Established on March 1, 1872, Yellowstone National Park is the first and oldest national park in the world. Yellowstone lies 56 miles north of the town of Jackson. The towns of Gardiner and West Yellowstone, both in Montana, border the park on the north and west sides respectively. The closest town to the eastern entrance is Cody, Wyoming, though a nearly 11,000-ft. mountain pass called the Beartooth Pass makes Red Lodge, Montana accessible through the extreme northeastern part of the park. The only road open to traffic in the winter is the road entering Yellowstone through Gardiner and Mammoth Hot Springs and then proceeding east to Cooke City, Montana, cutting through the northern quarter of the park. The interior of Yellowstone can still be accessed via snowcoach, snowmobile or snowshoe (for the very ambitious).

Yellowstone's trademark is its geothermal wonders and its abundant wildlife. The Old Faithful Geyser is the most well known feature among the park's 10,000 hot springs and geysers. The geothermal features are the remnants of volcanic activity.

Yellowstone is the core of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the largest intact temperate zone ecosystems remaining on the planet. Gray wolves, elk, deer, bison, pronghorn antelope, moose and black and grizzly bears are among the large animals that are frequently seen in Yellowstone. The Hayden Valley is a popular area to spot large herds of bison, while the Lamar Valley provides occasional glimpses of the rare grizzly bear and gray wolf. Elk are seen throughout the park. They seem to particularly enjoy the area surrounding Mammoth Hot Springs.

For information on Yellowstone National Park, including camping and other accommodations, please visit the National Park Service's Web site, www.nps.gov/yell/.