http://www.nps.gov/archive/yell/interactivemapHelp Protect Wildlife Near the Roads.Speed kills more than 100 bears, elk, bison, moose, deer, and wolves each year. Slow Down and follow the park speed limit. In most areas this will be a maximum of 45 miles per hours. |
| Evidence of the 1988 Fires |
|  | Did the 1988 Fires Ruin the Park? During the summer of 1988 the Yellowstone fires burned many sections of the park, and in some areas the appearance of the landscape was greatly changed. I remember that year clearly, as the fires raged in the park, the skies in Cody became hazy so that our days were gray and our sunsets were spectacular. The smell of smoke reached all the way down the beautiful Wapiti Valley to Cody, 50 miles away. The photos and stories in our local newspaper and on our radio were worrisome. The next year when we returned to the park we were concerned that we would see vast areas of devastation, yet no major features were destroyed. The geysers, waterfalls, herds of wildlife, the Old Faithful Inn, and the Lake Hotel were still there. The park was still beautiful, despite the patches of burned trees. Much of the park showed no signs of the fire at all and was still heavily forested and green. As years have gone by, the burned areas have become places of beauty as wildflowers, and young trees replace the old forests. In these burned areas, the young trees open up the view to a much wider vista allowing us to see mountain sides and valleys that were once hidden behind tall, dense trees. This photo was taken on a cloudy fall day a year after the fires. You can see both untouched forest, as well as burned areas. |
| Run Off From Great Fountain Geyser |
| | The Park’s Mission Yellowstone National Park preserves Old Faithful and the majority of the world’s geysers and hot springs. It also preserves an outstanding mountain wildland with clean water and air. Yellowstone is the home of the grizzly bear, black bear, wolf, coyote, moose and free-ranging herds of bison, elk, and antelope, as well as many other mammals and birds. Also protected are centuries old sites and historic buildings, which reflect the unique heritage of Yellowstone, American’s first national park. Yellowstone National Park serves as a model and inspiration for national parks throughout the world.
The photo shows the run off pool of Great Fountain Geyser, one of our favorite geysers in the park. Great Fountain may be found along the Firehole Drive on the east side of the park. For a virtual visit to Old Faithful, Yellowstone’s most famous geyser, click on this web cam link for a real time image that updates every 30 seconds.
www.nps.gov/archive/yell/oldfaithfulcam.htm
If you have Windows Media Player, you can see a live cam with narration at this link:
www.nps.gov/yell/photosmultimedia/yellowstonelive.htm
Yes! Yellowstone is a volcano. How do we know? What is a Caldera? Why are there geysers in Yellowstone? What are other geologic hazards in the park? For answers to these and other questions, view the following video:
http://gallery.usgs.gov/videos/112 |
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| Pros: | "Nowhere in the world will you find one place with such a variety of wonders and beauty." | | Cons: | "Weather can be a factor, especially in the spring and fall, however August and July bring the largest number of visitors." | | In A Nutshell: | "Be ready for any kind of weather, then get out and walk the marvelous features, look for wildlife, and enjoy the natural beauty of the landscape." |
KimberlyAnn's Yellowstone National Park Travel Tips
 KimberlyAnn's Yellowstone National Park Travelogues | | | |
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 Comments for KimberlyAnn about Yellowstone National Park | | | | |
StumpTim Mon Jun 29, 2009 01:36 UTC
great pics of yellowstone and quotes from famous places - you have a great sensitivity to our world - keep on opining! see you Haden Valley for a sunset soon | PALLINA Mon Jun 8, 2009 18:10 UTC
Really impressively detailed page! Many thanks for sharing | Camping_Girl Tue Jan 20, 2009 02:11 UTC
Anne this is a GREAT page!!! I enjoyed reading your tips & will be back to go over it in more detail as we plan a trip to YNP for this summer. Thanks! | PinkFloydActuary Mon Apr 7, 2008 02:26 UTC
Fantastic stuff on the granddaddy of all the national parks! |
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