Which site became the first U.S. national park when Congress created it in 1872?

Yellowstone National Park became the first U.S. national park when Congress created it in 1872.

President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act on March 1, 1872. The law reserved the area around Yellowstone’s remarkable geysers, hot springs, lakes, and wildlife as a public park for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.

Yellowstone lies mainly in northwestern Wyoming, with smaller portions extending into Montana and Idaho. It is famous for geothermal features produced by a large volcanic system, including Old Faithful, whose eruptions have made it one of the world’s best-known natural landmarks.

Yellowstone’s creation established a model for public land protection that spread internationally. Native peoples had long lived in and used the region, and their histories were often minimized in early park accounts. Yellowstone was not the first area in the world to receive protective status, but it is widely recognized as the first national park.