People have been involved with the lands of Yellowstone for over 11,000 years. There is an array of historical evidence that shows the early human contact with the park including oral histories, archaeological sites, and trails. Tukudika are the most well-known Native Americans to be active in the park, however a multitude of tribes have traveled in and out of the lands now known as Yellowstone before and even after the arrival of European Americans.

It wasn’t until the early 1800s that European Americans arrived on the lands and began their exploration. Osborne Russell, a western American pioneer, has recordings of visits to the Yellowstone National Park that began in the 1830s, however the first organized expedition to explore Yellowstone’s land was not formed until 1870. 

The land was finally established as Yellowstone National Park in 1872. Railroads began arriving in 1883, creating more efficient access for visitors. The US Army then took over management of the park for over 30 years before the National Park Service was created in 1916. From then on to the present, multiple management plans have been created and enforced to help protect the land of Yellowstone and the animals that reside within. 

We highly recommend getting through Roosevelt Arch and into Lamar Valley early in the morning to enjoy the “serengeti” of Yellowstone, that is Lamar Valley!