Wyoming: 10 things you didn’t know
1 First National Park
Wyoming is home to the nation’s first national park. In 1872 congress named Yellowstone National Park as the first national park in the world.
2 First National Monument
President Theodore Roosevelt designated Devils Tower as the nation’s first national monument in 1906. The apostrophe was unintentionally dropped from ‘Devil’s’ when the proclamation was published and this clerical error was never officially changed.
3 First National Forest
Shoshone National Forest, located in the northwestern side of the state, became the nation’s first national forest in 1891. Shoshone National Forest is one of seven national forests in Wyoming.
4 State with the smallest population
Although Wyoming is the 10th largest state in total area, it is the least populated of all 50 states with an estimated population of only 582,658 in 2013.
5 Wyoming has an official state mythological creature
The Jackalope, a cross between a jack rabbit and antelope, is Wyoming’s official state mythical creature. Douglas, Wyoming is known as home to this infamous legend.
6 Geysers and Volcanoes
The national park is home to more than 500 distinguished geysers located all throughout the park in the Lower, Midway and Upper Geyser basin areas. The park also contains over 1,000 thermal features. These features are a product of millions of years of geologic occurrences and evidence of Yellowstone sitting on a major super-volcano.
7 World class skiing
Wyoming is home to one of the most challenging ski runs in all of North America: Corbets Couloir at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. With Wyoming’s plentiful mountain ranges, there are several ski resorts throughout the state offering similar thrills and picturesque views.
8 Breakthroughs in medical research
The thermophiles (heat-loving bacteria that thrive in extreme temperatures) found in the hot springs in Yellowstone National Park are currently being used to assist with cancer research and other life-saving advances in human health.
9 A rock climber’s dream
Wyoming is a rock climber’s paradise, offering crags with exciting routes for any type of skill set. If you’re looking for a challenge, Wyoming is famous for the Grand Traverse; a 10 summit, 13+ mile tour across the Grand Tetons and one of the most difficult climbs to complete.
10 More wildlife than people
Wyoming is a haven for wildlife. The largest Elk herd in North America can be found at the National Elk Refuge in Jackson and Yellowstone National Park has the largest population of wild plains Bison.
Take a guided tour of the park to learn more.