As the frigid night wore on, the thin whine of a lone coyote howling in the distance competed with the sound of vacuous gusts of wind. I wiped the moisture from my bedroom window and peered outside, but there was zero visibility due to an unseasonable and unexpected storm. By morning, the trees bowed under the burden of a sparkling white blanket. The leaden sky indicated temperatures were still at freezing, but at least the roads had reopened after two days of closure.
My introduction to the Wyoming side of Yellowstone National Park, a vast volcanic land that spills across two other states (Montana and Idaho), was proving that nature cares little for our plans. But, exactly 150 years ago, plans were what secured the future of this area and others across the country. In 1872, Ulysses S Grant, the 18th President of the United States, set aside the bulk of the 8,991 sq km that now make up Yellowstone. He wanted to secure this tapestry of prehistoric and historic cultural resources in perpetuity for the American people. In doing so, the first national park in the USA - and the world - was born. Today the US park system manages an area roughly equivalent to the size of Germany. Now, as the roads cleared, I could finally discover Grant's wilderness legacy for myself.
After an hour's drive, I arrived at the Norris Geyser Basin, the oldest of the park's many geothermal areas and christened after Yellowstone's second superintendent, a bullish pioneer-type named Philetus W Norris, who took the park in hand in 1877. Much of the basic 'road' system he laid out remains in the form of the Grand Loop Road. He also spent years documenting the hydrothermal features that now bear his name. I parked nearby and began gingerly descending an incline slick with hardened ice, muttering a soft expletive as I just about avoided ending up on my backside.
Esta historia es de la edición August September 2022 - Issue 222 de Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
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Esta historia es de la edición August September 2022 - Issue 222 de Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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Vermont, USA
The Wanderlust team relocated to New England for part of this issue, as we explored a lush state filled with outdoor escapes, historic towns... and lashings of maple syrup
Unique North America
See a side to the USA and Canada beyond the big cities and discover incredible stories and special wildlife with our pick of the trips
The call of the Rockies
From historic ski lodges to rustic backcountry cabins and a mock-Scottish castle, we pick the stays in Canada's Rocky Mountains that make the most of their setting
A new dawn for the Garifuna community
When the Garifuna people settled in Belize, they had to carry their traditions and culture with them; now a new trail is inviting visitors to explore this heritage through local communities
On the edge of history
In south-west Colorado lies the largest archaeological preserve in the USA, a series of vast cliff dwellings whose residents 'vanished' overnight. But was the answer to their disappearance in plain sight?
Tigers burning bright
As India celebrates 50 years of its Project Tiger conservation scheme, we visit the reserves of Madhya Pradesh to see how its success has impacted a tiger population that once looked in danger of disappearing
SEASON'S GREETINGS
From fiery fall foliage to art fairs and harvest festivals, opens up a wealth of across the USA and Canada autumn experiences
Waking a sleeping GIANT
A slow drive along the North Wales Way, from the English border to Anglesey, reveals not only a land of incredible local food and castles, but a region that is slowly reimagining itself
The rebirth of old JEDDAH
As efforts to restore Al-Balad, Jeddah's historical district, take hold, we get an exclusive peek at how art and culture are taking centre stage
Star-studded escapes
Wilderness, history and wildlife combine at some of Britain's most iconic stargazing sites, as more and more travellers are looking to the heavens