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  • Yellowstone National Park stretches across the secluded

  • north-west corner of Wyoming, reaching into Idaho and Montana.

  • Founded in 1872, Yellowstone was the world's first national park

  • and now hosts over 4 million adventurers each year.

  • A 12-hour drive from Seattle or a five-hour drive from Salt Lake City,

  • there's no doubt that it's a trek to get here,

  • but the moment you step foot in this vast park,

  • you'll know it was worth every mile.

  • With endless green prairies, spectacular mountain ranges,

  • and abundant wildlife,

  • Yellowstone is the very best of North American wilderness,

  • wrapped up into a 2-million-acre gift for nature lovers.

  • Yellowstone is proudly managed by the National Park Service

  • and its highlights are easily accessible by the loop road

  • which can be reached from each of the park's five entrances.

  • So, buckle up and get ready to explore a land untouched by humanity.

  • Yellowstone is a geothermal extravaganza

  • that sits atop a slumbering super volcano,

  • which is said to have violently erupted over 60,000 years ago.

  • Geologists have long debated the caldera's origins,

  • and theories abound as to when the next big eruption is due.

  • But don't let the merchants of doom put you off,

  • seismic activity is closely monitored to ensure the safety of park visitors.

  • One of the best places to witness the geothermal activity

  • bubbling beneath Yellowstone is at Grand Prismatic Spring,

  • just under 25 miles from the park's west entrance.

  • Admire the vivid pool from afar, but don't get any ideas about plunging in,

  • these steaming waters can reach temperatures near boiling.

  • Just to the south is Old Faithful, one of the most visited geysers in the world.

  • Aptly named, Old Faithful punctually spews boiling water and steam into the sky

  • every 60 to 90 minutes.

  • The explorers of yesteryear once used Old Faithful as their laundry,

  • placing garments at the vent,

  • which were blasted into the sky and thoroughly washed by the boiling water.

  • This landscape is not only an impressive display of geothermal activity;

  • it is also laced with lush forests, rivers, and lakes.

  • Yellowstone Lake is the tranquil heart of the park,

  • and outdoor enthusiasts congregate here

  • for all sorts of recreational activities.

  • Cast a line in the icy, high altitude waters,

  • …. venture out in a kayak,

  • .… or explore the lapping shores on foot

  • The park is not only rich with legends and precious views;

  • it is also teeming with wildlife.

  • Yellowstone has long been a refuge for America's native animals,

  • and the park's greatest success story is the restoration of the mighty bison.

  • Today, Yellowstone is home to the planet's largest remaining wild herd.

  • In Hayden Valley, a close encounter with this sturdy beast is almost guaranteed.

  • So, remember to keep your eyes on the road!

  • One of the most dramatic sights in the park is the Yellowstone River.

  • Fed by Yellowstone Lake,

  • the river winds its way north before plummeting 300 feet

  • off Lower Falls and into the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

  • Leave your car and embark on the short hike to Artist Point,

  • one of the best places to sit and marvel

  • at the immensity of this natural wonder.

  • Natural beauty can lift the spirit like nothing else,

  • and there are countless places in Yellowstone

  • which seem to be designed for travelers to simply sit back and admire.

  • Unfold a picnic chair at Pebble Creek

  • and let the sound of its rushing waters clear your mind and soothe your soul.

  • Still in the park's north,

  • dense trees open out into rolling prairies in Lamar Valley.

  • Its lush fields are watered by babbling brooks

  • and framed by a backdrop of snowcapped peaks.

  • Bring your binoculars to catch a closer glimpse of more wild bison,

  • along with Yellowstone's other native animals.

  • When evening sets in,

  • set up your tent at one of the many campsites

  • or head out of the park's north entrance to Gardiner.

  • This gateway town is the perfect haven for weary travelers.

  • Warm yourself with a hearty meal at one of the many saloons

  • before continuing your epic Yellowstone adventure.

  • In Yellowstone,

  • a step in any direction is like a journey to another continent,

  • and sometimesanother planet.

  • Just south of Gardiner is Mammoth Hot Springs.

  • The springs carry minerals which solidify into ever-changing limestone terraces.

  • The ethereal formations are breathtaking reminder

  • that even in the natural world,

  • change is the great constant of life.

  • Make your way south to Norris,

  • an area surrounded by hundreds of geothermal wonders.

  • Listen to clay bubbling and boiling

  • from the depths of the earth at Artists' Paintpots.

  • Wander boardwalks set just inches from the trembling surface

  • of Norris Geyser Basin and hold your breath as you advance through

  • billowing clouds of vapor rising from beneath the planet's crust.

  • Yellowstone National Park has long been a land of epic horizons,

  • legendary stories and endless renewal.

  • As the grandfather of all national parks,

  • its legacy has inspired wildlife preservation across the globe.

  • Today, a trip into the heart of Yellowstone is like a journey back in time.

  • A journey to the great landscape of America before Europeans arrived.

  • It's a journey to creation itself.

Yellowstone National Park stretches across the secluded

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