Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park is the crown jewel of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and
the destination of nearly every visitor to the region. The real showstoppers are the geysers
and hot springs - nature's crowd pleasers - but at every turn this land of fire and brim-
stone breathes, belches and bubbles like a giant kettle on the boil. The park's highways
traverse these geysers, through meadows and forests, past roadside herds of bison and
campsites aromatic with pine needles and family campfires. In between lies the country's
largest collection of elk, the continent's oldest, largest wild bison herds and a pristine wil-
derness roamed by wolves, grizzlies, moose and antelope.
Grand Teton & Beyond
South of Yellowstone is Grand Teton National Park, probably the most famous natural
skyline in the United States and the nation's most iconic mountain range. These vertical
peaks, reflected in a string of gorgeous glacial lakes, come the closest to most people's
picture-postcard image of alpine splendor and will send a shiver of excitement down the
spine of even the least vertically inclined.
Opportunities to venture into the backcountry abound in both parks, whether it's on foot,
horseback, boat, ski or snowshoe. Buckle up and climb the Tetons, canoe around sublime
Shoshone Lake, mountain bike to the summit views of Mt Washburn or hike for days
through the remote backcountry - the choice is yours.
The parks' wonders don't stop at their boundaries. The two parks and their surrounding
protected areas form a larger, interconnected area six times the size of Yellowstone: the
Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Here you'll find blue-ribbon trout streams, fabulous hik-
ing trails and a scattering of charming Wild West towns with their gaze set firmly on the
great outdoors.
The Essential Outdoor Vacation
More than three million people a year are drawn here, so if you are traveling in July and
August be prepared to share the parks' charms, as well as their campgrounds and parking
spots. Yet even in high summer it's not difficult to shake the crowds. Park the car and
head off down a trail, if only for a mile or two, and the parks will embrace you in their re-
juvenating beauty.
Whatever your interests, some memories are shared - the taste of s'mores over a camp-
fire, the nose-wrinkling smell of sulfurous steam and the electrifying thrill you get when
