Yellowstone National Park is a fascinating place filled with natural wonders, wildlife, and opportunities for adventure. Exploring Yellowstone can be even more fun if you try to solve some riddles along the way! Here are 83 riddles about different facts and features of Yellowstone National Park, along with the answers.
Geography Riddles
Let’s start with some riddles about the location and geography of Yellowstone National Park:
Riddle: What are the three states that Yellowstone National Park covers parts of?
Answer: Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
Riddle: About how many acres is Yellowstone National Park?
Answer: Over 2.2 million acres
Riddle: What is the highest point in elevation in Yellowstone National Park?
Answer: Eagle Peak at 11,358 feet
Riddle: What river flows through the Hayden Valley in Yellowstone?
Answer: The Yellowstone River
Riddle: True or false – Yellowstone Lake is the largest high elevation lake in North America.
Answer: True
Geological Riddles
Next, let’s look at some riddles about the unique geology of Yellowstone:
Riddle: How many hydrothermal features are found in Yellowstone?
Answer: Over 10,000 hydrothermal features including geysers, hot springs, steam vents, and mud pots
Riddle: What are the brilliantly colored pools in Yellowstone made of?
Answer: The colors come from heat-loving microbes in the water
Riddle: What causes the geysers in Yellowstone to erupt?
Answer: Underground pockets of hot water heat up and eventually explode into steam and water eruptions
Riddle: How tall is the tallest active geyser in Yellowstone?
Answer: Steamboat Geyser at up to 300 – 400 feet tall
Riddle: How wide is Grand Prismatic Spring?
Answer: Approximately 370 feet wide
Wildlife Riddles
Yellowstone is filled with fascinating wildlife. Test your knowledge with these animal riddles:
Riddle: What is the largest mammal living in Yellowstone?
Answer: Bison
Riddle: How fast can a pronghorn antelope run?
Answer: Up to 60 mph
Riddle: What types of bears can be found in Yellowstone?
Answer: Grizzly bears and black bears
Riddle: True or false – wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995 after being absent for around 70 years.
Answer: True
Riddle: What is the name of the only fish species native to Yellowstone Lake?
Answer: Yellowstone cutthroat trout
History Riddles
Let’s look back at some of the history of Yellowstone:
Riddle: What year did Yellowstone become the first national park in the United States?
Answer: 1872
Riddle: Who was the first superintendent of Yellowstone National Park?
Answer: Nathaniel P. Langford
Riddle: True or false – Yellowstone National Park is located entirely within the state of Wyoming.
Answer: False, it covers parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
Riddle: What Native American tribes lived in or traveled through what is now Yellowstone National Park?
Answer: Tribes included the Nez Perce, Bannock, Sheepeater, and Shoshone
Riddle: Yellowstone’s Roosevelt Arch is named after which U.S. President?
Answer: Theodore Roosevelt
Activity Riddles
There are so many fun things to do in Yellowstone. Test your knowledge of Yellowstone activities with these riddles:
Riddle: During what months is most of the park open for visitors?
Answer: May through October
Riddle: What is the highest geyser basin in elevation at Yellowstone?
Answer: West Thumb Geyser Basin
Riddle: Old Faithful erupts how frequently, on average?
Answer: Every 60-110 minutes
Riddle: What is the average temperature of Boiling River where it mixes with the cold Gardner River?
Answer: Around 110 degrees Fahrenheit
Riddle: How many miles of hiking trails exist in Yellowstone?
Answer: Over 900 miles of trails
Safety Riddles
When exploring Yellowstone, safety is crucial. Test your safety knowledge with these riddles:
Riddle: What is the minimum recommended distance to stay away from bears and wolves in Yellowstone?
Answer: 100 yards or 91 meters
Riddle: What should you do if you encounter a bear in Yellowstone?
Answer: Do not run, back away slowly while facing the bear
Riddle: True or false – It is safe to swim in hot springs and geyser basins in Yellowstone.
Answer: False, the hot water can cause severe or fatal burns
Riddle: How many ranger stations are there in Yellowstone National Park?
Answer: 5 ranger stations
Riddle: What speed limit should you follow when driving through Yellowstone?
Answer: 45 mph or less
Conclusion
Exploring Yellowstone National Park through fun riddles is a great way to learn more about this amazing place. From wildlife spotting to admiring colorful geothermal features, there is so much to discover in Yellowstone. Stay safe, go prepared, and enjoy solving a few riddles along your journey in America’s first national park!
