Weekend Window: Yellowstone National Park

Dec. 3, 2006 — -- Yellowstone National Park is an American treasure. It stretches across Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.

"Yellowstone National Park is the world's first national park -- established back in 1872," said Will Yavorsky, a Yellowstone park ranger. "It's about 2.2 million acres. That's bigger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined."

The park is renowned for its geysers, especially Old Faithful, the most popular geyser on earth.

"This has two-thirds of the world's geysers, right here in Yellowstone. That's why they made it a national park," Yavorsky said.

Old Faithful is one of about 200 geysers at Yellowstone.

"Old Faithful erupts every hour and a half on average," said park ranger Matt Johnson. "It goes 180 feet. That's a record height."

The phenomenon of geysers is a beauty to behold.

"That heat, that magma that is sitting down in the volcano, is what's heating all the ground water and sending up to the geysers and hot springs," explained Yavorsky. "Staring at our hot springs, if they catch them at the right light, on the right day, is like staring into the soul of the earth."

Yellowstone is also known for its wildlife. Buffalo roam the expanse of the park.

"We have about 4,900 buffalo here in the park," Yavorsky said. "These are huge animals. They weigh about 2,000 pounds. That's bigger than your car, maybe bigger than your truck."

With its wealth of natural wonders, Yellowstone is a dream destination for anyone who enjoys the outdoors.

"You can't go anywhere else that I know of and get the beautiful views, all the geysers the hot springs, and the wildlife everywhere -- just endless, endless adventures," Yavorsky said.