Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is a U.S. National				doctors before visiting.
Park located in the states of Wyoming,
Montana, and Idaho. Yellowstone is the first				Wildfires are a relatively common occurrence
and oldest national park in the world and				in Yellowstone, because of the dry summer
covers 3,470 square miles (8,980 km2), mostly				climate, but they should not be considered
in the northwest corner of Wyoming. The park				"disasters"; instead, they are a regular
is famous for its various geysers, hot				natural process that contributes to the
springs, and other geothermal features and is				beauty and ecology of the park. A series of
home to grizzly bears, wolves, and				wildfires in 1988 burned about 45% of the
free-ranging herds of bison and elk. It is				park's forest, including some forests
the core of the Greater Yellowstone				adjacent to the major tourist areas. The
Ecosystem, one of the largest intact				areas burned in the 1988 fire present a
temperate zone ecosystems remaining on the				strange, stark beauty, and the burned areas
planet. The world's most famous geyser, the				are swiftly returning to green.
Old Faithful Geyser, is also located in
Yellowstone National Park.				Park officials advise visitors not to
				approach dangerous animals and to stay on
Long before any recorded human history in				designated safe trails to avoid falling into
Yellowstone, a massive volcanic eruption				boiling liquids and inhaling toxic gas. In
spewed an immense volume of ash that covered				2004, five bison were discovered dead from an
all of the western U.S., much of the Midwest,				apparent inhalation of toxic geothermal
northern Mexico and some areas of the eastern				gases.
Pacific Coast. The eruption dwarfed that of
Mount St. Helens in 1980 and left a huge				Lodging for visitors exist at 11 locations
caldera 43 miles by 18 miles (70 km by 30 km)				within park boundaries. There is a clear view
sitting over a huge magma chamber (see				of Old Faithful Geyser at the park's Old
Geology section and Yellowstone Caldera).				Faithful Inn. Lodges range from hotel to
Yellowstone has registered three major				cabin accommodations. There also are 11
eruption events in the last 2.2 million years				campgrounds and one hard-sided recreational
with the last event occurring 640,000 years				vehicle park.
ago. Its eruptions are the largest known to
have occurred on Earth within that timeframe,				The park itself is surrounded by other
producing drastic climate change in the				protected lands (including Grand Teton
aftermath (See also:Supervolcano).				National Park and Custer National Forest) and
				beautiful drives (such as the Beartooth
The park received its name from its location				Highway). Nearby communities include West
at the headwaters of the Yellowstone River.				Yellowstone, Montana; Cody, Wyoming; Red
French trappers gave this river the name				Lodge, Montana; Ashton, Idaho; and Gardiner,
"Roche Jaune," probably a translation of the				Montana.
Hidatsa name "Mi tsi a-da-zi," and the later
American trappers rendered the French name				The United States Census Bureau reported that
into English as "Yellow Stone." Although it				there were exactly 600 people living
is commonly believed that the river was named				permanently on the park's land area as of the
for the yellow rocks seen in the Grand Canyon				2000 census.
of the Yellowstone, the Native American
source name more likely derived from the				A series of lightning-derived fires started
yellowish bluffs located near present-day				to burn large portions of the park in July of
Billings, Montana.				the especially dry summer of 1988. Thousands
				of firefighters responded to the blaze in
Yellowstone is one of the most popular				order to prevent human-built structures from
national parks in the United States. The park				succumbing to the flames. Controversially,
is unique in that it features multiple				however, no serious effort was made to
natural wonders all in the same park.				completely extinguish the fires, and they
				burned until the arrival of autumn rains.
Geysers, hot springs, a grand canyon,				Ecologists argue that fire is part of the
forests, wilderness, wildlife and even a				Yellowstone ecosystem, and that not allowing
large lake can all be found inside the park.				the fires to run their course (as has been
Due to the park's diversity of features, the				the practice in the past) will result in an
list of activities for visitors is nearly				overgrown forest that would be extremely
endless. From backpacking to mountaineering,				vulnerable to deoxygenation, disease, and
from kayaking to fishing, from sightseeing to				decay. In fact, relatively few megafauna in
watching bison, moose, and elk wandering into				the park were killed by the fires; and since
the parking lot of the visitor centers, most				the blaze, many saplings have sprung up on
visitors enjoy a memorable experience in				their own, old vistas are viewable once
nature.				again, and many previously unknown
				archaeological and geological sites of
Most of the geothermal features (hot springs,				interest were found and cataloged by
geysers, etc) emit gaseous sulfur, and though				scientists. The National Park Service now has
to most people the odor is not terribly				a policy of lighting smaller, controlled
offensive or overwhelming, people with				"prescribed fires" to prevent another
respiratory difficulties should consult their				dangerous buildup of flammable materials.

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Yellowstone National Park