Nearly 20 years after multiple fires that supposedly devastated the Yellowstone National Park, garnering national media attention, Yellowstone has rebounded in ways many people did not expect.
Some did not expect certain areas of Yellowstone to recover, even within our lifetimes. Those most devastated areas, like the one near Norris have proved experts wrong by not just beginning to recover but by truly thriving, making educational walks with messages about the devastation seem unreal.
Yellowstone is a fantastic family vacation, the park has camping and hotels, and the natural exhibits are unparalleled.
Wildlife is abundant, in all forms, the only long-lasting effect of the Yellowstone fires seems to be on the Moose who prefer the old-growth forests and have moved farther south into Teton National Park which borders Yellowstone. Though they can still be seen in the park, they are not nearly the population they were before 1988.
Spring in Yellowstone is close to magical, runoff from the melting snow has overrun the banks of the lake and surrounding rivers and tributaries, the elk and bison are calving, and bears are awakening and coming down to the lower meadows to feed.
Americas first National Park Yellowstone has built a distinguished reputation as a one-of-a-kind place to visit, and it definitely does not disappoint.