Yellowstone National Park is primarily located in Wyoming, where the world’s first national park was established in 1872.
Yellowstone was created by the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act, signed by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872. The park protects an extraordinary volcanic landscape that includes geysers, hot springs, mud pots and colorful pools. Its geothermal features are powered by a large underlying volcanic system.
The park covers parts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, but about 96% of its area lies in Wyoming. Yellowstone Lake, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Old Faithful are among its best-known landmarks. The park also supports bison, elk, grizzly bears and gray wolves.
Yellowstone is often confused with Yosemite, which became a national park later. Yosemite is famous for granite cliffs and giant sequoias, while Yellowstone is especially associated with geothermal activity.