Lonely Planet, a national travel media company, has named Yellowstone National Park the No. 3 travel destination in the United States for 2016, according to a news release from the Wyoming Office of Tourism on Tuesday.

"We are delighted to have Yellowstone National Park on this list of elite destinations, which will inspire travel across the country," said Diane Shober, executive director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism.

"As millions of tourists around the world can attest, Yellowstone is a special place that represents the unique and dramatic scenery, landscapes and adventure available only in Wyoming," Shober said.

Yellowstone, established in 1872, is the world's first national park.

It is home to the largest collection of mammals in the contiguous United States, and has the world's largest collection of geysers.

In 2015, a record 4.1 million visitors traveled to the park to enjoy the recreational opportunities and view the wildlife and geothermal features including Old Faithful Geyser.

The accolade from Lonely Planet is also significant because the park will honor the centennial of the National Park Service this year with celebrations including the 125th anniversary of the Yellowstone Lake Hotel.

The list includes the iconic Wyoming attraction among other noteworthy destinations, including Philadelphia at No. 1.

Yellowstone is the only national park on the list. To compile the list, Lonely Planet asks its U.S.-based editors, authors and contributors to nominate attractions and sites. The editorial staff then picks the top 10 destinations.

Check travelwyoming.com for information on other Wyoming attractions.

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