Yellowstone National Park – Fast Facts

Madison River

GENERAL

  • World’s First National Park
  • A designated World Heritage Site and designated Biosphere Reserve
  • 3,472 square miles or 8,987 square km
  • 2,221,766 acres or 898,317 hectares
  • 63 air miles north to south (102 km)
  • 54 air miles east to west 87 km)
  • 96 % in Wyoming
  • 3 % in Montana
  • 1 % in Idaho
  • Highest Point: 11,358 ft / 3,462 m (Eagle Peak)
  • Lowest Point: 5,282 ft / 1,610 m (Reese Creek)
  • Larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined
  • Approximately 5% of park is covered by water; 15% is grassland; and 80% is forest
  • Precipitation ranges from 10 inches (26 cm) at the north boundary to 80 inches (205 cm) in the southwest corner
  • Temperatures (average) at Mammoth: January: 9° F/-13 C in
    July: 80° F/27 C
  • Records:
    High: 99°F/37 C, 2002 (Mammoth)
    Low Temp: -66° F/-54 C (West Entrance, Riverside Station 1933)

WILDLIFE

67 species of mammals, including:

  • 7 species of native ungulates
  • 2 species of bears
  • 322 recorded species of birds (148 nesting species)
  • 16 species of fish (5 non-native)
  • 6 species of reptiles
  • 4 species of amphibians
  • 2 threatened species: Canada lynx, grizzly bear
  • 1 endangered species: gray wolf

FLORA

  • 7 species of conifers
  • Approximately 80% of forest is comprised of lodgepole pine
  • Approximately 1,150 species of native vascular plants
  • More than 199 species of exotic (non-native) plants
  • 186 species of lichens
  • At least 406 species of thermophiles (only 1% of hydrothermal areas inventoried)

GEOLOGY

  • An active volcano
  • Approximately 1,000-3,000 earthquakes annually
  • Approximately 10,000 thermal features
  • More than 300 geysers
  • One of the world’s largest calderas, measuring 45 by 30 miles (72 by 48 km)
  • Thousands of petrified trees in northern Yellowstone
  • Approximately 290 waterfalls, 15 ft. or higher, flowing year-round
  • Tallest waterfall: Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River at 308 ft. (94 m)

YELLOWSTONE LAKE

  • 131.7 sq. miles (35,400 hectares) of surface area
  • 141 miles (177 km) of shoreline
  • 20 miles (32 km) north to south
  • 14 miles (23 km) east to west
  • Average depth: 140 feet (43 m)
  • Maximum depth: about 410 feet (122 m)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

  • 26 associated American Indian tribes
  • Approximately 1,600 archeological sites
  • More than 300 ethnographic resources (animals, plants, sites)
  • More than 24 sites, landmarks, and districts on the National Register of Historic Places
  • 1 National Historic Trail
  • More than 900 historic buildings
  • More than 379,000 cultural objects and natural science specimens
  • Thousands of books (many rare), manuscripts, periodicals
  • About 90,000 photographic prints and negatives

LATITUDE / LONGITUDE / UTM
(NOTE: ALL UTMS ARE “Nad83”)
1.Center of the park:44 36 53.25 (Lat) -110 30 03.93 (Long)
UTM Zone 12: 4940281 N, 539584 E
2. Old Faithful:44 27 37.31 (Lat) -110 49 41.59 (Long)
UTM Zone 12: 4923021 N, 513665 E
3. Mammoth:44 58 34.79 (Lat) -110 42 03.37 (Long)
UTM Zone 12: 4980364 N, 523580 E
4. Entrances:
East Entrance:44 29 18.42 (Lat) -110 00 13.80 (Long)
UTM Zone 12: 4926609 N, 579209 E
North Entrance: 45 01 46.39 (Lat) -110 42 31.32 (Long)
UTM Zone 12: 4986275 N, 522949 E
Northeast Entrance: 45 00 12.09 (Lat) -110 00 04.62 (Long)
UTM Zone 12: 4983809 N, 578510 E
South Entrance: 44 07 56.97 (Lat) -110 39 52.83 (Long)
UTM Zone 12: 4886643 N, 526824 EWest Entrance: 44 39 30.27 (Lat) -111 05 49.87 (Long)UTM Zone 12: 4945010 N, 492295 E


ROADS AND TRAILS

  • 5 park entrances
  • 466 mi / 750 km of roads (310 mi/499 km paved miles)
  • More than 15 Miles of boardwalks
  • Approximately 1,000 mi / 1,600 km of backcountry trails
  • 92 trailheads
  • 301 backcountry campsites

VISITATION

  • 4,257,177 people visited in 2016

FACILITIES

  • 9 visitor centers and museums
  • 9 hotels/lodges (2,000+ hotel rooms/cabins)
  • 7 NPS-operated campgrounds (450+ sites)
  • 5 concession-operated campgrounds (1,700 sites)
  • 1,500+ buildings (NPS and concessions)
  • 52 picnic areas
  • 1 marina
  • 13 self-guiding trails

EMPLOYEES

  • During the summer:
    Approximately 780 National Park Service (about 400 year-round)
  • Approximately 3,200 work for concessions

MAILING ADDRESS

National Park Service
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190-0168
Internet Website: www.nps.gov/yell/