Resting on top of a massive Supervolcano, Yellowstone National Park is a geothermal wonderland full of spouting geysers, thermal rocks, and boiling springs.

Established in 1872 by Ulysses S. Grant, Yellowstone is America’s first and oldest National Park, protecting a vast swath of land that includes parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.

Resting on top of the Yellowstone Caldera, a dangerous supervolcano that in an eruption could cause major damage to the entire Western half of the United States, the Park has become one of the best known protected lands in the world due to its abundant wildlife and dramatic geothermal activity.

While today Yellowstone may feel more like a Theme Park than a National Park, it’s hard to leave the place without a sense of awe: a simple walk behind the visitors center is greeted with geysers spouting over 50 feet high, vibrantly colored pools of 200 degree water, and a seemingly endless of number of other geothermal wonders.

Here are my photos from my trip: