America’s First National Park Remains One of the Most Popular Today
Nothing screams freedom and adventure like Yellowstone
If it wasn’t for the famous Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming may not be on my radar when it comes to exploring the great expanse that is the United States.
With the island vibes of the Florida Keys, the Hollywood Hills of California, and the excitement of Las Vegas to compete with, the section of the northwest that contains Yellowstone isn’t atop my U.S. bucket list — but it definitely is on it, thanks to the photos and documentaries I’ve seen about this fascinating place.
Situated between three different states, this prized park doesn’t actually belong to Wyoming, but the state lays claim to the biggest section of it by far — 96% in total. Covering an area of 3,472 square miles (2,222,080 acres), it’s also one of the largest national parks in terms of land area.
National Park Obsessed lists it as the eighth largest of all 63 National Parks in the U.S., and according to the National Park Service, it was the second most visited park in 2020. While it may not be at the very top of my personal bucket list, it was a point of interest for a whopping 3.8 million visitors just last year (and that was during a pandemic!)
