Our first significant stop was Old Faithful. We joined the throng and waited to watch it blow. Old Faithful is such an icon. When you think about national parks, you will pretty quickly think of Yellowstone. And when you think of Yellowstone, you'll likely think of Old Faithful. This is a first visit for me, and this event was pretty special. Here, and throughout our time in Yellowstone, I've frequently said, "Oh, I wish my Mom could have seen this! She'd have loved it." My Mom was a geology buff and had always wanted to see Yellowstone. She'd have been absolutely enthralled, and I wish she could have visited here. Certainly has added some poignancy to our sightseeing.
Old Faithful--Here she goes!
There are several different geyser basins in this area, and we drove through Upper and Middle Geyser Basins enroute to our lodging. A couple we met at the inn in Jackson Hole had recommended the Firehole Lake Drive, a 3-mile loop in Lower Basin that takes you past a number of steam vents, geysers, hot springs, and bubbling ponds. It's a bit more off the beaten path, and you can get up close to most of the features. We enjoyed this area so much we did it again the second day in the park.
On Tuesday morning, we took a loop walk and climb above Artists Paintpots. In the afternoon, we also visited Sulphur Cauldron, Mud Volcano, and Biscuit Basin. So interesting. Some of the geyser basins have features that are so active, you could get mesmerized watching them bubble and spout.
Artists Paintpots:
Biscuit Basin:
In spite of the distraction of all these things steaming and spewing, our primary focus on Tuesday was a circuit through the midsection of the park. The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is the centerpiece, including the Upper and Lower Falls. We spent most of our time on the North Rim. We also drove along big, beautiful Yellowstone Lake. The wind was active enough on the lake that there were breakers on the shore. Very few people were in the lake area, which made it just that much more enjoyable.
Our focus on Wednesday was Mammoth Hot Springs and the Lamar Valley, which is on the road to Beartooth Pass (already closed for the season).
Upper Terrace, Mammoth Hot Springs--Orange Spring Mound and the unearthly White Terrace:
We fell in love with the beautiful vistas both in Lamar Valley and as we wended our way to the valley. Broad vistas of never ending hills, with the sun and clouds creating interesting patterns. It's quiet and peaceful in this corner of the park, and stunningly scenic.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
No comments:
Post a Comment