8 Yellowstone secrets of the Rangers of the National Park

Most visitors never learn these treats behind the scenes.


Whether you are looking to watch an eruption of Old Faithful or want to have an overview of the greatest population of free bison , Yellowstone National Park offers some of the country's most unique experiences. Created in 1872, the park is the oldest in the country and also one of the oldest national parks in the world. Over the past 150 years, thousands and thousands of people have served as Park Rangers in Yellowstone - knowing that even some of the most frequent visitors in the park may not know. Read the rest to learn eight secrets from the Rangers of Yellowstone National Park.

In relation: 8 reasons to visit Yellowstone National Park now .

1
There is a reason why most people visit the park in summer.

entrance to yellowstone national park
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People often take their vacation in summer, and national parks are always a popular destination. In 2021, visitors broke a record For Yellowstone National Park when 1,080,767 people visited the park in July, according to Sun-Sun. This made it the most visited month in the entire history of the park - and the first time that the visits have exceeded a million.

But you may want to plan a visit to the summer just to get the clearest views. Tara Ross , which is a forest ranger for three decades and oversees the police for Yellowstone, said to Outsider in 2021 that there is one reason why summer is now one of the times the most popular For visitors to the park compared to other seasons.

"I tell you what, if you plan a trip to Yellowstone, do not plan a trip to the fall. Even if it was a very good time to come, our skies are so smoked and blurred now with forest fires", said Ross. "We simply no longer have this blue sky before winter or spring."

2
Most visitors are missing the best parts of Yellowstone.

South Entrance into Yellowstone National Park
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When you visit Yellowstone, it is easy to assume that the most spectacular views of the park are where the crowd is already. But in an article for the Yellowstone 2013 travel planner's travel planner, Julie Ellison , who worked as tidying up in the park in 2007, shared An advice With visitors: "Don't forget the hinterland."

According to Ellison, it is estimated that more than 80% of people who visit Yellowstone do not travel to more than a road mile. Getting away from the road can help you avoid the crowd, but it also allows you to see many of the best parts of Yellowstone.

"Some of the coolest and most impressive natural characteristics (think that the hot blue and shiny orange pools, sludge and waterfalls) were only a short hike, and most people did not even know that they existed, "wrote Ellison.

As a spokesperson for the cornerstone Dan Hottle explained to CNN In 2013, one of these places was "the most uneven and mountainous part of the park". This hidden gem is outside the Lamar valley and near Cooke City, Montana, according to Hottle - who is now the US Forest Service press officer.

He continued: "It looks like you are in the Swiss Alps with young rugged mountains that appear, obtaining most snowfall in the park and raging rivers. There are not many visitors."

However, if you are going to go to the hinterland, you need a license for Camp during the night , and there is Several precautions The National Park Service (NPS) asks you to take.

In relation: 8 Best natural wonders found in American national parks .

3
You don't have to do intense hikes to get superb views.

Man hikes along grassy mountain ridge at sunrise
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In a 2014 article for National Geographic ,, Jeremy Schmidt , a Wyoming -based writer and photographer who previously worked as Ranger in Yellowstone, revealed that his favorite " Secret park "is Storm Point Trail. According to Schmidt, this path is located on the north shore of Lake Yellowstone.

"[It is] an easy walk through the meadow and the forest towards an excellent view of the lake and a good chance of seeing a variety of fauna," wrote Schmidt.

However, the NPS warns its website that the The path is often closed At the end of spring and early summer due to bears activity. "Find out at the Fishing Bridge Visitor Center on the trail closings before the hike," recommends NPS.

4
You are notified not to get too close to animals for a reason.

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NPS A Long -term visitors for a long time To never approach wildlife in Yellowstone National Park, urging them to always stay at least 100 meters from bears and wolves, and at least 25 meters from all other animals, including bison and wapitis. This is not a case of authorities who try to put yourself between you and your pleasure.

Bison, for example, weigh up More than a ton but can exceed 35 miles per hour, Park Ranger John Tillison Explained in a 2019 blog article. "Do not forget that they are wild animals and to keep a safety distance," he wrote. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

And that's not the only reason. During an interview in 2015 for the outdoor company, Kaiti May , a forest ranger of the National Park who worked in Yellowstone and other parks, revealed that his worst experience in a national park occurred in Yellowstone when it " had trouble "Bring a group of guys not to get closer to a bison.

"They reacted very roughly to me and I felt like I was elegant. After their departure, I cried for frustration," she said. "I was frustrated not to be able to help them understand that these animals are wild, and each time we approach too much, we help them get used to humans. In the end, they will lose their savagery that we love to their subject. "

In relation: 11 American national parks that you can do in one day .

5
Authorities can stop you to break the park's rules even after your departure.

Handcuffs on top of a fingerprint form.
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There is a long list of rules for any national park, supposed to ensure the safety of visitors and wildlife. But what is happening in Yellowstone stay in Yellowstone. Ross explained in 2017 that the authorities can visitors retroactively To break the rules, especially when they publish the online proof.

"Social media has had an impact. People display risky behavior on Facebook and make it acceptable. Like diving cliffs in Firehole with a GoPro. Or caress a bison," said Ross. "Online, you will see a lot of bison videos invoicing people. Or you will see a video of people with the big prismatic, one of the most emblematic and fragile sources, trample the promenade. Sometimes, that's how We attract people. "

In relation: The 12 best national parks that must be on your list of buckets .

6
Any crime committed in Yellowstone is a federal crime.

Yellowstone National Park sign
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In 2021 Interview with Outsider , Ross also revealed that Yellowstone sees his fair share of more "typical" crimes which are not unique in the park itself.

"Wherever you have people, you have the same crimes. Whether it is a park or a neighborhood. Domestic violence. Sexual assaults. Homicide. People being failed too, of course. This kind of Something, "she noted.

But most visitors do not realize that the way you are being prosecuted for these crimes is different in Yellowstone.

"It is the oldest national park in the world, and it is exclusively the federal jurisdiction," said Ross to Outsider. "Thus, each crime in Yellowstone National Park is a federal crime."

7
Plan in advance for parking.

parking at mammoth hot springs yellowstone
Salilbhatt / Shutterstock

One of the best ways to see Yellowstone is actually taking a picturesque reader. Make your way around the big loop will take you between four and seven hours, depending on the traffic and your stops to admire the views. But as a former park Ash Nudd Written in 2022 blog , you will want to be aware of a few places where you may have trouble parking.

"It is difficult to find a parking lot in some of the popular stops with small parking lots," wrote Nudd in a blog article in 2022. "This includes Norris, the Midway Geyser Basin and the Geyser West Thumb's basin."

In addition, she warns that you may have trouble finding a place in the village of Canyon along the North rim.

"The north edge is accessible by a one -way road, so if it is crowded (which it is usually), you will not have the possibility of going around the parking lot," wrote Nudd. "You will have to pass in front of some of the best views if you are unable to find a place."

Nudd recommended planning your trip to avoid these spotlights during rush hour (between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.). "Otherwise, you will spend a ton of time sitting in traffic and turning to find a parking lot," she said.

But although you can be afraid to park at Old Faithful, Nudd revealed that it was not a problem thanks to the "massive" parking lot of attraction.

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8
There are ideal places to stay.

pier on the beach of yellowstone lake
Iryna Marienko / Shutterstock

If you finally plan a big trip to Yellowstone, you could be ready to make follies a little on your hotel or Airbnb, but Nudd has advised to book your stay according to the quality.

"If you look at a Yellowstone card, you will see that there is a higher loop route and a lower loop road," she wrote in the blog post. "Yellowstone is a huge park, and if you do not judiciously choose your accommodation, you will add unnecessary driving hours to your day. For this reason, I suggest you stay along the middle road that moves in the park . This includes West Yellowstone, Madison, Norris, Canyon and Lake Village. "

If these options are not available, Nudd has recommended reserving something at the southern end for a few days, then moving north "to break driving".

In addition, while the reservation of your stay in the Grand Teton National Park nearby or in Cody, Wyoming, can be tempting, it is another option that Nudd said that it was wise to avoid.

"I do not suggest stay in both places for your vacation in Yellowstone. It adds just as much training time!" She explained. "You will end up spending most of your time in the car."


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