Yellowstone National Park

Influenced by the work of the conservationist John Muir (1838–1914), one of the first nature reserves was established in Yosemite Valley, California in 1864. The world’s first national park was then founded in 1872, when US President Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885) ceremoniously declared Yellowstone National Park not the responsibility of the independent states of Wyoming and Montana, but instead that of the United States government. With the establishment of the National Park Service, the United States became the first country with an independent government agency for national parks. Since then, Yellowstone has become one the most famous sites in the United States. It is especially well known for its large variety of wildlife, including grizzly bears, wolves, bison, and elk; its extraordinary geysers and hot springs; and for the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.