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Old Faithful Area Comprehensive Plan
Yellowstone National Park » Old Faithful Area Comprehensive Plan » Document List
Recognized internationally, the Old Faithful area is one of the premier destinations in Yellowstone National Park and the National Park Service (NPS). Old Faithful Geyser draws people from across generations and nationalities to the park, where visitors can see hundreds of geysers and hot springs rise from the Yellowstone caldera within the Upper Geyser Basin. The Old Faithful Inn stands as a sentinel overlooking Old Faithful Geyser, an iconic partnership that exemplifies the National Park Service mission to preserve and protect natural wonders while providing for the benefit and enjoyment of visitors. The wealth of resources in this area has provided connections, both ancient and current, to human occupation and inspiration for thousands of years.
Identifying ways to enhance the visitor experience and accommodate park operational needs, while protecting the wealth of resources in the area, will require significant evaluation and analysis.
These are the Plan Objectives:
Visitor Use
• Provide the visitor with opportunities to experience and be inspired by the Old Faithful Area's resources and values
• Increase visitor understanding and appreciation of the Old Faithful Area's resources and values
• Improve vehicle and pedestrian circulation and parking
Public Health & Safety
• Seek to manage the Old Faithful Area for the safety of all visitors and employees
• Reduce vehicle/pedestrian conflicts
• Address the needs of visitors exposed to open and hot conditions and long distances
Resources
• Protect the Old Faithful Area's cultural, natural, and scenic resources, including:
• The fragile and dynamic hydrothermal Upper Geyser Basin
• Wildlife habitat associated with the hydrothermal areas
• Exceptional cultural resources such as the Old Faithful Inn and the Old Faithful Historic District
• Protect the Old Faithful Area's naturally-occurring sounds and dark night sky
Park Management/Operations
• Improve visitor services by evaluating facilities for adaptive use
We invite your involvement early in this process to give you an opportunity to assist in developing the comprehensive plan. Your comments will help us define the scope of issues, needs, and objectives of the plan so that we can better protect the fundamental resources and values important to Old Faithful, one of Yellowstone's most visited treasures.
Thank you for your participation in this effort.