Yellowstone National Park
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Yellowstone National Park
Image credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mitchell and Nancy Steir, 1898, CC0
Protected since
1872
Size · acres
2,221,766
State
MONTANA
Nearest town
West Yellowstone, MT
The wildlife this land supports
Not Just Made for You and Me

Grizzly Bear

Gray Wolf

Bison

Trumpeter Swan
Drawn here for generations
Art Inspired by this Land
MONTANA
West Yellowstone, MT
Yellowstone is a living, breathing geologic wonder where the Earth actively shows itself—boiling, steaming, erupting, and reshaping the landscape in real time. Since its establishment in 1872 as the first national park in the world, it has captivated visitors with its surreal mix of geysers, wild bison herds, deep canyons, and vast alpine wilderness that feels both ancient and alive. Standing here feels less like visiting a place and more like witnessing a planet in motion.
Plan your visit
Conditions on the ground
under threat
Why this land is at risk
Budget Cuts; Staffing Reductions
Proposed NPS funding reductions and staffing losses could affect visitor services, resource protection, and maintenance.
Yellowstone is not at risk of closure, but it is under increasing pressure from staffing shortages, aging infrastructure, and growing visitation that strains trail systems, wildlife management, and emergency response capacity. These challenges can reduce ranger presence, delay maintenance, and impact long-term ecosystem protection.
More info: https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/management/index.htm
Take action
Public lands belong to all of us — and they stay protected only when people pay attention. Plan a visit, share this place, and add your voice to the people working to keep it wild.





