old faithful

On August 17, 1959, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake at Lake Hebgen, Montana, dramatically affected Yellowstone’s geysers 236 miles away. Giantess Geyser erupted for 100 hours straight, 289 springs became geysers, and bears sought shelter with humans at Old Faithful Lodge. Read about this remarkable geological event.

In 1885, long before he was known as the Father of the National Park System, naturalist John Muir first visited Yellowstone. The sojourn matured him as a writer and thinker, gradually articulating the idea that nature was worth protecting not merely for its resources—but for its holistic self.  

Yellowstone, the world’s first national park, covers 3,500 square miles in Wyoming’s northwest corner and extends a short distance into Idaho and Montana. Established in 1872, the park continues to enthrall visitors to its striking scenery, topography, plentiful wildlife and thrilling thermal features.