Yellowstone National Park - Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park is simply massive. Encompassing 2.2 million acres, the park has grizzly bears, wolves, bison, elk and two-thirds of the world's geysers. Top on the list of attractions is Old Faithful Geyser. With stunning views, one can truly enjoy the work of mother nature. Of course, there is one unsettling thing about Yellowstone National Park. Literally. In recent years, scientist and park rangers have notice fairly massive movements in the park. The first discovery was the fact one of the lakes was "slipping" sideways at a rather dramatic rate. After extensive investigations, it was discovered that the Park sits on a massive magma vent. The vent is so massive that should it blow... Well, lets just say it would be a good year to travel abroad. Despite rumors to the contrary, the park is safe and a super volcanic event is extremely unlikely. Yellowstone Trivia 1. Yellowstone National Park, the world's first, was authorized by an act of Congress in 1872. 2. Yellowstone lies within one of the world's largest volcanic calderas, and is comprised primarily of a high, forested, volcanic plateau that is traversed by the Continental Divide. 3. The park receives 3 million total recreation visits annually. 4. The largest concentration of geysers in the world is in the Upper Geyser Basin in the Old Faithful area. Yellowstone Attractions 1. Yellowstone's unparalleled array of hydrothermal features--geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and steam vents--provide evidence of the active volcano beneath our feet. In the 40 miles between Mammoth Hot Springs and Old Faithful, you'll see travertine terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs, acidic features at Norris Geyser Basin, mud pots and geysers at Fountain Paint Pot, giant hot springs at Midway Geyser Basin, plus Biscuit and Black Sand basins near Old Faithful. West Thumb Geyser Basin is 17 miles east of Old Faithful; Mud Volcano is north of Yellowstone Lake. 2. The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River extends from just south of Canyon Village north to Tower Junction. The most famous and spectacular section, including the Upper and Lower Falls, is seen from overlooks along the North and South Rim roads near the Canyon Village area. The northernmost extent of the canyon is visible from Tower Fall and Calcite Springs overlooks, south of Tower Junction. 3. Yellowstone Lake is the largest high elevation lake (above 7,000 feet) in the Western Hemisphere. It has 110 miles of shoreline and is approximately 400 feet deep at its deepest spot. With the Absaroka Mountains as a stunning backdrop, this area offers boating, fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing, and hydrothermal features. The best thing about Yellowstone is simply the opportunity to truly be in nature. I've only been once, and was ill, but a return is definitely on the "to do" list.