Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River and its beautiful valley is one of the most impressive sights can be seen in the oldest national park in the world - Yellowstone. This protected area is among the most valuable lands of the United States, falls for the most part in the territory of Wyoming, parts of Montana and Rocky Mountains in Idaho. The two most famous rivers are Yellowstone and Lewis.
Overall water wealth of the park, although it occupies only about 5% of its area is a prerequisite, for the vast diversity of flora, fauna and natural beauty here. Thereto belonging are the rivers, Lake Yellowstone, and its geysers, which represent two thirds of all geysers on the planet.
Here is the largest geyser in the world, "Steamship", and one of the most famous geysers, Old Faithful, who disposes of water at a height of over 40 meters every 50 to 90 minutes. The river springs from Yellowstone Lake, flowing into the Missouri River - the largest tributary of the River Mississippi, and thereafter heads into the Atlantic.
Another part of the rivers in the park is directed to the Pacific Ocean, such as the Snake River - the largest tributary of the beautiful Columbia River. National Park Yellowstone is famous for its beautiful waterfalls, which come in different sizes. Over 290 of them have a height above 4.5 meters. The biggest and most famous of them, however, remains the lower Fall of River Yellowstone, which reaches a height of 94 meters.
For volcanic activity in the past here, visible are different layers of lava from volcanic eruptions, which are mostly visible on the slopes of the canyon of the River Yellowstone. It’s sharp profile clearly shows that the river is making its way through the cooled lava, rather than in glaciers. In its millennial movement the water has cut two deep canyons. One is the bed of the River Yellowstone with two large waterfalls (upper and lower), and the other, Lewis River canyon, which stretches to the south.
Among the 48 states in the U.S., River Yellowstone is the only river that flows freely and is not limited by a dam. The river is considered the longest in Montana. The foundation is a national park in Yellowstone and joins the Missouri River, North Dakota. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone River offers some of the most unique sights in the park.
The river canyon is 38 km long and its depth reaches 360 m in places. Beginning of the canyon of the Yellowstone River is marked by the spectacular waterfall, Lower Fall, which with its 94 m is nearly two times higher than Niagara Falls. In the park, especially along the river, tourism opportunities are multiple. You can boat ride, take walks along the Yellowstone River. Fishing here is widespread, as the river remains one of the largest sources in the world for rainbow trout.
In 1856 Jim Bridger, a mountaineer reported that he saw "boiling springs and mountains of glass and yellow rock" which awakened the curiosity of the researcher and geologist Ferdinand Hayden. He organized a two-year expedition, reached the Yellowstone River, but was prevented from further action by bad weather and the outbreak of the Civil War.
Only 10 years later, the Mountaineers came back again to these lands. This time the expedition was government sponsored. The results justify for President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872 to sign a law which proclaiming the establishment of National Park Yellowstone. Park Yellowstone was declared a Biosphere Reserve on October 26, 1976, and entered in the List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites of UNESCO on September 8, 1978.
The park Yellowstone has 5 entrances, located on the northern, eastern, southern and western border. Most roads in the park are open only from early May to early November, but the northeast entrance remains open all year round.
Best time to visit the park and the River Canyon Yellowstone is from May to mid- June and September to mid-October. Most visits to the park are taken in July-August. In winter, when 2 hotels in the park remain open, Yellowstone also offers opportunities for recreation and tourism.
