Facts of Yellowstone National Park

  • 2,221,766 acres
  • 3,472 square miles
  • 54 miles east to west
  • 63 miles north to south
  • 96 % in Wyoming
  • 1 % in Idaho
  • 3 % in Montana
  • Highest Point: 11,358 ft (Eagle Peak)
  • Lowest Point: 5,282 ft (Reese Creek)
  • Larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined
  • Approximately 5% of park is covered by water; 80% is forest and 15% is grassland
  • Precipitation ranges from 10 inches at the north boundary to 80 inches in the southwest corner
  • Temperatures range from 9° F in January to 80° F in July at Mammoth Hot Springs
  • Record High Temp: 98° F
  • Record Low Temp: -66° F

WILDLIFE

  • 2 species of bears
  • 7 species of native ungulates
  • Approximately 50 species of other mammals
  • 18 species of fish
  • 311 recorded species of birds (148 nesting species)
  • 4 species of amphibians
  • 6 species of reptiles
  • 5 species protected as "threatened or endangered"
  • Threatened: bald eagle, grizzly, lynx
  • Endangered: whooping crane, gray wolf

FLORA

  • 8 species of conifers
  • More than 1,700 species of native vascular plants
  • More than 170 species of exotic (non-native) plants
  • Approximately 80% of forest is comprised of lodgepole pine
  • 186 species of lichens

GEOLOGY

  • An Active Volcano
  • Approximately 10,000 thermal features
  • More than 300 geysers
  • Approximately 2,000 earthquakes annually
  • One of the world's largest petrified forests
  • One of the world’s largest calderas, measuring 45 by 30 miles
  • Approximately 290 waterfalls, 15 ft. or higher, flowing year-round
  • Tallest waterfall: Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River at 308 ft.

YELLOWSTONE LAKE

  • 110 miles of shoreline
  • 136 sq. miles of surface area
  • 14 miles east to west
  • 20 miles north to south
  • Maximum depth: about 400 feet
  • Average depth: 140 feet

CULTURAL RESOURCES

  • 1,106 historic structures
  • 1,000+ documented archeological sites
  • Nearly 200,000 museum objects
  • 20,000 titles in Park Research Library
  • 6 National Historic Landmarks (Obsidian Cliff & 5 buildings)
  • 2,500 linear feet of historic documents
  • 21 Affiliated American Indian tribes
  • About 90,000 photographic prints and negatives

ROADS AND TRAILS

  • 5 park entrances
  • 466 mi of roads (310 mi paved miles)
  • 97 trailheads
  • 287 backcountry campsites

VISITATION

  • Record year: 1992 – 3,144,405 visitors
  • Winter visitors: Approximately 140,000

FACILITIES

  • 9 visitor centers and museums
  • 7 NPS-operated campgrounds (454 sites)
  • 9 hotels/lodges (2,238 hotel rooms/cabins)
  • 2,000+ buildings (NPS and concessions)
  • 5 concession-operated campgrounds (1,747 sites)
  • 49 picnic areas
  • 1 marina