About 640,000 years ago, when the North American continent was shaken by volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, a giant crater with a total area of 2000 km² appeared near the Rocky Mountains. Over time, it turned into a plateau, where today a bubbling mass is bubbling, fumaroles, geysers, mud fountains and hot springs are beating from under the ground. This is how Yellowstone Park appeared, the photo of which is presented in this article.
A bit of history
There is a legend that 200 years ago a hunter crossed the Rocky Mountains in search of prey and came to the Yellowstone Plateau. Now only he understood the stories of the Indians about the "country of smoke and water", only now he believed in them. The picture that opened up to him inspired superstitious fear in him. Canyons filled with frozen lava, rocks sparkling with obsidian, petrified forests combined with water bubbling in the craters of volcanoes, as well as foamy jets of steam risingfrom the crevices. The smell of rotten eggs hovered over this other world - a kind of "aroma" of hydrogen sulfide. In the future, the story of St. John's wort about this amazing and strange area caused ridicule and distrust among those around him. How can this be in the world created by God? And if so, where is Yellowstone Park located?
Only after 50 years, the reports of scientific expeditions could confirm the stories of this unrecognized eyewitness. After that, on the territory with such an amazing landscape, located on the lands of three states: Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, the US Congress in 1872 founded the world's first National Park, which was called Yellowstone National Park, which translates as "yellow stone ". Thus began the development of a conservation ethic in America, as well as the preservation of wilderness areas. Today, everyone can not only find Yellowstone Park on the map, but also visit it. In 1976, this place was given the status of a biosphere reserve. Two years later, it was added to the UNESCO list.
Description
Five roads lead to Yellowstone National Park, which has a square shape, and you can get here from any part of the world.
In the north there are amazingly beautiful gorges, where the Madison and Yellowstone rivers flow along the bottom, hundreds of waterfalls breaking down in canyons. The largest of them is the Lower Waterfall, whose height is as much as 94 m! Mammoth Hot Springs are also located in the same location.
Calcites
This rock is rich in calcite. For thousands of years in the hotcalcium was dissolved in the water of the springs bubbling here. In this way, picturesque terraces, sparkling with crystals, were formed, whose steep slopes were decorated with cascades resembling stalactites. It seems that amazing limestone figures should be white, but many of them are painted in all shades of the rainbow spectrum. This is due to the admixture of microorganisms and metals that live in Mammoth Springs. Their color depends on the temperature of the water, so some terraces are painted in a violet-blue palette, while the next ones shine with canary yellow and fiery scarlet hues.
In the northeastern part of the park you can find the largest petrified forest on the planet. This happened due to the fact that during the eruption, which happened a long time ago, the ash completely covered the trees, after which they mineralized, turning into idols.
West Yellowstone
Also, Yellowstone Park is known for its village of West Yellowstone, which is located at the western gate of this reserve. From here you can get to the most famous geyser fountains, which will be discussed below.
Grand Canyon
If we needed a contour map of North America, then in the eastern part of Yellowstone we would mark the Grand Canyon. Its length is 20 km, and its depth is 360 m! The park got its name from here - the sun's rays are reflected in the rocky yellow rocks. In the south of the park there is a mountain range completely covered with snow. Hesurprises with its slender extraordinary beauty.
Geysers
Yellowstone is one of the five places on the planet in which there are huge fields of geysers (the contour map of North America of these places consists of volcanic layers). Here the magma has come close to the surface, hence the temperature of the water ejected to the surface is much higher than the boiling point, more like a vapor than a liquid. It is interesting that small fountains regularly "work", and large ones - spontaneously. There are about 3000 of them.
Steamboat, the largest geyser in the world, throws out 5000 tons of water at 50-100 m, while the frequency of this is unpredictable - from 4 days to half a century.
Another spectacular geyser is Excelsior, which is in the middle of a beautiful mountain lake. At its fountain, the height reaches 90 m, while this process is accompanied by various special effects - roar, roar and trembling of the earth.
The amazing spring, which is called the Eye, is the real king of this valley. Microorganisms and bacteria that are in hot water, it is painted in rich bright colors. In shape, it resembles a large eye. There is a feeling that someone from underground is watching what is happening on it.
Ebb and flow
Yellowstone National Park stands out on the map with another miracle - a huge lake of the same name.
It is located in the center of the plateau. Huge reservoirs have ebbs and flows, at which water either moves away from the shore,or flood it. Yellowstone Lake doesn't follow the rules. Here, the water changes the line in zigzags - on some coast there can be both high and low tide at the same time. At the same time, the sites often change their places.
This riddle is still not solved by the greatest scientists. One of the assumptions explains this behavior of the reservoir by geological activity. The quirks of the reservoir do not interfere with the fish that live in it - there are a huge number of them to the delight of numerous fishermen.
Plants and wolves
At the beginning of the last century, poaching led to the extermination of wolves there. Breeding deer and elk devastated the coast of the Lamar River, while eating all the local plants. Then, as if in a chain, beavers began to die out, having lost their food - trees. The reservoirs that were created by these industrious rodents dried up, since no one else was satisfied with the dams. Without water, succulent plants that grizzly bears fed on began to disappear. Thus, Yellowstone Park was on the verge of a real environmental disaster.
After that, the National Park Service of America brought wolves here from Canada. In a short period, they significantly reduced the populations of elk and deer. Plants reappeared in the valley, after which the ecological balance began to recover.
Currently, you can see different animals in this reserve: elk, bison, grizzly bears, deer, bighorn sheep, coyotes, beavers and wolves. Other animals also live here: mountain lions, lynxes, cougars. In the parkand a lot of birds - about 200 different species: pelican, trumpeter swan, bald eagle, etc.
Tourist amenities
When entering Yellowstone Park, each vacationer receives a guide that helps him navigate the vast territory. Almost the entire area can be bypassed on an asph alt road, covering all interesting places with the "eight": the caldera and the lake, thousands of geysers, petrified forests, waterfalls and hot springs. The park is surrounded by a 150 km highway.
It should be noted that sightseeing usually takes 4 days. In this place you can rent a car, take a horse, and walk along the trails, the total length of which is 1770 km. You should be prepared that various wild animals meet along the way - the virgin nature in its most dangerous grandeur opens up to the traveler.
Excursions, boat trips, cave visits, horseback riding, fishing are offered here - for any visitor there will be an activity to their liking that will allow them to spend time with interest, as well as gain he alth and strength.
When you arrive at Yellowstone Park, you need to be prepared for the fact that the admission fee will depend on the total time spent there. Hotels, hunting lodges, bars, bungalows, restaurants, cafes, gas stations and shops are at the service of vacationers. Accommodation can be booked in advance at this location. The park is open to the public from May to the end of September, when there are up to 3 milliontourists.
Some volcanologists believe that the caldera may wake up in the coming years. It will be a catastrophe, the scale of which can be equated to the apocalypse. The predictions are as follows: half of the US will be wiped off the planet. Europe will also suffer as volcanic ash enters the stratosphere and covers the sun for a long time, after which a "volcanic winter" will come to the whole Earth.
Hurry up to enjoy this miracle of nature while there is still this opportunity!
