Yellowstone National Park

 

On this day in 1872, President Grant signed the bill creating our first National Park: Yellowstone

This was 18 years before Wyoming, Idaho and Montana even became states.

Archaeological evidence shows that people began traveling through the area more than 11,000 years ago.

A Clovis-type spear was found near the north entrance in Gardiner, Montana, made from obsidian. 

It was the Native Americans who gave the name Yellowstone, for the yellow sandstone that lines the river.

There are 45 named waterfalls in the park, and hundreds more exist throughout.

But the hot springs and thermophiles are what make the park stand out.

It is the thermophiles that create the vibrant colors we see around the hot, acidic pools.

Of course, most famous is the geyser, Old Faithful.  It erupts 17 times a day and can reach heights of 184 feet, lasting about 90 seconds.

Magma is estimated to be a mere three miles below the surface of the park.  It is one of the most seismically active areas in the US, with up to 3,000 earthquakes a year.  Some are too small to feel, but that supervolcano would be something else entirely...

Back to the bison at the top - this is the only place in the US where they have lived continuously since prehistoric times.  The northern herd breeds in the Lamar Valley while the central herd breeds in Hayden Valley.

The park is also home to 66 other mammal species, the largest concentration in the lower 48 states.

Yellowstone was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.