WEBVTT

00:00:00.601 --> 00:00:04.733
♪ 

00:00:04.733 --> 00:00:12.767
[water crashing]

00:00:12.767 --> 00:00:16.700
[water trickling]

00:00:16.700 --> 00:00:19.150
Voice Reenactor: The Park 
is just a howling wilderness 

00:00:19.150 --> 00:00:21.650
of three thousand square miles

00:00:21.650 --> 00:00:24.900
full of all imaginable freaks 
of a fiery nature.

00:00:24.900 --> 00:00:28.500
♪

00:00:28.500 --> 00:00:31.170
Now I know what it is 
to sit enthroned

00:00:31.170 --> 00:00:33.442
amid the clouds of sunset.

00:00:33.442 --> 00:00:36.200
Rudyard Kipling, 1907

00:00:36.200 --> 00:00:42.500
[geyser gushing]

00:00:42.500 --> 00:00:59.100
♪

00:00:59.100 --> 00:01:01.030
Park Ranger:
Welcome to Yellowstone. 

00:01:01.030 --> 00:01:04.650
The human stories of Yellowstone
reach back 11,000 years

00:01:04.650 --> 00:01:08.470
and include your journey today.
What drew you to Yellowstone?

00:01:08.470 --> 00:01:09.584
[geyser gushing]

00:01:09.584 --> 00:01:14.614
Experience Yellowstone
[geyser gushing]

00:01:14.614 --> 00:01:16.433
♪

00:01:16.433 --> 00:01:19.500
Narrator:
In 1871, rumors of volcanic 

00:01:19.500 --> 00:01:21.870
activity prompted scientists
to explore

00:01:21.870 --> 00:01:24.810
and document
the Yellowstone area.

00:01:24.810 --> 00:01:26.830
Artist Thomas Moran
and photographer

00:01:26.830 --> 00:01:29.470
William Henry Jackson
accompanied the expedition,

00:01:30.510 --> 00:01:33.000
and through their paintings
and photographs,

00:01:33.000 --> 00:01:35.520
Yellowstone captured
the hearts and imaginations

00:01:35.520 --> 00:01:37.220
of the American people.

00:01:37.730 --> 00:01:38.990
A year later.

00:01:38.990 --> 00:01:41.890
Yellowstone became the
world’s first national park,

00:01:43.340 --> 00:01:44.760
land set aside as a place

00:01:44.760 --> 00:01:47.300
for all to experience
nature’s wildness.

00:01:49.666 --> 00:01:53.933
[elk bugling]

00:01:53.933 --> 00:01:58.658
[water crashing]

00:01:58.658 --> 00:02:02.800
[bubbling]

00:02:04.423 --> 00:02:06.040
[wolves howling]

00:02:06.040 --> 00:02:10.390
Discover your Yellowstone.
From dazzling palettes of color

00:02:10.390 --> 00:02:12.400
created by
microscopic communities

00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:14.030
of heat-loving organisms,

00:02:14.030 --> 00:02:15.666
called thermophiles—

00:02:15.666 --> 00:02:20.033
to the joy of new life—

00:02:20.033 --> 00:02:22.833
to water crashing down into 
the Grand Canyon

00:02:22.833 --> 00:02:28.233
of the Yellowstone River—
to so much more.

00:02:29.816 --> 00:02:34.330
Are you ready
to experience your Yellowstone?

00:02:35.333 --> 00:02:38.508
[geyser splashing]

00:02:38.508 --> 00:02:43.476
[water trickling]

00:02:45.380 --> 00:02:46.740
Park Ranger:
If you’re interested

00:02:46.740 --> 00:02:48.230
in hydrothermal features
this is

00:02:48.230 --> 00:02:50.730
one of the best spots
in the world to view them.

00:02:52.190 --> 00:02:53.510
Narrator:
Gaze into the park’s

00:02:53.510 --> 00:02:56.230
numerous hot springs,
pools where water heated

00:02:56.230 --> 00:02:59.260
underground flows freely
to the surface.

00:02:59.260 --> 00:03:03.170
[geyser splashing]

00:03:03.170 --> 00:03:05.940
Watch geysers—hot springs
with an underground

00:03:05.940 --> 00:03:09.070
constriction—erupt hot water
above the surface.

00:03:11.300 --> 00:03:14.550
More than 500 geysers—over
half of the world’s

00:03:14.550 --> 00:03:17.010
total—are found
within the park,

00:03:17.010 --> 00:03:21.620
most of them
near Old Faithful.

00:03:22.066 --> 00:03:24.240
[hissing]

00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:26.450
Listen to fumaroles—the
hottest

00:03:26.450 --> 00:03:29.050
hydrothermal features—hiss
and grow

00:03:29.050 --> 00:03:30.940
as heat flashes
the limited water

00:03:30.940 --> 00:03:34.398
underground into steam.

00:03:34.398 --> 00:03:37.733
[bubbling]

00:03:37.733 --> 00:03:39.600
[splashing]

00:03:39.600 --> 00:03:42.580
Look for bubbling mud
pots—acidic hot springs

00:03:42.580 --> 00:03:44.330
that dissolve
the surrounding rock.

00:03:45.580 --> 00:03:48.866
[bubbling]

00:03:49.852 --> 00:03:52.499
♪

00:03:53.090 --> 00:03:55.100
Tour these hydrothermal wonders

00:03:55.100 --> 00:03:57.350
along the park’s
many boardwalks.

00:03:57.350 --> 00:04:01.900
[water flowing]

00:04:01.900 --> 00:04:04.100
Park Ranger: Yellowstone is
a volcanically active area.

00:04:04.970 --> 00:04:06.710
Much of the park
is actually situated

00:04:06.710 --> 00:04:08.760
inside ofthe Yellowstone
caldera.

00:04:08.760 --> 00:04:12.320
The caldera was formed
about 640,000 years ago

00:04:12.320 --> 00:04:14.540
during a massive
volcanic eruption.

00:04:14.540 --> 00:04:17.740
Today, that caldera is
about 30 by 45 miles wide.

00:04:19.658 --> 00:04:22.333
[geyser gushes]

00:04:22.333 --> 00:04:23.330
[vent hissing]

00:04:23.330 --> 00:04:24.620
Narrator:
All this volcanic

00:04:24.620 --> 00:04:27.040
and hydrothermal activity
is due to Yellowstone

00:04:27.040 --> 00:04:29.280
sitting atop
a geologic hot spot,

00:04:29.280 --> 00:04:31.700
a place where molten rock,
known as magma,

00:04:31.700 --> 00:04:33.840
reaches closer
to the surface than normal.

00:04:36.410 --> 00:04:38.040
As you explore Yellowstone,

00:04:38.040 --> 00:04:40.620
think about the tremendous
heat beneath your feet.

00:04:41.770 --> 00:04:43.700
Stay on boardwalks
and marked trails

00:04:43.700 --> 00:04:45.490
in all hydrothermal areas.

00:04:47.570 --> 00:04:49.010
Park Ranger:
To experience Yellowstone

00:04:49.010 --> 00:04:51.240
is to experience the heart
of one of the largest

00:04:51.240 --> 00:04:53.990
and most intact temperate
ecosystems on Earth,

00:04:53.990 --> 00:04:56.140
known as the Greater
Yellowstone Ecosystem.

00:04:57.440 --> 00:04:58.940
Narrator:
The ecosystem contains

00:04:58.940 --> 00:05:01.310
vast lodgepole
and douglas-fir forests,

00:05:02.390 --> 00:05:05.158
sagebrush-steppe 
and alpine tundra,

00:05:05.158 --> 00:05:09.696
wetlands, rivers, and lakes.

00:05:11.666 --> 00:05:15.145
[wings beating]

00:05:16.500 --> 00:05:19.090
Within this ecosystem lives
a diversity

00:05:19.090 --> 00:05:23.300
of native wildlife.
Food availability determines

00:05:23.300 --> 00:05:25.099
where wildlife is found
in the park.

00:05:26.270 --> 00:05:28.660
As the snow disappears
in the spring,

00:05:28.660 --> 00:05:30.450
Yellowstone bursts to life.

00:05:31.950 --> 00:05:34.340
Ungulates such as elk,
bison,

00:05:34.340 --> 00:05:37.310
and pronghorn roam
across the ecosystem

00:05:37.310 --> 00:05:39.830
within and outside park
boundaries

00:05:39.830 --> 00:05:42.470
based on the growing season
of the plants they eat

00:05:42.470 --> 00:05:44.170
and the severity of winter.

00:05:46.180 --> 00:05:49.190
As summer returns, these
animals migrate to areas

00:05:49.190 --> 00:05:51.190
like the fertile valleys
of Yellowstone.

00:05:53.920 --> 00:05:57.430
Predators like wolves,
bald eagles,

00:05:57.430 --> 00:06:00.010
and river otters
are more elusive.

00:06:00.010 --> 00:06:02.510
moving around based on
where their prey are found.

00:06:05.760 --> 00:06:08.040
Summer is a time
for colorful blooms

00:06:08.040 --> 00:06:10.280
of wildflowers
to cover the mountainsides,

00:06:11.180 --> 00:06:14.090
young animals to grow strong
before their first winter,

00:06:14.640 --> 00:06:17.360
and male bison to compete
for mates.

00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:18.719
[bison grunting]

00:06:22.870 --> 00:06:25.666
To survive, Yellowstone’s
animals must move freely

00:06:25.666 --> 00:06:26.833
in their environment.


00:06:26.833 --> 00:06:31.839
Keep your distance.

00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:34.450
If any wildlife approach you,

00:06:34.450 --> 00:06:35.333
immediately move away

00:06:35.333 --> 00:06:37.999
to keep your distance.

00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:43.470
Prevent them from eating
any human food.

00:06:45.910 --> 00:06:48.400
Help keep Yellowstone’s
animals wild.

00:06:50.506 --> 00:06:54.139
♪

00:06:54.139 --> 00:06:55.890
The arrival of fall

00:06:55.890 --> 00:06:59.700
brings the very active
and loud elk mating season.

00:06:59.700 --> 00:07:02.560
[elk bugling]

00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:04.609
It’s also a time
of preparing for winter.

00:07:05.900 --> 00:07:07.600
Bears focus
on gaining weight.

00:07:08.530 --> 00:07:09.810
Park Ranger:
Bears hibernate for

00:07:09.810 --> 00:07:11.550
five months
out of the year here,

00:07:11.550 --> 00:07:13.600
and so the months
that they’re active,

00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:15.280
they’re intensely feeding,

00:07:15.280 --> 00:07:17.530
trying to gain enough
weight for hibernation.

00:07:19.710 --> 00:07:21.666
Narrator: Foraging bears
may not notice you.

00:07:21.666 --> 00:07:24.580
It is especially important

00:07:24.580 --> 00:07:26.990
to know and practice
bear safety.

00:07:26.990 --> 00:07:28.740
Be alert and keep your distance.

00:07:29.558 --> 00:07:33.104
When hiking, make noise,

00:07:33.104 --> 00:07:36.480
travel in groups of three
or more, carry bear spray,

00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:38.371
and know how to use it.

00:07:38.371 --> 00:07:41.365
[spraying]

00:07:43.181 --> 00:07:47.412
♪

00:07:47.412 --> 00:07:49.560
As winter returns
to Yellowstone,

00:07:49.560 --> 00:07:51.910
new opportunities
abound for visitors.

00:07:53.340 --> 00:07:55.540
And it can be a great time
to spot wildlife.

00:07:59.930 --> 00:08:03.030
Taking advantage of the lack
of competition for food,

00:08:03.030 --> 00:08:05.879
trumpeter swans migrate to
Yellowstone during the winter.

00:08:06.810 --> 00:08:11.220
Elk, mule deer, and bison
migrate to lower elevations,

00:08:11.220 --> 00:08:13.560
or they can be found
around geyser basins

00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:15.710
where the heat keeps
winter snows at bay.

00:08:17.200 --> 00:08:20.417
Millions of people also migrate
through the park each year.

00:08:20.430 --> 00:08:28.591
♪

00:08:28.591 --> 00:08:28.610
Whether you are here

00:08:28.610 --> 00:08:32.224
for the first time,
or are here time and again,

00:08:33.132 --> 00:08:35.312
there is a lot to enjoy.

00:08:35.312 --> 00:08:44.939
♪

00:08:47.663 --> 00:08:53.426
[applause]

00:08:54.666 --> 00:08:56.150
♪

00:08:56.150 --> 00:08:58.510
Narrator: With  the Greater
Yellowstone Ecosystem

00:08:58.510 --> 00:09:02.390
extending over many millions
of acres—encompassing state,

00:09:02.390 --> 00:09:03.700
federal, tribal,

00:09:03.700 --> 00:09:06.730
and private lands—it is
a living laboratory

00:09:06.730 --> 00:09:09.079
filled with knowledge
waiting to be discovered.

00:09:11.733 --> 00:09:15.280
Find out how the changing
climate affects the ecosystem,

00:09:15.280 --> 00:09:16.880
or how native populations

00:09:16.880 --> 00:09:18.690
are impacted
by invasive species.

00:09:19.750 --> 00:09:21.750
Learn how fire plays
a natural role

00:09:21.750 --> 00:09:25.210
in the ecosystem
and how research on microbes

00:09:25.210 --> 00:09:27.280
living in extreme conditions

00:09:27.280 --> 00:09:29.910
has led to medical
and scientific discoveries.

00:09:31.620 --> 00:09:33.770
Explore Yellowstone’s
visitor centers.

00:09:34.630 --> 00:09:36.860
join in a ranger
program, and

00:09:36.860 --> 00:09:39.010
most of all,
get out into the park

00:09:39.010 --> 00:09:41.430
to witness
the wonders first-hand.

00:09:41.430 --> 00:09:43.530
[geyser erupting]

00:09:43.530 --> 00:09:45.700
Take time to get
to know Yellowstone.

00:09:47.270 --> 00:09:48.470
Park ranger:
People have traveled

00:09:48.470 --> 00:09:50.870
from around the world
to experience Yellowstone.

00:09:51.690 --> 00:09:53.100
They have enriched
the history

00:09:53.100 --> 00:09:54.860
and chosen to preserve
and protect

00:09:54.860 --> 00:09:56.686
this world-renowned
treasure.

00:09:57.705 --> 00:10:00.860
[water crashing]

00:10:00.860 --> 00:10:02.100
Park ranger:
Some of my most

00:10:02.100 --> 00:10:04.070
memorable experiences
in geyser basins

00:10:04.070 --> 00:10:08.530
have been at sunrise
or sunset—so it’s very quiet

00:10:08.530 --> 00:10:11.360
and the light will sometimes
strike a geyser pool just right,

00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:13.060
making it a beautiful color.

00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:16.220
Park ranger:
Just seeing the reaction

00:10:16.220 --> 00:10:17.920
of visitors
when they see a grizzly bear

00:10:17.920 --> 00:10:21.770
for the first time
or a majestic bull elk,

00:10:23.024 --> 00:10:25.719
and it’s just
a remarkable thing to watch.

00:10:26.910 --> 00:10:28.480
Visitor:
I got to see Old Faithful,

00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:29.690
the Grand Geyser,

00:10:29.690 --> 00:10:32.530
and some other ones.
My favorite was Old Faithful.

00:10:32.530 --> 00:10:36.380
[geyser blasting]

00:10:36.380 --> 00:10:37.660
Park ranger:
There are no other places

00:10:37.660 --> 00:10:39.580
like this
on the face of the earth.

00:10:40.790 --> 00:10:42.803
Park ranger:
There are so many stories

00:10:42.803 --> 00:10:45.574
to learn from Yellowstone. 

00:10:45.574 --> 00:10:48.370
It’s your park and so

00:10:48.370 --> 00:10:50.640
we want you to enjoy it
while you’re here.

00:10:50.640 --> 00:10:52.340
Park ranger:
Welcome to Yellowstone!

00:10:54.266 --> 00:10:55.900
Narrator:
Visiting Yellowstone is said

00:10:55.900 --> 00:10:57.600
to be life changing.

00:10:58.780 --> 00:11:01.580
A place to be preserved
for and enjoyed by all.

00:11:06.120 --> 00:11:09.918
Once you experience Yellowstone,
where will it lead you?

00:11:09.918 --> 00:11:10.973
[geyser gushing] 

00:11:10.973 --> 00:11:13.036
Made possible by a donation
from CANON U.S.A., INC.

00:11:13.036 --> 00:11:15.233
through YELLOWSTONE FOREVER

00:11:15.233 --> 00:12:01.110
♪