Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is the world's first National Park, established by the U.S. Congress on March 1, 1872. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve Site, the park's vast 3,472 square miles comprising of lakes, waterfalls, canyons, rivers, streams, meadows, valleys and mountain ranges, occupies parts of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming (mostly Wyoming). The park is known throughout the world for its rich abundance of untamed wildlife, as well as its mind-bending geysers, hot springs, and fumaroles. Fueling these unique geothermal features is the Yellowstone Caldera, one of the largest active volcanoes on the planet. Yellowstone is one of the most popular of the national parks, particularly in the western part of the country. Nearly three million people visit the park each year, and over 60 million have visited it since 1872. For many good reasons, Yellowstone has shaped the American public's definition of nature for more than a century.

Yellowstone National Park is part of a greater area that also contains Grand Teton National Park. The images contained in this gallery were taken during a trip made to the Greater Yellowstone area in summer 2009 intended to serve as an introduction to the region.