Yellowstone National Park

August 13, 2012 through August 18, 2012

My sister goes to school in Montana, so it was only reasonable that we would travel through Yellowstone while looping through to drop her off (right? I thought so). At first, I wasn't all that excited. What was so special about the place? Sure, they've got Old Faithful, but it's probably just an over-marketed, over-crowded tourist attraction, and I'm not really a fan of those.

Well, in reality, it was a lot, lot more than that.

Yes, there were geysers. Yes, I did find Old Faithful to be over-crowded and over-marketed. But believe me, the trip is worth it (even the hoards of people).

Artesia Geyser

Classic Old Faithful--truly not as impressive as some of the other spectacular sights to see

White Dome Geyser, or as we liked to call it, Little Unfaithful (also my favorite geyser)

Clepsydra Geyser. I may have spelled that wrong.

So in short, Geysers cool. Hot springs and pools much cooler. My personal favorite was the Grand Prismatic Spring. At first, we only viewed it from the boardwalk, which, while still cool, was not the view I was looking for. I did do some research so I could snag a quick earthcache while I was there.

Excelsior Geyser Crater--what's left after the explosive geyser eruptions of Excelsior, a highly powerful and unpredictable geyser. No one knows when it will erupt next.

The Grand Prismatic Spring from the boardwalk. The orange around the pool  is a bacterial mat, where thermophiles thrive in the high temperature and mineral environment.

Opal Pool, a small pool seen from the boardwalk on the way to Grand Prismatic

Terraces built by mineral deposits and thermophiles

We went all the way to Old Faithful before we decided to come back and take the short hike to the viewing point. The viewing point is on a gravel path that goes to Fairy Falls (which we did not have time for). At some point along the trail, there is a log with a small bit of carved writing that tells you to start climbing for the view (we almost missed it, as we were on bikes). The hike was short but steep, and so worth it.

I took the picture with a different camera so I could zoom in farther, but that's pretty much what the colors looked like. At least, the blue part. You can see the boardwalk we were confined to in the earlier pictures. Beyond the GP Spring you can see steam from the Excelsior Geyser Crater.

Of course, hot, rainbow pools weren't the only awesome things in Yellowstone. There were burbling mud pots that made a schlop, schlop, schlopschlop noise, beautiful geyser basins with scenic views of geysers and pools alike, waterfalls and rivers, the "grand canyon" of the Yellowstone, and of course Yellowstone lake itself. We crossed the continental divide twice, and spotted dozens of animals and colorful critters.

Can you imagine the sound it makes? Artist's Paint Pot

Crackling Lake--yes, it actually crackles

Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam!

Firehole Falls

Keplar Cascades

Lake Yellowstone

Oh give me a home where the buffalo...poop?

Inspiration Point--aren't you inspired?

Of course, this entire trip you are guided through the "thermal features" via boardwalk and carefully marked paths. It is dangerous to step off the path--most notably because if you break thin crust, you may just find yourself standing in a nice, boiling bath.

Warning: step off the path and the earth will swallow you whole.

You will also ruin the fragile environment. So don't do it.

Speaking of boiling...another attraction of Yellowstone is the Boiling River. It is located as you leave toward the northern entrance, just past the Entering Montana sign. You will probably see people swimming in the river that runs by the road. The Boiling River is actually too hot to touch--with "boiling" in the name, were you really surprised?--but it empties into the Gardiner river, which is a normal temperature. All along the river edge you can see where the water is the warmest, because that is where people will congregate. You can stand with one foot in hot water and one in cold water--or when you're sitting down it's rather like sitting in a hot tub and having cold water periodically swish over you.

Swimming with my sister

Having an underwater camera is just as cool as it sounds

A warning about the Boiling River: first, the water is VERY hot. Second, there is sulfur in the water. I discovered the hard way that I am apparently allergic to sulfur--with a very itchy rash on my arm (the one closest to the hot water, incidentally). Though I still think it was worth it (such a cool and not well-known place, as it is unmarked), if you're planning to sit and soak for a bit, use caution.

All-in-all, Yellowstone was a very cool place to visit. If you are thinking about planning a trip, keep in mind the cost. In order to see the park, you will need to drive around (it's a pretty big park...), and in the end you spend the most on gas. Camping in Montana is more expensive than Washington (I don't know about other states), but their parks are well-maintained. If you are used to spacious campgrounds with lots of space between sites, be prepared to get cozy, as the lots are usually pretty cramped. Dogs (especially young or active ones) are probably best left at home, especially if you are traveling in a car. You can't take them more than 100 feet from the roads, there aren't many places to play with them. We brought our two labs and they did not enjoy the constant driving and being stuck in our motorhome. Another thing to keep in mind is the smell--seriously. In places (such as the mountain mud pots) it is so horrible I was wishing I'd brought something to tie over my face (I wound up using my sweatshirt). It is bearable at most features, however. Additionally, there are lots of tourists, so be prepared for crowds.

I give yellowstone a 4-star (taking one away for the crowds).