One hundred and 44 years ago, Yellowstone became the United States' first national park. However, it was not until on August 25, 1916 when the National Park Service, as a part of the Department of Interior, was officiated by President Woodrow Wilson. This year the National Park Service is celebrating its centennial with the motto: "Find Your Park."
The National Park Service is encouraging everyone to find a National Park that best interests them and share pictures and stories via the hashtag: "#findyourpark."
Early this May, my dad and I took a five day road trip from Salt Lake City to our hometown in Tennessee. This road trip home gave us the opportunity to sight see the vast United States, one such experience was Yellowstone National Park.
Yellowstone National Park
Upon entering from West Yellowstone, the landscape and forestry of the area was truly breath taking. Yellowstone is consisted of various types of land formations, so there is something for everyone in the family. Towering mountains and cliffs, bubbling hot springs, roaring waterfalls, and endless rivers create Yellowstone. One can easily imagine why this area of land was set aside to become the first National Park. Along with the note worthy scenery, the wildlife add an essence of innocence and pride to the land. Park Rangers inform all visitors to maintain at least 25 yards from bison and 100 yards from wolves and bears. It is here, in Yellowstone, that you can have first person experience of a wild bison approach your car and stare at you with confidence and not an ounce of fear.
Yellowstone is a park that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. The beauty of the water, land, and wildlife will bring you into a world undisturbed of human error, to the land that our ancestor sought to begin a new life. Henry David Thoreau stated:
"We need the tonic of wilderness...At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed.
We can never have enough of nature."
It was such a blessing to see with my own eyes what made this land to become the first national park. I encourage everyone to find their own national park to explore. Share your pictures and stories with the hashtag: #findyourpark.
