A Quick Trip to Yellowstone

While staying in Jackson Hole last summer we drove up to Yellowstone for a little change of scenery, and what a change it was. Yellowstone's famous thermal features make a landscape that is truly other-worldly. 

We stayed in Gardiner, Montana, giving us easy access to Mammoth Hot Springs. But first we just had to drive (and walk) through the historic stone Roosevelt Arch, named, of course, for Theodore Roosevelt, who placed the cornerstone in 1903 and who as president was so effective in protecting many of our national treasures.

From there it was a short drive to Mammoth Hot Springs where we meandered along boardwalks to see  strange travertine terraces and mounds, formed by deposits of limestone from the hot water bubbling up through cracks in the rocks below.

Mound Spring

Palette Spring

Orange Spring Mound

Liberty Cap

The many dead trees around Mammoth Hot Springs give an idea of how dynamic this environment is: the trees must have thrived in the not so distant past before underground "plumbing" shifted and the trees were overwhelmed by mineral-rich waters.

From Mammoth Hot Springs we headed east to a different sort of hotspot: the wildlife-rich Lamar Valley. Driving was slow due to several herds of bison, but I thought that was great since it gave me some good opportunities for photos. Here is a classic bison on the road shot. The hills in the background are hazy because of smoke from last summer's fires.

This was the best shot I could get of the black bear we saw. It was tricky shooting around so many other people, several of whom got way too close to it as they tried to snap pictures.  

(400mm, 1/250th sec at f7.1)

We spent a good part of our second day in the Norris Geyser Basin, where you can wander around boardwalks and paths to see all kinds of thermal features including steam vents,

little bubbling paint pots,

pools vibrant with color from minerals and bacteria,

and gurgling mud pots.

I especially liked the milky blue pools in the Porcelain Basin.

Yellowstone of course has many other spectacular sights: Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, and the Upper Falls of the Yellowstone River to name a few of the best known. I don't think it's possible to take it all in during one visit so I am lucky indeed to have been able to visit multiple times and in different seasons.