My Yellowstone

I am just home from my ninth trip to Yellowstone National Park. 

You might think I would get tired of going to the same place time after time, but Yellowstone never disappoints me. Each trip is different. I see different things. Sometimes I see a lot of wildlife; sometimes I see little. 

I go at different times of year (except summer, when the park is overcrowded with people and vehicles). The light is different each day. The weather is different. Animal sightings are different. No two days are the same.

This is my Yellowstone, a huge place (2.2 million acres) that includes some 500 geysers and 10,000 thermal features.

This is my Yellowstone. Close to 100 gray wolves live here. Thousands of bison and elk call this place home. Black bears, grizzly bears, cougars, bobcats and foxes live in the park. Trumpeter swans, bald eagles, golden eagles, bluebirds, red-tail hawks, beavers and mountain goats inhabit Yellowstone's lands.

This is my Yellowstone. DO NOT TAUNT THE WILDLIFE. Yes, bison, elk and other animals are wildlife. They are not domestic animals. They are not there for your entertainment. Yellowstone is their home. It is not yours. Act appropriately.

This is my Yellowstone. When the signs say to stay on the boardwalk, STAY ON THE BOARDWALK. Boardwalks are there for a reason. Stepping off a boardwalk can damage fragile soil.  It also can put your life at risk should you fall through the fragile soil. 

This is my Yellowstone. You will not walk across the fragile ground, stand at the edge of Old Faithful geyser, and urinate into it. 

This is my Yellowstone. You will not toss shoes and other items into or onto thermal features. 

This is my Yellowstone. I don’t care what other country or culture you come from. You can do as you please in your country. But while in Yellowstone, you will respect this park and obey its regulations. If you are from another country, you are a guest in this country. Act accordingly. If you are an American, act like it!

This is my Yellowstone. You will not chase after wildlife, try to pet a bison on the head, or surround any wild animal so you can take a picture with your selfie stick. 

This is my Yellowstone. I love this park. I will not stand by and watch you deface it, harass its wildlife, or damage it through your careless, self-centered behavior.

This is my Yellowstone. I will yell at you and tell you to stop what you are doing if you are breaking the rules or acting recklessly. I don’t want to hear your excuses. 

This is my Yellowstone, a park with wild animals, thermal features, beautiful rivers, mountains and fields. It is visited by more than 4 million people every year. Every visitor must treat this special place with respect, and work to preserve its beauty and resources for generations to come. 

Enjoy Yellowstone. Let it fill your heart with peace and your eyes with beauty. Discover animals and things you have never seen before. But do nothing to harm this wonderful land.