Yellowstone National Park was not named for the colorful geothermic features for which it’s so famous. Instead, the park was named after the Yellowstone River, which runs through the landscape.
The Minnetaree Tribe in eastern Montana called the river “Mi tse a-da-zi,” which translates to “Rock Yellow River.” It referred to yellow sandstones along the banks of the river, several hundred miles downstream of the park, according to the USGS.
French trappers took to calling the river “Roche Jaune” or “Pierre Jaune.” In 1797, explorer-geographer David Thompson was the first known person to officially state it in English as “Yellow Stone.” Later, it would be shortened to simply “Yellowstone.”
