Yellowstone National Park, the world’s frst national park, is named after the Yellowstone River. Welcome Yellowstone National Park is as wondrous as it is complex. The park has rich human and ecological stories that continue to unfold. When Yellowstone was established as the world’s frst national park in 1872, it sparked an idea that infuenced the creation of the National Park Service and the more than 400 sites it protects today across the United States. Yellowstone National Park also forms the core of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. At 34,375 square miles, it is one of the largest, nearly intact temper- ate-zone ecosystems on Earth. The park continues to infuence preservation and science, and we are pleased to share its stories with you. Many people have dedicated their lives and careers www.nps.gov/yellowstonescience. to studying Yellowstone, and the park has a long • The park newspaper distributed at entrance history of research and public interest. In a given gates and visitor centers. year, the park hosts between 115 and 150 researchers • Site bulletins, published as needed, provide from various agencies, universities, and organizations more detailed information on park topics such each year. These researchers produce hundreds of as trailside museums and the grand hotels. Free; papers, manuscripts, books, and book chapters on available upon request from visitor centers. their work annually—a volume of information that is • Trail guides, available at all visitor centers. difficult to absorb. This compendium is intended to A $1 donation is requested. help you understand the important concepts about Yellowstone’s many resources and contains informa- Second Century of Service tion about the park’s history, natural and cultural On August 25, 2016, the National Park Service resources, and issues. celebrated its 100th birthday. For a century, the In addition to the references listed for each topic National Park Service has cared for and protected covered in this handbook, here are some interdisci- wildlife, land, waterways, accomplishments, lessons, plinary sources: and stories belonging to the citizens of the United • www.nps.gov/yell States. And we are ready to connect with and create • Yellowstone Science, free from the Yellowstone the next generation of park visitors, supporters, and Center for Resources, in the Yellowstone advocates. Research Library, or online at Welcome v vi Yellowstone Resources and Issues Handbook, 2020 Park Facts Yellowstone National GEOLOGY More than 720,000 museum Fees: $19.2 Park was established items, including 30 historic Utilities & Agreements An active volcano on March 1, 1872. vehicles (Reimbursable): $6.0 One of the world’s largest Millions of archived documents Yellowstone is the world’s calderas at 45 x 30 miles (72 Distribution of Budget More than 20,000 books frst national park. x 48 km) Park Support: 9% Includes (many rare), manuscripts, 1,000–3,000 earthquakes human resources, periodicals GEOGRAPHY annually contracting, budget and 2 fnance, partnerships, 3,472 square miles (8,991 km ) More than 10,000 EMPLOYEES 2,221,766 acres or 899,116 hydrothermal features telecommunications, and hectares. Note: No About 500 active geysers National Park Service information technology. area fgures have been (more than half the world’s Permanent (386 total) Facility Operations and scientifcally verifed. Efforts active geysers) Full time, year-round: 170 Maintenance: 44% to confrm the park’s total About 290 waterfalls Career Seasonal: 213 Includes utilities, roads, area continue. Tallest waterfall near a road: Part time: 3 trails, structures, historic 63 air miles north to south Lower Falls of the Term (variable duration): 4 preservation coordination, (102 km) Yellowstone River at 308 Temporary: 348 construction management. 54 air miles east to west feet (94 m) Park Protection: 20% Includes Concessioners (87 km) law enforcement, emergency About 3,200 people work for 96% in Wyoming, 3% in WILDLIFE medical services, search and concessioners at summer rescue, entrance station Montana, 1% in Idaho 67 species of mammals, peak. operations, structural fre Highest Point: 11,358 feet including activities. (3,462 m; Eagle Peak) 7 species of native ungulates FACILITIES Resource Stewardship: 17% Lowest Point: 5,282 feet 2 species of bears Includes management (1,610 m; Reese Creek) 285 species of birds (150 11 visitor centers, museums, operations and monitoring Larger than Rhode Island and nesting) and contact stations of natural and cultural Delaware combined 16 species of fsh (5 nonnative) 9 hotels/lodges (2,000+ hotel resources, invasive species About 5% covered by water; More than 7 aquatic nuisance rooms/cabins) management, research 15% by grassland; and 80% species (3 having signifcant 7 NPS-operated campgrounds coordination. by forests detrimental effect) (450+ sites) Visitor Services: 10% 5 species of amphibians 5 concession-operated Precipitation Includes interpretation 6 species of reptiles campgrounds (1,700+ sites) Annual precipitation ranges and education, and park 2 threatened species: Canada More than 1,500 buildings from 10 inches (26 cm) 52 picnic areas, 1 marina concessions management. at the north boundary to lynx, grizzly bears 80 inches (205 cm) in the ROADS AND TRAILS VISITATION southwest corner VEGETATION The park recorded more than 4 9 species of conifers (more 5 park entrances Temperature million visits in 2019; down than 80% of forest is 466 miles (750 km) of roads Average daily, at Mammoth: 2.3% from 2018. lodgepole pine) (310 miles [499 km] paved) January: 9ºF (–13ºC) The last time the park recorded 1,000+ species of native More than 15 miles (24 km) July: 80ºF (27ºC) fewer than 4 million annual fowering species (3 endemic) of boardwalk, including 13 Records: recreational visits was in 225 species of invasive plants self-guiding trails High: 99ºF (37ºC), 2002 2014, with 3.5 million visits. 186 species of lichens Approximately 1,000 miles (Mammoth) (1,609 km) of backcountry Detailed park visitation Low: –66ºF (–54ºC), 1933 CULTURAL RESOURCES trails information is available at (West Entrance, Riverside 92 trailheads https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/ Station) 26 associated Native American 301 backcountry campsites Top 10 Visitation Years tribes Yellowstone Lake 1. 2016 4,257,177 More than 1,800 known 131.7 square miles of surface BUDGET 2. 2017 4,116,524 archeological sites area (341.1 km2) 3. 2018 4,115,000 More than 300 ethnographic Fiscal Year 2019 (in millions) 141 miles of shoreline (227 km) 4. 2015 4,097,710 resources (animals, plants, Total: $74.5 20 miles north to south (32 5. 2019 4,020,287 sites) Federal Funding: km) 6. 2010 3,640,185 25 sites, landmarks, and Congressional Annual 14 miles east to west (22 km) 7. 2014 3,513,484 districts on the National Appropriations: Average depth: 138 feet (42 m) 8. 2012 3,447,729 Register of Historic Places; Operations and staff (base): Maximum depth: 430 feet 9. 2011 3,394,321 many more eligible for listing $40.9 (131 m) 10. 2009 3,295,187 1 National Historic Trail Wildland Fire: $1.1 More than 900 historic Other Appropriations: $5.6 buildings Other Funding: Donations and Grants: $1.7 Park Facts 1 Yellowstone National Park North Entrance Ï MT e Ï Northeast Y llowsto ne Entrance R Mammoth iv Ï er WY n Riv Gallati er Ï Tower Junction Lamar Ï Ï Tower Fall L a m a r R Mount Washburn i # v 10,243 ft e I 3,122m r Norris Ï ÏCanyon r I I e !L: Y el iv l n River o o R w j I s n Madi o s G b t Ï Madison ib o ne ' R West Ï i Entrance ver Fishing Bridge r e Lake Ï v i Ï R e Ï l Bridge Bay o Ï h e ir F ÏEast Entrance Ï Yellowstone Lake ID Old Faithful West Thumb Ï Ï Shoshone Lake Grant Y # el lo Eagle Peak Lewis Lake w s 11,358 ft er to 3,462 m v n Ri e Heart Lake r R le i h v c e Be r Sn ak e R iv er Bechler alls River Ï F Ï South Entrance John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Ï Developed Areas Continental Divide Rivers Memorialr- Parkway Caldera 0 10 Kilometers Roads Lakes North Grand Teton State Boundary # Summits NPS Boundary 0 10 Miles National Park CJ Á '\ 2 Yellowstone Resources and Issues Handbook, 2020 Frequently Asked Questions How did Yellowstone get its name? Yellowstone National Park is named after the Yellowstone River, the major river running through the park. According to French- Canadian trappers in the 1800s, they asked the name of the river from the Minnetaree tribe, who live in what is now eastern Montana. They responded “Mi tse a-da-zi,” which translates as “Yellow Stone River.” The trappers translated this into French, and, in 1797, explorer-geographer David Thompson frst used the English translation. Lewis and Clark called the Yellowstone River by the French and English forms. Subsequent use formalized the name “Yellowstone.” Is Yellowstone the largest national park? No. More than half of Alaska’s national park units are larger, including Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve, which is the largest unit (13 million acres) in the National Park System. Until 1994, Yellowstone (at 2.2 million acres) was the largest national park in the contiguous United States. That year Death Valley National Monument was expanded and became a national park—it has more than 3 million acres. Approximately 740 people work for the National Park Service in Yellowstone National Park during the peak Is Yellowstone the most visited national park? summer season. No. Yellowstone is in the top six national parks for number of recreational visits. Great Smoky Mountains National Park has the most—more than 12.5 million in 2019.