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Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is a well known park where visitors can experience everything from wild animal encounters to geothermal wonders.
“Some of the main attractions are the Old Faithful Geyser, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the Lower Falls,” Crystal Leach, public affairs representative, said. Visitors may enjoy ranger-led tours to these sites. Backcountry hiking, camping, horseback riding and nature walks are also available.
Yellowstone has a wide variety of different animals. Wolf packs can be seen at the Lamar Valley; bison, elk, deer, pronghorn antelope and big horn sheep, ground squirrels, eagles, bears and moose are all present, Leach said.
Leach cautions that visitors must stay at least 25 yards away from most animals and 100 yards distance from wolves and bears. Leach gives visitors some common rules for safety.
“Pull [your] vehicle completely off road. Give wildlife respect and space and pay attention to speed signs,” she said.
About 640,000 years ago, massive volcanic eruption occurred which sent ash out covering all of the western United States, much of the Midwest, northern Mexico and some areas of the eastern Pacific. This was one of the many events which helped create Yellowstone according to www.nps.gov.
“Yellowstone National Park was a region once rumored to be “the place where hell bubbles up,” according to www.nps.gov/yell.
“Geothermal wonders, such as Old Faithful, are evidence of one of the world’s largest active volcanoes,” according to www.nps.gov. These features amazed and dumbfounded the park’s earliest visitors, and helped lead to the creation of the world’s first national park in 1872, according to www.nps.gov.
In the early years of our nation fur trappers came telling fantastic tales of “cauldrons of bubbling mud and roaring geysers sending steaming plumes skyward,” according to www.nps.gov.
The park offers a chance to students to get involved. For students who want to get involved there are fantastic volunteer opportunities and internships available. Contact Yellowstone park for more information, according to www.nps.gov.
Students should take advantage of Yellowstone and take a trip, Leach said. The entrance fee is $20 for a private, noncommercial vehicle. These fees provide the visitor with a seven day entrance permit for both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks according to www.nps.gov.
Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park is just a hop, skip and a jump away.
“We are in your back yard. People come from miles away. Your students live just two hours away. We always encourage our neighbors to visit [us],” Jackie Skaggs, public affairs specialist for Grand Teton National Park said.
Grand Teton National Park offers a variety of outdoor activities such as hiking, back packing, canoeing at Jackson Lake, Jenny Lake, String Lake and at Lee Lake, Skaggs said.
“We are a mecca of outdoor recreation, floating the Snake River and fishing. If they want a mellow weekend just drive the park,” Skaggs said. Newborn moose and bison can be seen. “They are fairly easy to see in the morning and dusk.”
Visitors are recommended to pay a visit to the visitor’s center and rangers for knowledge about special considerations if they are going to go into the .
“Some areas we recommend having an ice ax to cross some of the more steep snow fields and high mountain passes,” Skaggs said.
There are ranger activities for anyone, students or families, to learn more about the park. There is also a slide show highlighting topics of interest.
Students may think about combining a weekend trip to visit Grand Teton National Park and visiting Jackson Hole. During the summer Jackson Hole is featuring many cultural programs.
“It is hard to come over here and be bored,” Skaggs said.
Looking for wild life is one of the highlights at the Grand National Teton Park. The park is alive with Trumpeter Swans, Bald Eagles, American White Pelicans and much more.
As the mountains shed their winter snow, visitors can do some climbing. Climbers should consult Jenny Lake rangers for routes, Skaggs said.
People should make safety considerations because wild life is out and about. “We want to remind motorist to take park turnouts,” Skaggs said.
The Grand Teton National Park is located in Northwestern Wyoming.
Craters of the Moon
A red sea of lava rocks can be seen at the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve located in Arco, Carey and Rupert, Idaho.
The national monument contains three major lava fields covering almost half a million acres, according to www.nps.gov/crmo/.
About 3,000 school kids a year attend Craters of the Moon. Employees from Craters of the Moon are able to visit about two schools.
They also enjoy holding teacher workshops, Ted Stout, chief of interpretation, said.
On June 17, Craters of the Moon will start their education program. The program will include nature hikes, evening presentations and cave tours.
“We are interpreting nature and making it understandable for the public,” Stout said.
Right now is a great time to see the wild life and plant life. Wild flowers will peak in the middle of June. “We get carpets and carpets of flowers,” Stout said. Right now the Idaho state flower, the Syringa, is growing right through cracks in the lava.
“The wild flowers will reach their peak, because of the rain that fell. They are beautiful against the black volcanic rock,” Stout said. Flowers will be in bloom through summer, but they reach their peak in the middle of June.
Currently Craters of the Moon has 270 different species of wildlife including deer, ground hogs, birds, picks-rock rabbits, foxes and coyotes.
“Craters of the moon [is an] active park; a place where we invite you to hike on the trails and explore the underground world of lava tubes,” Stout said.
There is a seven-mile scenic route for those who prefer to drive. Entrance is $5 per private vehicle and camping costs $10 a night.
The Visitor Center is open daily from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. (except for winter holidays),” according to www.nps.gov/crmo/pphtml/activities.
