The supervolcano lurking beneath Yellowstone National Park is the ultimate wild card in nature’s deck of cards…this geological giant slumbers quietly, but its potential for mayhem is enough to keep even the bravest geologist up at night. While it’s busy plotting its next move beneath the geysers and hot springs, we can only hope it remains in a generous mood… after all, who knew that one of America’s most stunning landscapes doubles as a colossal pressure cooker?
Yellowstone National Park is most certainly a one-of-a-kind place! Here are 10 intriguing facts about the park:
1. Yellowstone National Park was the world's first national park, established in 1872.
image via life.com
2. It sits atop a SUPERVOLCANO, with over half of the world's geysers located within the park, including the famous Old Faithful.
3. The Yellowstone Caldera, which stretches 30 miles by 45 miles, is one of the largest active volcanoes on Earth and has erupted several times in the past, with the most recent eruption occurring around 640,000 years ago.
4. The park's geothermal features, like hot springs and mud pots, are a result of the underlying volcanic activity.
image via nps.gov
5. Yellowstone is home to diverse wildlife, such as grizzly bears, wolves, bison, and elk.
6. The park spans over 2.2 million acres across Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.
image via yellowstone.net
7. Yellowstone contains the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, known for its stunning waterfalls and colorful rock formations.
image via yellowstonedestination.com
8. Yellowstone National Park has more than 10,000 hydrothermal features, including hot springs, geysers, fumaroles, and mud pots.
image of fumaroles via nps.gov
9. The park's famous Grand Prismatic Spring is the third-largest hot spring in the world and is known for its vibrant rainbow colors caused by different types of bacteria living in the water.
10. Yellowstone's ecosystem is one of the few remaining intact temperate ecosystems in the world, showcasing a wide variety of plant and animal species.
iimage via nathab.com
Are you as fascinated by the park as we are? Check out our Yellowstone Super Volcano collection!
