Why Yellowstone?

The vibrant yellow tones in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

The Lower Falls, one of the most photographed and painted waterfalls in the world.

Historians aren't exactly sure how the name Yellowstone came to identify the vast wilderness in northwestern Wyoming when it was set aside as a national park in the 1870s. One theory holds that it was because of the vibrant yellow hues found in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, a deep chasm carved into the very heart of the park. The canyon features the famous upper and lower falls of the Yellowstone River, which were especially impressive this year due to the record snowfall over this past winter. The canyon and the falls can be viewed from a series of impressive overlooks on both the north and south rims.