CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE: YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

Afew billion years ago, igneous rocks began to cool and form the basement of Southwest Montana. Between then and now, the region’s character has undergone many more chapters of dramatic change: covered by ocean, sandy dunes, tidal flats, and plains. Of the many geologic forces acting on this landscape, uplift created widespread mountains, and retreating glaciers shaped the terrain that humans became a part of many generations ago. Given all this history, when you come to this land, you’ll have to find your own place in the story. But there are many possible roles, and you can try them all out during your visit to Yellowstone. When you head home, you’ll bring stories that you’ll find yourself telling, retelling, and even returning to relive.

There’s a reason you hear so much about Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. These three features are some of the nation’s most commonly photographed destinations, and yet it seems like every day brings a new reason to capture their beauty all over again. You just have to see it yourself and take home your own memories, the others won’t do! But after you get the famous shot, get another angle by seeking out uncommon vantage points. While the traditional way to view Grand Prismatic is by the boardwalk, you can also climb the Fairy Falls Trail to get a look from above.

Perhaps the only thing more famous than Yellowstone’s geysers is its wildlife. In winter, watch the morning sun light up a steaming, crystal-covered bison herd in Lamar Valley. Observe the elk rut in fall— close your eyes and simply absorb the bugling. Dusk and dawn are the best times to try to catch a glimpse of the gray wolf. These elusive pack animals are one of Yellowstone’s great environmental success stories after its reintroduction in the mid1990s. If you’re hopeful for a wildlife encounter, don’t let bad weather deter you. Pack well, and you might be rewarded for your persistence with a sudden afternoon clearing, a common weather pattern. If you like to hike, you’ll love encountering sheep on the trail, but be sure to keep an appropriate distance.

As the nation’s first national park, Yellowstone holds significant cultural and historical value. You’ll visit a number of historic sites en route, like the Roosevelt Arch, which bears the iconic inscription, a credo for the purpose of parks: “For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People.” For those with a little more interest in the human history of this park, there are a number of archaeological sites and artifacts, Indigenous cultural landscapes, and structures associated with American park development. With 19 sites on the National Register of Historic Places, you may not be able to visit them all, but you might want to start with either the Old Faithful Inn or Mammoth Hot Springs Historic Districts. Often overlooked, the Obsidian Cliff, near Mammoth, was a key quarry for lithic material, which Indigenous peoples used for tools and ceremonial objects. For the bookish, archival types, the Heritage and Research Center is open to the public.