Road Trip to the West Continued

We stayed in Gardiner, Montana  on Wednesday August 1st. We got up a little earlier that day and headed into Yellowstone National Park from the north end of the park. I feel blessed with the privilege of visiting  one of the great treasures of the world, I was awed by the majestic beauty of its towering mountains, crystal-clear streams, lush mountain meadows, and wildlife. In the midst of this splendor, I couldn't help but wonder about the history of Yellowstone.

Yellowstone's name is historically credited to the Native Americans who lived in and around the park area. The name is basically derived from the Yellowstone River. The Yellowstone River has high yellow rock cliffs along its banks in the northern area of the present day park.

The Native American Minnetaree tribe called the river "Mi tsi a da zi," which means "Rock Yellow River." French fur trappers translated this to "Yellow Rock" or "Yellow Stone." Hence Yellowstone was named.

In 1872 Yellowstone National Park was established making it the world's first national park.