NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Foundation Document Overview Yellowstone National Park Wyoming, Montana, Idaho Contact Information For more information about the Yellowstone National Park Foundation Document, contact: [email protected] or 307-344-7381 or write to: Superintendent, Yellowstone National Park, PO Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190-0168 Park Description Yellowstone became the world’s first national park on March This vast landscape contains the headwaters of several major 1, 1872, set aside in recognition of its unique hydrothermal rivers. The Firehole and Gibbon rivers unite to form the Madison, features and for the benefit and enjoyment of the people. which, along with the Gallatin River, joins the Jefferson to With this landmark decision, the United States Congress create the Missouri River several miles north of the park. The created a path for future parks within this country and Yellowstone River is a major tributary of the Missouri, which around the world; Yellowstone still serves as a global then flows via the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. The Snake resource conservation and tourism model for public land River arises near the park’s south boundary and joins the management. Yellowstone is perhaps most well-known for its Columbia to flow into the Pacific. Yellowstone Lake is the largest hydrothermal features such as the iconic Old Faithful geyser. lake at high altitude in North America and the Lower Yellowstone The park encompasses 2.25 million acres, or 3,472 square Falls is the highest of more than 40 named waterfalls in the park. miles, of a landscape punctuated by steaming pools, bubbling mudpots, spewing geysers, and colorful volcanic soils. Filled Yellowstone has been important to people for thousands with the smell of sulfur and described in 1856 by Jim Bridger of years. The park preserves resources associated with over as a “place where Hell bubbled up,” Yellowstone is still 11,000 years of human history, which provide insights into a variety of cultures and values, including those of American recognized as a place of wonder. The park contains more Indians, trappers, explorers, miners, U.S. Army personnel, than 10,000 thermal features, including the world’s greatest National Park Service (NPS) and private sector concession concentration of geysers. A large underground volcanic staff, neighboring communities, and over 140 years of park system fuels these hydrothermal features, and has shaped the visitors. Today, millions of people travel from around the globe park’s landscape over centuries. to visit Yellowstone and take advantage of its rich recreational Yellowstone is the heart of the Greater Yellowstone opportunities, including hiking, camping, fishing, and Ecosystem (GYE), a vast landscape of 28,000 square horseback riding. Many visitors come to see Old Faithful geyser miles populated by a wide variety of wildlife and geologic or search for bears, wolves, and other wildlife, while others wonders. Surrounded by six national forests, private and pass on family memories and traditions as they travel through reservation lands, and over 2 million designated wilderness remembered landscapes. The historic Old Faithful Inn and acres, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is one of the other lodging, museums, and visitor centers serve overnight last, largest, mostly intact temperate-zone ecosystems on and day use guests while representing Yellowstone’s rich earth. Ninety percent of the acres within park borders human history. The park is an economic force providing benefit are managed as wilderness where human intrusion and to surrounding communities. intervention into natural processes are minimized. These While most people visit Yellowstone during the summer, other lands support a wide variety of wildlife, including bison, times of the year also offer outstanding visitor opportunities, grizzly and black bears, gray wolves, elk, bighorn sheep, including the springtime display of newly born wildlife and coyotes, otters, cutthroat trout, and other species. In 1972, the autumn combat between bull elk. Winter offers a unique the United Nations Educational, Social, and Cultural opportunity to observe wildlife and recreate in Yellowstone’s Organization (UNESCO) named Yellowstone the first area extreme cold and snow-covered landscape. The park is entirely in the United States to be designated as a Biosphere Reserve, different during this frigid time, when bison clear snow looking and in 1978 the park was declared a world heritage site. for dried grasses and geysers steam in the freezing air. Park Map Gravel or dirt road Ranger station Road construction Winter road closures Backcountry use Work may be underway on From early November to early Get permits required for back- Geothermal feature Campground park roadways. Check the May most park roads are country camping and trail maps park newspaper or website closed. The exception is the at most ranger stations. Do not for road delays/closures and road in the park between the use this map for backcountry North for seasonal dates of services North Entrance and Cooke City. hiking. There are almost 1,000 01 10 Kilometers and facilities It is open all year. miles of trails. 01 10 Miles To Livingston S t i l l w a t e A r B GALLATIN NATIONAL FOREST R GALLATIN i S v 89 e A r Beartooth Highway closed NATIONAL Jardine R from mid-October to late May H O Gardiner e O U FOREST l G L A Hellroaring l K a r B l A E Cooke l o F at Mountain T u A a F i A f n f City r U L a Silver 212 i P l n B k o Park road between the North Entrance North Entrance e g Gate e and Cooke City is open all year. r C MONTANA C MONTANA r llowst o e e n h Mammoth Hot Springs Y G e g e WYOMING WYOMING Northeast u k o R A l Visitor Center i Mount Everts C S Entrance v L Park Headquarters r e L e r Phantom e MammothA Hot Springs Terraces iver R R k T Undine Lake Road closed from early Slough Creek GALLATIN I Falls A N November to late April Pebble Creek R Tower- N BLACKTAIL DEER To R Bunsen NATIONAL E E Red Lodge Roosevelt Peak PLATEAU G N L Wraith Yellowstone D O r E FOREST Falls R e H Petrified Tree Association n L A R L k d a A Institute e G r m A a Tower Fall M re G S A a The N r C P R Sheepeater Cliff E Thunderer k G C e e Indian Creek Tower t I V t e E M u r A B Fall E L C k N L L E a ee Y d a r o SHOSHONE C S e v h r R a e R c w I a o D iv T C G e C r r r ee E NATIONAL Mount Holmes k e Obsidian Cliff v WYOMING MON To i Quake R Mount Lake Grizzly 191 Washburn FOREST T Lake M ANA I R 287 Observation R Roaring Mountain Peak Dunraven O e R Twin n M Pass o ille Lakes Museum t r Canyon Village s P L Creek w L a 191 m Information Station, Norris Visitor Education llo A 287 e T Museum and Geyser Basin Center Y E a A r M Bookstore U A Inspiration Point Saddle D IS R O Steamboat Artist Point i Mountain N v Geyser Lower Falls e To V Road closed from Norris r A Ashton LL early November Monument Artists Virginia Upper Falls EY to late April PaintpotCascade Geyser Basin Y e Pollux R 20 M U adi R l Pelican s on iv lo Peak e Madison A r H w White Cone Gibbon A E on Falls YD s Lake G T t West Entrance ibb EN o West A V n Yellowstone Mt Haynes ALLE e Sulphur Caldron Information Station L Y Firehole Falls F Bookstore P Pyramid Peak Mud Volcano i r e R West h Y o i E Yellowstone l v L e e L YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK A r Visitor V R L Information PELICAN Center A Visitor Center Fishing Bridge LOWER GEYSER BASIN Fountain Paint Pot R T Lake Village WYOMING N Turbid Lake Great Fountain Geyser E East Entrance C M Bridge Bay A Lake Butte Biscuit Basin MIDWAY GEYSER BASIN Marina M D ON I Mystic Sylvan T S UPPER D YELLOWSTONE AN Falls Continental ivi Lake A O d ID GEYSER e Sylvan AH N BASIN LAKE O Pass 14 Maximum depth To Cody Grizzly Peak Eleanor Road closed from 16 Old Faithful 430ft Black Sand Basin Lake early November 20 131m WEST to early May Kepler Visitor Center Craig THUMB Cascades P Pass West Thumb Frank Mount L Island r Langford A e West Thumb T iv Information Station Geyser Basin A E R A Bookstore SHOSHONE e l Visitor Center B U o Y IDAHO S h ke R e a S L O O NATIONAL WYOMING Grant Village r i rm T A F tn A U ne t M N A P o a T sh Fl C O Mount FOREST P ho o H n M R S t Schurz R in e O O n t R O a CARIBOU- X P l A I M D K Eagle Peak R E TARGHEE A iv Ye 11358ft i M H l Lewis d l A T T o Lewis Lake 3462m e w E Lake NATIONAL s (highest point C t A o Table in the park) RED n FOREST L Mountain D r e E MOUNTAINS Heart C Lewis Falls C r R A A Lake e R S v B i O Mount C BRIDGER-TETON U i N e C R D v A s PITCHSTONE PLATEAU ARY Sheridan h D Overlook e u ip E r Mountain o m r NATIONAL FOREST u G n r k le Ouzel Falls L e h C Road closed from w c O T i e R early November s H B N E E to mid-May C R R ree k Union Falls i T v S R e n I r a D k e E South Entrance Mount N Riv T R Hancock er A Cave Falls N oad G R ke Flagg Ranch E a Road closed L Information Station y in winter s s r a e er r JOHN D.