44 Cool Facts about Yellowstone National Park to Discover

Are you ready to explore one of the most amazing places on Earth? Let’s take a virtual trip to Yellowstone National Park! Yellowstone is a huge and stunningly beautiful park full of wild animals, towering trees, and some of the most incredible natural wonders you’ll ever see. So, grab your binoculars, and let’s discover some cool facts about Yellowstone National Park!

Did you know that Yellowstone is the very first national park in the world? That’s right! It was established back in 1872, which means it’s been a special place for people to enjoy nature for a long time. Yellowstone is so big that it spreads across three states: Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.

One of the most extraordinary things about Yellowstone is its geysers. Geysers are like natural fountains that shoot hot water and steam high into the air. The most famous geyser in Yellowstone is called Old Faithful because it erupts, or goes off, very regularly. People from all over come to watch it spout up into the sky.

But that’s not all! Yellowstone is also home to tons of animals. You might see bison, which are huge animals that look a bit like really big cows, or you might spot a grizzly bear, elk, or even a wolf. If you ever visit you will want to remember these are wild animals, so it’s important to watch them from a safe distance.

Are you ready to learn more facts about Yellowstone National Park? From its bubbling mud pots to its colorful hot springs and towering waterfalls, Yellowstone is a place of wonder and adventure. Let’s keep exploring and discover all the incredible things that make Yellowstone a must-see destination!

Be sure to discover even more interesting facts with our Facts about Virginia and our Facts about Arizona.

Facts about Yellowstone National Park

1. Yellowstone National Park was established on March 1, 1872.
2. It covers 3,472 square miles (2,221,766 acres), larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined.
3. The park is in parts of three states: Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.
4. Yellowstone is bigger than the two U.S. states.
5. The U.S. Army managed the park for over 30 years.
6. Yellowstone was originally nicknamed ‘Wonderland.’
7. Yellowstone has more than 1800 archaeological sites.
8. It contains 3,500 square miles, and there are more than 10,000 hydrothermal features.
9. NASA astronaut and geologist Bob Christiansen discovered the massive caldera that Yellowstone sits on using high-altitude photos.
10. In 1995, Gray Wolves returned to Yellowstone.
11. The park got its name from Native Americans, who referred to the yellow sandstone along the Yellowstone River.
12. Every year, between 700 and 3,000 earthquakes occur in Yellowstone, but most are too small to feel.
13. One of Yellowstone’s earliest explorers was stranded there for 37 days.
14. In the park’s early days, visitors came to watch bears eat garbage.
15. A painter played a crucial role in Yellowstone’s creation.
16. The vibrant colors in the park come from trillions of microorganisms called thermophiles.
17. Yellowstone includes the nation’s oldest herd of bison.
18. The highest point in the park is 11,358′ at Eagle Peak, and the lowest point is 5,282′ at Reese Creek.
19. There are five park entrances and 466 miles of roads.
20. All of Yellowstone is one massive active volcano (It hasn’t erupted in half a million years!).
21. The supervolcano is capable of a magnitude 8 eruption.
22. Yellowstone Contains More Than 10,000 Hydrothermal Features.
23. In Terms of Size, Yellowstone’s Grand Prismatic is the Country’s Largest Hot Spring.
24. There are 15 miles of boardwalk.
25. The park’s temperature swings from below freezing to burning hot.
26. Yellowstone is home to natural phenomena.
27. Yellowstone’s Grand Prismatic is the largest hot spring in the country.
28. Yellowstone is home to The Most Famous Geyser On Earth!
29. There are 290 waterfalls in the park!
30. Yellowstone is the only place in the U.S. where bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times.
31. Yellowstone has an inn that is a century old!!
32. The park once featured a ‘bear lunch counter.’
33. The earliest known photograph of Old Faithful, while it was erupting, was taken by William Henry Jackson during an 1872 survey of the park.
34. The oldest building that still stands in Yellowstone is the Lake Yellowstone Hotel. It is painted a bright buttercup yellow color and dates back to 1891.
35. Yellowstone is home to half of the world’s hydrothermal features — from hot springs to geysers.
36. Yellowstone’s hot springs are so hot and acidic that they can dissolve a human body in a single day.
37. Yellowstone is the largest high-alpine lake in North America!
38. There are more than 500 active geysers.
39. Yellowstone has the 3rd largest hot spring in the world!
40. A veteran of the Lewis and Clark expedition may have been the first American to see Yellowstone.
41. In North America, Yellowstone Lake is the Largest High-Elevation Lake.
42. Yellowstone is home to 67 species of mammals, the largest concentrations of mammals in the lower 48 states.
43. In 1901, William F. Cody, more popularly known as ‘Buffalo Bill’, founded the town of Cody in Wyoming, reputedly because it was close to Yellowstone.
44. The park’s name was derived from Native American references to the yellow sandstone along the Yellowstone River.

Do you have even more interesting facts about Yellowstone National Park? Share them with us in the comments!