1 of 12
Steam on the WaterTourists walk past Yellowstone's Fountain Paint Pots, so named for the multi-colored mud. The area is home to some of the park's geothermal wonders: hot pools, mud pots, and steaming fumaroles. This photo was taken for the magazine, but never published.
Photograph by Sam Abell, National Geographic

12 Retro Pictures Capture the Majesty of Yellowstone

We celebrate the national park's anniversary with a look back at our May 1972 issue.

March 1, 2016

On its birthday, we celebrate the park—which is mostly in Wyoming, but also stretches into Montana and Idaho—with this collection of breathtaking photos taken by Sam Abell for National Geographic's 1972 Yellowstone issue.

Follow Becky Little on Twitter.

National Geographic History Magazine

The gift that brings the past to life - now with a free tote
BUY FOR ME

Related Topics