Yellowstone National Park is home to complex ecosystems and distinct geothermal phenomena. It remains a fascinating place to consider when thinking about American geography and its natural history.
This quiz looks at specific details regarding the park’s formation, its abundance of mineral deposits, and the various species that roam its landscape. You will see questions about major volcanic events, historic reintroductions, and the unique geology found throughout the area.
When you finish, try natural wonders trivia, explore historic places, or look through our travel curiosities.
Most of the land area of Yellowstone National Park is located in which U.S. state?
Utah
Utah
Montana
Montana
Idaho
Idaho
Wyoming
Wyoming
In what year was Yellowstone officially established as the world’s first national park?
1892
1892
1872
1872
1862
1862
1882
1882
Which large mammal, often seen in vast herds in Lamar Valley, is the national mammal of the United States?
Moose
Moose
Grizzly bear
Grizzly bear
Elk
Elk
Bison
Bison
Which famous geothermal feature is the most predictable, erupting approximately every 60 to 110 minutes?
Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth Hot Springs
Grand Prismatic Spring
Grand Prismatic Spring
Norris Geyser Basin
Norris Geyser Basin
Old Faithful
Old Faithful
The massive volcanic depression formed by the collapse of the land following a supervolcanic eruption is known as what?
Caldera
Caldera
Crater
Crater
Rift Valley
Rift Valley
Basin
Basin
In what year were grey wolves reintroduced to Yellowstone to help balance the ecosystem?
1995
1995
2001
2001
1998
1998
1992
1992
What is the largest high-elevation lake in North America, located inside the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park?
Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake
Shoshone Lake
Shoshone Lake
Lewis Lake
Lewis Lake
Heart Lake
Heart Lake
Which spring is recognized as the largest hot spring in the United States, known for its rainbow-colored bacteria mats?
Emerald Pool
Emerald Pool
Deep Blue Spring
Deep Blue Spring
Grand Prismatic Spring
Grand Prismatic Spring
Morning Glory Pool
Morning Glory Pool
The white, terrace-like formations found at Mammoth Hot Springs are primarily composed of what mineral?
Sulfur dioxide
Sulfur dioxide
Magnesium sulfate
Magnesium sulfate
Calcium carbonate
Calcium carbonate
Iron oxide
Iron oxide
What is the scientific term for the heat-loving microorganisms that give Yellowstone’s hot springs their vibrant colors?
Extremophiles
Extremophiles
Psychrophiles
Psychrophiles
Thermophiles
Thermophiles
Acidophiles
Acidophiles
Which specific Native American tribe is documented to have primarily utilized the high-altitude Obsidian Cliff area in Yellowstone for tool making for thousands of years?
Sioux
Sioux
Crow
Crow
Nez Perce
Nez Perce
Shoshone
Shoshone
The rock-like crust formed by silica deposits around geysers and hot springs is technically called what?
Basalt columns
Basalt columns
Travertine flows
Travertine flows
Sinter deposits
Sinter deposits
Geyserites
Geyserites
Yellowstone contains approximately what fraction of the world’s total hydrothermal features?
One-half
One-half
Two-thirds
Two-thirds
Three-quarters
Three-quarters
One-third
One-third
When did the most recent major cataclysmic eruption at the Yellowstone supervolcano occur?
840,000 years ago
840,000 years ago
440,000 years ago
440,000 years ago
640,000 years ago
640,000 years ago
1,040,000 years ago
1,040,000 years ago
Which of these species is the most abundant large mammal found in Yellowstone?
Moose
Moose
Bighorn sheep
Bighorn sheep
Elk
Elk
Mule deer
Mule deer
What type of hydrothermal feature is formed when rising acidic gases decompose the rock into a bubbling, clay-like slurry?
Hot Spring
Hot Spring
Geyser
Geyser
Fumarole
Fumarole
Mud Pot
Mud Pot
Which U.S. President signed the act that officially created Yellowstone National Park in 1872?
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
What is the primary name for a vent in the Earth’s surface that emits volcanic gases and steam without significant liquid water?
Fumarole
Fumarole
Mud Pot
Mud Pot
Geyser
Geyser
Hot Spring
Hot Spring
Yellowstone hosts a famous herd of which of the following animals, known as the fastest land mammal in North America?
Bison
Bison
Pronghorn
Pronghorn
Mule deer
Mule deer
Elk
Elk
Which area of the park is recorded as having the hottest and most acidic geothermal activity?
Norris Geyser Basin
Norris Geyser Basin
Old Faithful Basin
Old Faithful Basin
West Thumb Geyser Basin
West Thumb Geyser Basin
Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth Hot Springs
What is the name of the world’s tallest currently active geyser, located in Yellowstone National Park?
Steamboat Geyser
Steamboat Geyser
Great Fountain Geyser
Great Fountain Geyser
Beehive Geyser
Beehive Geyser
Castle Geyser
Castle Geyser
Yellowstone’s volcanic activity is driven by a stationary plume of magma beneath the Earth’s crust known as what?
Transform fault
Transform fault
Subduction zone
Subduction zone
Volcanic hotspot
Volcanic hotspot
Mid-ocean ridge
Mid-ocean ridge
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If you enjoyed these questions, you might also like testing your skills with our famous landmarks trivia, checking out world cities, or reviewing insights in general geography.







