Yellowstone National Park Celebrating 150 Years

The first national park in the United States is celebrating its sesquicentennial.

March 1, 2022, marks the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Yellowstone National Park.

Signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant, America’s first national park was set aside to preserve and protect the scenery, cultural heritage, wildlife, geologic and ecological systems and processes in their natural condition for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.

“We’re proud to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone with America,” said Superintendent Cam Sholly. “This anniversary should remind us of the incredible value of our National Park System and the need for us to continue working together to address the many challenges of the future.”

Beginning March 1, the park will host and participate in a wide range of activities to commemorate 150 years of Yellowstone.

Efforts will focus around reflecting on 150 years of protecting the park, highlighting successes in the ecosystem, and opening dialogue on the lessons learned from yesterday, the challenges of today, and a vision for tomorrow.

Highlights include:

Tribal Nations Engagement

March 1: Wind River Inter-Tribal Virtual Gathering

The Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes of the Wind River Reservation will commemorate the park’s anniversary while elevating the Tribal community’s voice in conserving and managing the park. Hosted by the Wind River Tribes and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly will be a featured speaker.

May 26–Sept. 30: Yellowstone Tribal Heritage Center

Yellowstone National Park and Yellowstone Forever will pilot the Tribal center at Old Faithful where Tribal artists, scholars and presenters can directly engage visitors through education.

June 1-3: Wind River Inter-Tribal Gathering

This in-person gathering will bring together Tribal Nations, federal managers, non-governmental organizations, and others to discuss conservation, important issues to Tribal Nations, and the future of consultation and collaboration. Tribes associated with Yellowstone, nonprofits and agency personnel will honor, nourish, dance, heal and celebrate Native Americans. Hosted by the Wind River Tribes and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly will be a featured speaker.

Aug. 23-28: Teepee Village

Yellowstone is working with numerous Tribes to establish a temporary teepee village at the park’s North Entrance. Visitors will have the opportunity to interact with Tribal members to learn about their heritage and culture. Event partners include Mountain Time Arts, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, National Parks Conservation Association, Park County Environmental Council, and Yellowstone Forever.

Partners

Feb. 28-March 1: Wyoming Governor’s Hospitality & Tourism Conference 

Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly will be among the keynote speakers at this conference dedicated to celebrating and educating Wyoming’s tourism industry. The superintendent will address how the 150th is an important moment in time for Wyoming, the country and the world.

May 6: Yellowstone National Park Lodges: 150 Years of Inspiration

Yellowstone National Park Lodges will host a public event that coincides with the summer season opening of the Old Faithful Inn. Yellowstone and partner representatives will give remarks followed by refreshments, free Historic Yellow Bus tours of the Old Faithful Historic District area and a Native American Art Exhibition and Marketplace will be open.

May 15-18: 15th Biennial Scientific Conference on Yellowstone

Themed “Expanding the Scope of Science Together: The Next 150 Years,” this conference will be hosted by Montana State University. It will bring together researchers and practitioners from academia, state and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and Tribal communities to reflect on the science and conservation accomplishments that brought us to the present day and envision solutions for some of the grand challenges facing Greater Yellowstone’s future.

May 19-20: University of Wyoming’s Symposium on Yellowstone’s 150th

The University of Wyoming College of Law and the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources will host this public event. Keynote talks and panel discussions will celebrate the park’s history and look to the future. Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly will be one of the keynote speakers.

Virtual Video Series

March–August: Yellowstone’s social media team will moderate a series of presentations with subject matter experts who will share their knowledge about the past, present, and future on priority issues including people of Yellowstone, geology, wildlife conservation, climate change research, transportation and infrastructure, historic preservation, Tribal initiatives, youth programs and partnerships. The video series will be shared on Yellowstone’s website and social media platforms.

Infrastructure and Historic Preservation

Spring: New Employee Housing Open House

This year marks the opening of new employee housing. This $40 million project replaced 64 obsolete trailers with new modular homes. The old trailers located throughout the park were 40-60 years old and in substandard condition. The project also upgraded utilities and incorporated landscape designs to develop a sense of community.

May 27: Tower Junction to Chittenden Road (near Dunraven Pass) Opens

The segment of road between Tower Junction and Chittenden Road will open to the public following two years of improvements. The $28 million project was funded through the Nationally Significant Federal Lands Program and fee dollars.