Yellowstone National Park was America’s first national park for a reason. Established in 1872, it was not hard to see how important the park was and how vital it was to preserve this unique area. The foundation of the park is a supervolcano, and the park’s hydrothermal features include, geysers, hot springs, pools of bubbling mud and sulfur gasses. It’s far more than just the world-famous Old Faithful. Located mostly in Wyoming, the park also has an amazing array of wildlife. They include grizzly and black bears, bison, elk, bighorn sheep and grey wolves, among others.

No child grows up in America without knowing about Yellowstone, and its fame can also lead to very large crowds and long wait times in the summer months. It is the sixth most visited park in the system, and for those looking to stay in the park, you may need to make reservations a year in advance. Crowds can be large at the main attractions, but you can still find solitude on some of the park’s many trails. If you want to avoid the crowds and still have decent weather, try visiting in April or after Labor Day. If you’re looking to fly in, you can fly to Bozeman, Montana. It’s about a two hour drive from the park entrance.