Yellowstone National Park

By Act of Congress on March 1, 1872, Yellowstone National Park was "dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people" and "for the preservation, from injury or spoilation, of all timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or wonders. . . and their retention in their natural condition." Yellowstone is the first and oldest national park in the world.

The commanding features that initially attracted interest, and led to the preservation of Yellowstone as a national park, were geological: the geothermal phenomena (there are more geysers and hot springs here than in the rest of the world combined), the colorful Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, fossil forests, and the size and elevation of Yellowstone Lake.

The human history of the park is evidenced by cultural sites dating back 12,000 years. More recent history can be seen in the historic structures and sites that represent the various periods of park administration and visitor facilities development.

Ninety-nine percent of the park's 3,400 square miles (2.2 million acres) remains undeveloped, providing a wide range of habitat types that support one of the continent's largest and most varied large mammal populations. Yellowstone is a true wilderness, one of the few large, natural areas remaining in the lower 48 states of the United States. Here, you meet nature on its terms, not yours.

Yellowstone National Park Facts

General	World's first national park 3,472 square miles (8,987 square km) 2,219,823 acres (898,714 hectares) 63 miles north to south (102 km) 54 miles east to west (87 km) Larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined 91% in Wyoming 7.6% in Montana 1.4% in Idaho
Highest point	11,358 ft (3462 m) - Eagle Peak
Lowest point	5,282 ft (1610 m) - Reese Creek
Flora	8 species of conifers (Approximately 80% of forest is comprised of Lodgepole Pine). Approximately 1,050 species of native vascular plants 168 species of exotic (non-native) plants.
Wildlife	Largest concentration of free-roaming wildlife in the lower 48 states and the global temperate zone. 7 species of native ungulates (hoofed mammals) 2 species of bears Approximately 49 species of other mammals 290 species of birds 18 species of fish (5 non-native) 6 species of reptiles 4 species of amphibians 5 species protected as "threatened or endangered"
Yellowstone Lake	136 square miles surface area (35,400 hectares) 110 miles of shoreline (177 km) 20 miles north to south (32 km) 14 miles east to west (23 km) Average depth - 139 feet (42 m) Maximum depth - 390 feet (119 m)
Geology	Approximately 10,000 thermal features Approximately 200-250 active geysers Tallest waterfall: 308 feet (94 m) - Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River One of the world's largest calderas (volcanic explosion crater). It measures 28 miles x 47 miles (45 km x 75 km).
Temperature	Temperatures range from 10F (-12C) mean in January, to 55F (13C) mean in July at Lake Yellowstone in the center of the park. Record High Temp: 98F (37C) - Lamar 1936 Record Low Temp: -66F (-54C) - Madison 1933
Roads and Trails	5 Park entrances 370 miles of paved roads Approximately 1,200 miles of trails 97 trailheads Approximately 300 backcountry campsites
Cultural Resources	550 known archeologic sites Over 1,000 historic structures A designated World Heritage Site 13 Historic Districts 5 National Historic Landmarks Over 200,000 museum objects 90,000 historic photographs 1,400 linear feet of archives A Research Library of over 10,000 volumes

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