2007/06/15
So Much to See
Today was our first full day to visit Yellowstone National Park and we filled every moment resulting in a lot of fantastic experiences and photos. The road system in Yellowstone is basically a figure eight with five offshoots heading to the different gates. Today we drove the upper circle of the eight visiting Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace, Norris Geyser Basin, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and stopped at many places along the route.
Mammoth Hot Spring Terraces - Palette Springs: Several key ingredients combine to make the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces: heat, water, limestone, and a rock fracture system through which hot water can reach the earth's surface. Palette Springs were created by water flowing from a flat area and then down a steep ridge, creating a colorful hillside palette of brown, green, and orange (the colors are due to the presence of different heat-tolerant bacteria). This effect is much the same as an artist would achieve by allowing wet paint to run down a vertical surface.
Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace - Cleopatra Terrace
Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces - Main Terrace: On the main terrace the travertine (calcium carbonate) surrounded trees creating an eerie image.
Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace - Canary Springs: Canary Springs was named for its bright yellow color (sulfur dependent filamentous bacteria). This is the upper portion.
Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace - Canary Springs: water falls on the lower portion
Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace - Orange Spring Mound: Its large mounded shape is the result of very slow water flow and mineral deposition.
At one of the lookouts along the road we say this Raven next complete with young.
One of the Yellowstone tour buses --- this one is unique because it is a convertable. You don't have to get off the bus to get a very view --- just stand up.
At another pull off we noticed a lot of people, so we stopped to see what had been spotted. Turned out it was a fox. I think it got tired of being watched so it stood up and walked past the crowd before heading away.
Many of the animals in the park are not afraid of people as people are not considered predators by the animals at Yellowstone (no hunting). Now we understand why we heard people in Cody referring to Yellowstone as the "petting zoo down the road".
Norris Geyser Basin -Norris Geyser Basin the hottest and most changeable thermal area in Yellowstone. Ed liked the green and orange colours in the Porcelain Basin area.
Norris Geyser Basin - One of the many colourful springs in the basin.
Norris Geyser Basin - A small lake with thermal activity at the far end of it.
Norris Geyser Basin - The Veteran Geyser bubbles away.
Norris Geyser Basin - A small eruption of the Steamboat Geyser. The Steamboat Geyser eruptions can reach more than 300 feet and last 3 to 40 minutes. The major eruptions are rare with the last one being in May of 2005. Small eruptions occur on a regular basis.
Yellowstone's Grand Canyon - Our first view of the Lower Falls. It is 308 feet high making it twice as tall as Niagara Falls.
Yellowstone's Grand Canyon - We walked down till we were at the brink of the Lower Falls. A view looking down the canyon.
Yellowstone's Grand Canyon - A view of the falls from Artist Point. I thought that this was the best view of the falls and understood why they called this area Artist Point.
Yellowstone's Grand Canyon - 328 steps take you down to view the Lower Falls from the South Rim. It was too bad that you have to climb back up them.
Yellowstone's Grand Canyon - The view from the bottom of the steps. Notice how some of the water appears green --- it reminded Ed of his toothpaste - white with green stripes.
Mammoth Hot Spring Terraces - Palette Springs: Several key ingredients combine to make the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces: heat, water, limestone, and a rock fracture system through which hot water can reach the earth's surface. Palette Springs were created by water flowing from a flat area and then down a steep ridge, creating a colorful hillside palette of brown, green, and orange (the colors are due to the presence of different heat-tolerant bacteria). This effect is much the same as an artist would achieve by allowing wet paint to run down a vertical surface.
Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace - Cleopatra Terrace
Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces - Main Terrace: On the main terrace the travertine (calcium carbonate) surrounded trees creating an eerie image.
Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace - Canary Springs: Canary Springs was named for its bright yellow color (sulfur dependent filamentous bacteria). This is the upper portion.
Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace - Canary Springs: water falls on the lower portion
Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace - Orange Spring Mound: Its large mounded shape is the result of very slow water flow and mineral deposition.
At one of the lookouts along the road we say this Raven next complete with young.
One of the Yellowstone tour buses --- this one is unique because it is a convertable. You don't have to get off the bus to get a very view --- just stand up.
At another pull off we noticed a lot of people, so we stopped to see what had been spotted. Turned out it was a fox. I think it got tired of being watched so it stood up and walked past the crowd before heading away.
Many of the animals in the park are not afraid of people as people are not considered predators by the animals at Yellowstone (no hunting). Now we understand why we heard people in Cody referring to Yellowstone as the "petting zoo down the road".
Norris Geyser Basin -Norris Geyser Basin the hottest and most changeable thermal area in Yellowstone. Ed liked the green and orange colours in the Porcelain Basin area.
Norris Geyser Basin - One of the many colourful springs in the basin.
Norris Geyser Basin - A small lake with thermal activity at the far end of it.
Norris Geyser Basin - The Veteran Geyser bubbles away.
Norris Geyser Basin - A small eruption of the Steamboat Geyser. The Steamboat Geyser eruptions can reach more than 300 feet and last 3 to 40 minutes. The major eruptions are rare with the last one being in May of 2005. Small eruptions occur on a regular basis.
Yellowstone's Grand Canyon - Our first view of the Lower Falls. It is 308 feet high making it twice as tall as Niagara Falls.
Yellowstone's Grand Canyon - We walked down till we were at the brink of the Lower Falls. A view looking down the canyon.
Yellowstone's Grand Canyon - A view of the falls from Artist Point. I thought that this was the best view of the falls and understood why they called this area Artist Point.
Yellowstone's Grand Canyon - 328 steps take you down to view the Lower Falls from the South Rim. It was too bad that you have to climb back up them.
Yellowstone's Grand Canyon - The view from the bottom of the steps. Notice how some of the water appears green --- it reminded Ed of his toothpaste - white with green stripes.
