Visit Yellowstone National Park, The First National Park in the World

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Yellowstone National Park extends more than 3,400 square miles across Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. It is the oldest, and thus the first, national park in the world, and has plenty of geysers, hot springs, and wildlife and unsurpassed beauty to intrigue and entertain anyone looking for a glimpse of true nature at its best. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem makes up a large part of the park, and is one of the largest untouched ecosystems that are still in pristine condition. The park was named for the rocks that are found in the canyon, which was formed by floods and soil erosion from the Yellowstone River.

Native Americans inhabited the Yellowstone National Park area for many years before the park was actually established. The first American to set foot in the area was John Colter, who was part of the Lewis and Clark expedition. F.V. Hayden was the one who actually started the set up of the national park due to his explorations in 1871 of the area that is now Yellowstone.

There are a variety of things to see and do at Yellowstone National Park, including a wide array of natural wonders and landscapes, as well as an array of wildlife and activities that can be enjoyed by anyone who visits the park. And since Yellowstone is such a huge park, more than 4 times the size of The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, don't plan on only spending one day here.

Yellowstone National Park is known for rafting and hiking most commonly, but is also home to great fishing and kayaking experiences. The park is not alone in its location. It is surrounded by Grand Teton National Park and Custer National Forest, which are also protected national areas in the United States. There are about 250,000 visitors each month to the park, which covers more than 2.2 million acres of area and 370 miles of roadways that traverse the park. Additionally, the most visited place within this vast park is easily Old Faithful, one of the most popular geysers in the entire world. The yellow lake that is located in the park is also among the highest altitude lakes on the continent.

There are many buildings, museums, and structures in and around the park, including the Old Faithful Inn, and Fort Yellowstone. One neat adventure you can take is a historical tour guided by the national park authority, if history is what you're interested in. One thing is certain for all visitors to the park, though, if you're going to take a vacation to Yellowstone National Park, you really need to allow yourself to enjoy at least three to five days in the park to fully experience everything that there is to see. You will certainly enjoy your vacation to Yellowstone and have memories to share for a lifetime.

Alan LeStourgeon runs a cabin rentals website where he writes about great vacation destinations and accommodations including Yellowstone National Park Lodging