Yellowstone National Park
Just For Kids
A host of ranger-led activities are especially designed for young visitors to Yellowstone. Fun, educational films are also shown daily at several visitor centers. For more information about National Park Service programs, pick up a copy of Yellowstone Today at any visitor center or visit www.YellowstoneAssociation.org and http://www.nps.gov/yell/forkids/ index.htm.
Kids 11 and under stay for free at park lodges, while discounts for youngsters are available for most Xanterra Parks & Resorts® activities, services and tours. Call (307) 344-7311 or stop at desks at any lodge or activities desks for more information.
•â€‚ Become a Junior Ranger. Pick up a Junior Ranger newspaper for $3 at any visitor center and start tracking animals, predicting geyser eruptions and more. Kids age five to 12 who complete enough activities earn their Junior Ranger patches. The program runs year-round.
•â€‚ Become a WebRanger. Bring national park fun to your computer as a WebRanger. Learn more about your national parks before you visit them, or even if you can't visit them. WebRangers can help you learn how to care for the parks and the world. Visit online at www.nps.gov/webrangers, take the WebRanger pledge and print out and sign your WebRanger membership card. Complete all the activities in one "ranger station" for an award.
•â€‚ See a waterfall! Upper and Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone highlight the incredible beauty and force of waterfalls.
•â€‚ Go on a Photo Safari. Take photos of the animals, geysers and amazing scenery. When you get home, make a scrapbook so you can revisit Yellowstone whenever you want.
•â€‚ Stop in at a visitor center. Visitor centers feature many exhibits of interest to kids. At Albright Visitor Center at Mammoth Hot Springs, for example, kids love the animal displays and the trapper exhibit, which includes all the tools and weapons of the trade.
•â€‚ Watch Old Faithful erupt. No trip to Yellowstone is complete without taking in this magnificent live show, which may be caught, on average, about every 92 minutes.
•â€‚ Hear tales around a campfire. Come to a family campfire program to hear tall tales about mountain men and American Indians, as well as stories and information about bison, elk and bears. Check at any visitor center for program locations.
•â€‚ Pick up a free Kids Activity Book at any hotel dining room. This booklet includes games and activities, including a Yellowstone map sticker game, which kids can complete to redeem prizes! Stop by any dining room operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts® for details!
•â€‚ Hop the stagecoach at Roosevelt. Take a ride in a stagecoach accompanied by the musical cloppety-clop of the hooves of a pair of matched horses. Rides head out several times a day. For more information, please call (307) 344-7311 or stop at lodging front desks or activities desks at any lodge throughout the park.
Yellowstone In Depth
News from the Parks
Alexander Backs New Source of Funding for National Parks
July 3, 2008 - 9:38am
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced he will cosponsor bipartisan legislation to create a new source of funding for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other national parks across the country as part of the “Centennial Challenge” celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park System in 2016. “The Centennial Challenge could bring up to $4 million to the Smokies – the country’s most visited national park – and will go a long way toward improving park facilities, aiding conservation efforts, and helping build upon the excellent visitor services already offered. This 4th of July, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our country’s birthday than backing legislation that will aid efforts to preserve and celebrate our national parks, one of America’s greatest treasures.”
July 3, 2008 - 9:38am
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced he will cosponsor bipartisan legislation to create a new source of funding for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other national parks across the country as part of the “Centennial Challenge” celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park System in 2016. “The Centennial Challenge could bring up to $4 million to the Smokies – the country’s most visited national park – and will go a long way toward improving park facilities, aiding conservation efforts, and helping build upon the excellent visitor services already offered. This 4th of July, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our country’s birthday than backing legislation that will aid efforts to preserve and celebrate our national parks, one of America’s greatest treasures.”
EPA's Pollution Plan Slammed
July 3, 2008 - 9:35am
City officials and business leaders here Wednesday warned that a federal proposal to relax air quality standards for the nation's national parks will ultimately be bad for business. Simply put, they said during a news conference at the entrance to Zion National Park, lower air standards being proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hurt this gateway city economically if fewer tourists visit the park. "Air pollution could damage the stars, vistas and clean air we enjoy," Springdale Mayor Pat Cluff said. "Some places deserve to be preserved and it is my responsibility to preserve [the park] for those who come here."
July 3, 2008 - 9:35am
City officials and business leaders here Wednesday warned that a federal proposal to relax air quality standards for the nation's national parks will ultimately be bad for business. Simply put, they said during a news conference at the entrance to Zion National Park, lower air standards being proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hurt this gateway city economically if fewer tourists visit the park. "Air pollution could damage the stars, vistas and clean air we enjoy," Springdale Mayor Pat Cluff said. "Some places deserve to be preserved and it is my responsibility to preserve [the park] for those who come here."
Dinosaur Fossils In Utah Inspire 'Jr. Paleontologists'
July 2, 2008 - 9:57am
Millions of years ago, northeastern Utah was a hot spot for dinosaurs. Today, people travel to the Dinosaur National Monument located on the borders of Colorado and Utah to see the leftover dinosaur bones. Visitors can see as many as 1,500 Jurassic-era fossils exposed on the cliff face of the Douglass Quarry.
July 2, 2008 - 9:57am
Millions of years ago, northeastern Utah was a hot spot for dinosaurs. Today, people travel to the Dinosaur National Monument located on the borders of Colorado and Utah to see the leftover dinosaur bones. Visitors can see as many as 1,500 Jurassic-era fossils exposed on the cliff face of the Douglass Quarry.
A Paiute Take On Bryce Canyon's Hoodoos
July 2, 2008 - 9:56am
The red spindly rock formations that make up the views at Bryce Canyon National Park are called hoodoos. Geologists say they were formed by erosion, but Kevin Poe, chief of interpretation at Bryce, shares his take on the Paiute legend about hoodoos.
July 2, 2008 - 9:56am
The red spindly rock formations that make up the views at Bryce Canyon National Park are called hoodoos. Geologists say they were formed by erosion, but Kevin Poe, chief of interpretation at Bryce, shares his take on the Paiute legend about hoodoos.
Can The Everglades Be Saved?
July 2, 2008 - 9:55am
Environmentalists have been issuing dire warnings about the deterioration of the Florida Everglades for years, saying these wetlands have to be restored in order to revive fragile ecosystems and increase scarce fresh water supplies. Over half of the Everglades are gone, irreversibly converted to urban or agricultural development. But this week, in an attempt to save what's left, the state of Florida announced a plan to buy nearly 200,000 acres of former wetlands from a sugar cane producer. Advocates say the plan is the largest restoration project in American history.
July 2, 2008 - 9:55am
Environmentalists have been issuing dire warnings about the deterioration of the Florida Everglades for years, saying these wetlands have to be restored in order to revive fragile ecosystems and increase scarce fresh water supplies. Over half of the Everglades are gone, irreversibly converted to urban or agricultural development. But this week, in an attempt to save what's left, the state of Florida announced a plan to buy nearly 200,000 acres of former wetlands from a sugar cane producer. Advocates say the plan is the largest restoration project in American history.
