Yellowstone Explosion Not A Sign Of Immediate Impending Danger Officials Say

If and when a volcanic eruption happens in the US many believe it will occur at Yellowstone National Park. This means, the Yellowstone explosion that occurred yesterday could spark some fear in some people. If you haven't seen it yet there was a hydrothermic explosion at Yellowstone National Park's Biscuit Basin.

The USGS describes the explosion (which you can view video of below) as "small". No injuries were reported, and damage seems to be limited the the surrounding boardwalk. The area remains closed as officials investigate what led to the Yellowstone explosion, which occurred around 10am local time yesterday, July 23rd.

A Facebook post by the USGS Volcano's page says that these types of events happen on average about once per year within the park. They want to make sure the public is aware that these are not volcanic eruptions. Nor are they signs of impending volcanic eruptions. They state that "no changes have been observed in Yellowstone volcano monitoring data".

This is great news for anyone who has an upcoming trip planned to one of the most popular national parks in the country. I myself visited Yellowstone as a teenager. I certainly remember staying at the inn next to Old Faithful and watching the geyser erupt multiple times. My most vivid memory is the sulfur smell that covers much of the park.

Despite what I can safely assume was a terrifying experience for those who witnessed the Yellowstone explosion yesterday, there is no immediate danger to visitors of the park. No word on when the area surrounding Biscuit Basin will open. The boardwalk will most likely need to be repaired before that can happen.

The USGS says that hydrothermal explosions like the one that occurred in Yellowstone, "are violent and dramatic events". They occur "with little to no warning" and involve "boiling water, steam, mud, and rock fragments being hurled into the air."

I spent a lot of my childhood traveling to different National Parks in both the US and Canada on summer vacations.  And for the most part I can honestly say I did not appreciate it at the time. But now my world has started to come full circle and my friends are starting to choose to visit the places I went as a child. But what are the nation's best National Parks? The travel experts at Conde Nast Traveler ranked the 25 best National Parks and 3 of them are within driving distance of North Carolina.

And that is saying something considering many of the often thought of a "best" National Parks are out west. You immediately think of places like Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona), Yellowstone (Wyoming), Grand Teton (Wyoming), and Yosemite (California). On the east coast the first one that comes to my mind is Acadia National Park in Maine.

Each of those understandably made Conde Nast Traveler's list. And while all those are fantastic places to visit (many would call them must see parts of America), they are costly if visiting from NC. While I guess theoretically you could drive, it would require a significant time investment, one many of us just don't have to commit. Which is why it's great news that 3 of those top 25 National Parks are within driving distance of the great state of North Carolina.

While none of them are in either of the Carolinas all three of these destinations are a reasonable drive. You'll find each of those three below and learn a little more about them. Interested in reading the top 25? You can find that here via Conde Nast Traveler. Have you been? Perhaps 2024 is the year you'll check one or more of these off your bucket list!

The closest national park, Great Smoky Mountain sits on the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. It's actually America's most visited national park! Great Smoky Mountain National Park is known for its diversity of plant and animal life, the stunning beauty of the mountains, and that Southern Appalachian mountain culture. Learn more here.

Virginia's Shenandoah National Park is about 75 miles outside of Washington, D.C. According to the National Park Service it features "cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, fields of wildflowers, and quiet wooded hollows." Shenandoah National Park consists of more than 200,000 acres land that is home to animals such as  deer, songbirds, and black bears. Get more info here.

And finally we have southern West Virginia's New River Gorge National Park. It's highlighted by the whitewater river-the New River- that flows through the deep canyons that make up the park. The new river is one of the oldest rivers in North America. New River Gorge National Park is made up over over 70,000 acres with many scenic views and opportunities for recreation. Learn more here.