Yellowstone National Park

Do you hear that sound? It’s me! I go bubble, bubble, hiss. I have warm, steamy water that shoots high, high, high into the sky. Whoosh! It’s like a big water fountain playing a game with the clouds. I have pretty pools of water painted with all the colors of a rainbow. I have thick, sticky mud that goes plop and gurgle. It’s so much fun! Fuzzy bison and big, gentle bears walk through my tall green trees. They are my friends. I am a very special place. I am Yellowstone National Park.

A long, long time ago, a giant sleepy volcano lived deep under the ground. The volcano is still sleeping, and it helps make my amazing hot springs and my dancing water fountains, called geysers. For many, many years, the first people here, the Native Americans, knew I was a special place. They took good care of my lands and my animal friends. Then, other people came to visit. They saw my rainbow pools and my tall fountains of water. They said, 'Wow! This place is amazing!'. They knew I was too special to belong to just one person. They wanted everyone to be able to visit me! So, a long time ago, in the year 1872, they made a big promise to protect me forever. They made me the very first national park in the whole wide world!

Today, I am a happy and safe home for so many animals. The big bison, the sleepy bears, and the little birds who sing songs all live here with me. I am a happy home for them. And I am a special place for you to visit, too! You can come and watch my geysers dance and play. You can see my animal friends walking in the fields. Visiting me helps you see how wonderful our Earth is. I will always be here, waiting with my warm bubbles and rainbow colors to share my magic with you and your family. I am your forever friend.