What is the difference between yellowstone and yosemite

Technicolor hot springs or emerald blue lakes? But how on earth are you supposed to choose between the two? Yosemite was formed by glaciers millions of years ago. Over time, these glaciers carved out massive granite peaks and pretty alpine valleys filled with waterfalls and shimmering lakes. Yosemite is also home to the giant sequoia trees the tallest on earth and walking beneath them is truly humbling.

Yellowstone wins the prize for weird and wonderful. Because Yellowstone is so vast and remote, it has the highest amount of wildlife in the lower 48 states. There are 67 species of mammals alone including black bears, grizzly bears and wolves. There are also seven native species of ungulates large mammals with hooves including moose, pronghorn sheep, elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer and bison. You might even get stuck in a bison traffic jam in the Yellowstone rush hour!

Yosemite is also home to an impressive range of wildlife including black bears, bighorn sheep, bobcats, mule deer and coyotes. But are you likely to see these big mammals in the park? This is probably because Yosemite is much smaller than Yellowstone and most of the animals hide from the big crowds. Bird watchers are in for a treat, though. If seeing wildlife is at the top of your list, then you should probably go to Yellowstone.

Yellowstone has over 1, miles of hiking trails and 92 trailheads to explore. Related reading: The 8 best hikes in Yellowstone National Park. With its giant granite monoliths and glacially carved landscapes, Yosemite has some amazing trails and unbeatable views. There are trails for all levels and abilities, whether you want to put yourself to the test by climbing up the world-famous Half Dome or El Capitan or go on a pleasant stroll through the valleys.

Yosemite has world-famous trails that attract hiking enthusiasts from near and far. That said, the trails are more crowded and if you like hiking in solitude, you might prefer Yellowstone. When it comes to hiking in the backcountry, Yosemite is probably a little safer as there is less wildlife and the weather is more reliable. Did you know Yellowstone has waterfalls? People often overlook this because the geothermal features steal the show.

So here we go. Yosemite is the first piece of protected land on earth, ever. It was first protected in , when Abraham Lincoln signed into law the preservation of Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove the big trees from any commercial development, marking an important milestone in American, and world, history.

Because California was already a state in , the local government was tasked with the job of maintaining and protecting the new park. The federal government had more of a challenge with Yellowstone, however. The land to be protected was part of Wyoming territory, not an official state yet, which meant there was no local government to oversee its protection. So instead, mostly from a lack of options, lawmakers were forced to create Yellowstone as a national park, protected by the federal government.

So which park was protected first? Which is the first national park? Are you confused yet? Yosemite is a giant granite slab in the Sierra Nevada Mountain range on the border of California. Pushed up by plate tectonics, eroded by weather, and shaped by glaciers, the park has some of the largest and tallest granite monoliths, or walls, in the world. When privately hiking in the backcountry , you can see even more granite formations, seemingly endlessly stretching over the horizon.

Trees, waterfalls and wildlife seek solitude between these granite domes and cliffs, and hiking here will exercise calf muscles you never knew you had. Yellowstone, on the other hand, is in the Rocky Mountains and is an extinct volcano caldera. California is the most populous state in America, with around 40 million residents. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.

However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place.

Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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