August 25, 2016 marked the 100 year anniversary of the National Park Service (NPS) in the United States. President Woodrow Wilson signed an act creating the NPS, a new arm of the government established to manage and protect the national parks and monuments across the country. At the time, there were only 35 parks and monuments in the system but that number would eventually grow to over 400. These cover over 84 million acres of land across the US and its territories.

Some of the beautiful scenery at Yellowstone – this was a trail that led around part of the lake that we hiked on the 100th anniversary

We were lucky enough to be in the very first national park, Yellowstone, for the celebration. Although we didn’t plan around the anniversary, the timing worked out well. We celebrated on our own, with a 2.5 mile hike around part of Lake Yellowstone. We walked through a meadow, through a forest of lodgepole pine trees, on a small cliff overlooking the lake, and next to some large rocks where yellow-bellied marmots supposedly live (we didn’t see any).

While 100 years of the NPS is impressive, keep in mind that Yellowstone itself is even older. It was designated a national park in 1872, the first of many more to come. The reasoning at the time, and still today, was to preserve the wildlife and geological features found within. Around 10 years later after it was first formed as a national park, the railroad arrived in the park, making it easier for tourists like to visit. Eventually roads were to come, forming the two loops that circulate throughout the park.

A glass of wine and a beer, some comfortable chairs, a view out over the lake, and the best of company – this makes for a memorable and relaxing afternoon

The Lake Hotel, a grand yellow structure with pillars overlooking Lake Yellowstone, was built in 1891 as a refuge from the wilderness. At the time, people wanted lodging and service befitting their station, as many of the visitors at the time were rich and from the upper class. In 1904, the Old Faithful Inn was built, a rustic structure formed from the tree trunks and limbs local to the area. This was keeping more in style of the park but still contained the amenities that were expected at the time.

The bar area of the Lake Lodge, built in 1920

Today, there are a total of nine lodges available as well as campgrounds for modern RVs and more primitive tents. While we were camping in a tent during our stay in the park, we made a point to visit the two oldest lodges and have a drink to enjoy the air conditioning and heat (on two separate days, we needed each!). Despite the number of tourists in the park, we were able to find a seat away from the crowd to enjoy our drink and the scenery laid out before us. We imagined the original tourists arriving by stagecoach and spending weeks at the park, rather than the few days we had planned.

The Yellowstone River that traverses through the park

Our time at Yellowstone was brief, but enjoyable as we explored the first national park. From the well-known to the obscure, the large and impressive to the small and seemingly insignificant, Yellowstone continued to surprise and delight us at each new discovery.