Yellowstone National Park

YELLOWSTONEYellowstone'sbest attractions.

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A guide for the modern explorer.

STOCKINDESIGN: THE LAB OF INDESIGN TEMPLATES

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YellowstonePerhaps author Susan Rugh said it best, “Yellowstone, of all the national parks, is the wildest and most universal in its appeal...

Daily new, always strange, ever full of change, it is Nature's wonder park…”

Pulling up to the entrance, the enormity of this multi-million-acre sweep of land stupefied me. I have never felt as miniscule and insignificant as in this moment, where I am like a puny ant standing in the company of a towering bison. Although insignificant and small, I also feel more aware of my presence on earth than I ever have before. I feel each particle of dirt beneath my boots and see each individual pine needle on the trees in the most vivid of 3D’s. With this being just the entrance, I wonder what treasures the park could possibly hold within its boundaries.Yellowstone feels like a secret, an environment where ages gone by linger in a delicately veiled time warp. To my left on the Yellowstone River I witness September of 1869. David Folsom, Charles Cook, and William Peterson converse with members of the Native American Sheepeater tribe. They are surprised to find the Sheepeaters are friendly people, as opposed to the extremist views of their peers back home who lectured them saying, “good-bye, boys…

if you get into a scrap, remember I warned you…this expedition…is the next thing to suicide.” To my right under the shadow of Old Faithful, the park’s most eminent geyser, I behold the events of August 1915. A caravan of cars parade past the geyser, having just been allowed into the park for the first time. Among the group are Ford Model T’s, White Model Thirty’s, and Cadillac Touring’s. I am jolted back to the present upon hearing the cry of an elk in the distance, likely stranded from its herd. Now I stand on a boardwalk surrounded by tripods instead of teepees, cameras instead of canoes. Venturing further and further into the park it is evident that Yellowstone remains a secret no longer. Tourists, students, photographers, and adventurers buzz about, craving the wonders of the wilderness. Assuming that the average explorer of today does not have years to spend taking in the park, I’ve encapsulated a few of its main attractions to give you an idea of the sites to be seen.

Yellowstone River circa 1908

DESIGNED BY ERICK RAGAS | LIMA, PERU

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"Daily new, always

strange, ever full of change, it is Nature's

wonder park…"


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Geothermal Features Pulling my coat closer to protect myself from the mild October chill, I hasten my steps in anticipation of arriving at the Artist’s Paintpots Trail.

A short walk along the wooden boardwalk leads me to a glorious panorama of paint pots. Some with bubbling, gurgling mud, and some with phosphorescent red and blue colors covering the ground.

Viewing the Fountain Paint Pot from above is like looking down into the swimming pool of an extraterrestrial being. The combination of radiant colors and animated textures compel me to jump in for the greatest swim of my life. I resist. Jumping into the pool is not an option due to the scorching temperatures upward of 150 degrees. Hot springs and fumaroles seen throughout the park, especially along the Paintpots Trail are best enjoyed from the view of the boardwalk.

A quiet stroll along this path warrants hauntingly beautiful scenes as the frigid air and the heat from the hot springs meet to create a cloak of steam. This steam seems to rise from the bottom of the earth, providing a natural heater for spectators viewing some of earth’s most magnificent displays.

Next on my itinerary is possibly the most famous of Yellowstone’s features, Old Faithful. A decrepit sign constructed of planks boasts a proud message, “Old Faithful Geyser”. The bright white text

cuts through the morning fog, awakening my senses and readying me for the spectacle about to occur.

30 minutes have passed since arriving at the geyser when all of the sudden it erupts in a brilliant display of water and steam! The sun, shining down on Old Faithful, blasts a myriad of colors through the mist, the brightness of which nearly blinds me.

As the stream of water falls slowly to a stop just mere seconds after beginning to spout, steam clouds roll off even slower into the midday sky.


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"Everywhere I turn the land is polka dotted with these imperial mammals..."

Yellowstone is not without its share of intriguing sounds and smells. Each of the five senses is engaged on a trip through the park. I can taste the sulphur in the air, smell the pine from the forests, and feel the crunch of leaves and gravel beneath my feet. Many of the sounds I hear are coming from various animals and wildlife that take up residence in the park. The most famous is probably the bison, otherwise known as the buffalo. Everywhere I turn the land is polka dotted with these imperials mammals. Their

shadows loom over the fields and create a sense of ownership. They stomp the grounds as if kings pacing their palace floor. When left unbothered, the bison are docile, calm creatures. I watch as a mother gently nudges her calf. Carefully prodding the furry orange baby along to their next grazing spot. Across the way, another bison mother is having difficulty with her stubborn child and lets out a low guttural grunt, the signature sound of bison.


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Whether you are an experienced traveler or a novice, Yellowstone National Park has something for everyone to enjoy. Put down the camera, stow away your cell phone, take time to revel in the beauty of what Mother Nature has created for you. You’ll quickly find that the millions of acres of lodgepole pines, thousands of elk, and hundreds of historical sights are more interesting and engaging than anything on any screen. Leaving Yellowstone, I am overwhelmed by the beauty that I have witnessed. I have seen mud bubble from the bottom of the earth, water be propelled into the atmosphere, dancing for the world to see. Animals grazed, flowers bloomed,

and trees loomed high above my head. One thing that I find so endearing about this park, is that through all of the turmoil from wildfires and volcanic matter, flowers still find room to grow amongst the ashes. That is the beauty of Mother Nature, her purpose cannot be stopped. Flowers will grow, animals will roam, and geysers will erupt in a beautiful symphony of color, light, and texture for all to enjoy. Thank you, Yellowstone. Until next time.


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Yellowstone National Park

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