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Scenes from Yellowstone (2003)
A visual adventure through the spectacular beauty of Yellowstone National Park. Experience powerful geysers, colorful hot springs, panoramic mountain views, thundering waterfalls, and sprawling, wildlife-filled valleys in this huge (100 photo) SceneSet!

Roosevelt Arch -- Welcome to Yellowstone National Park! "It is a pleasure now to say a few words to you at the laying of the corner stone of the beautiful arch which is to mark the entrance to this park. Yellowstone Park is something absolutely unique in the world so far as I know. Nowhere else in any civilized country is there to be found such a tract of veritable wonderland made accessible to all visitors." With those few words, President Theodore Roosevelt dedicated the arch that now bears his name, at the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park, Gardiner, Montana, on April 24, 1903. Roosevelt Arch -- Welcome to Yellowstone National Park!
Mammoth Terrace Layers After entering Yellowstone National Park, the first of the many interesting geothermal areas you reach is Mammoth Hot Springs, which is a truly remarkable place. Boiling water percolates up from a number of hot springs and cascades down hillsides, forming terraces that are shaded a variety of colors. These have built up over many thousands of years. Mammoth Terrace Layers
Travertine Stairsteps One important way that Mammoth Hot Springs differs from the other geothermal areas in Yellowstone is the composition of the deposits there. Most of Yellowstone's thermal features create deposits of Travertine Stairsteps
Soaring Above Mount Everts Looking east from the Mammoth Hot Springs thermal area, you see a wide golden mountain, which I later learned is named Mount Everts. From where I stood it appeared more like a plateau than a mountain, and I liked the way the clouds above it seemed to be trying to mimic its shape. Soaring Above Mount Everts
Minerva Terrace Minerva Terrace is one of the most popular of the various terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs. Because of the nature of this area, springs often have water flow for long periods of time and then can lay dormant for years. Others become more or less active on shorter schedules. Minerva Terrace
Main Terrace Pastels The main terrace at Mammoth Hot Springs is called... wait for it.. the Main Terrace. :) It is arguably the most beautiful formation at Mammoth, consisting of a set of cascading, rippling terraces of travertine, with bacterial mats and other minerals creating a spectrum of colors from orange to blue and green. Main Terrace Pastels
Main Terrace Textures This image is a closeup of the Main Terrace at Mammoth Hot Springs (see previous image for a wider view.) You can see the beautiful, delicate layers of travertine that form along the terraces. Main Terrace Textures
Late Day Sun on Palette Spring Palette Spring is one of the more active features at Mammoth Hot Springs. Carbonate-laden water percolates up from the top of the hill and then cascades down in rivulets, forming this large structure (note the small evergreens on the left -- this view encompasses a good 30 or more feet across.) Late Day Sun on Palette Spring
Mammoth Springs Sentinels Trees are a common casualty of the changing fortunes of Yellowstone's geothermal features. A particular area may lie dormant for decades, allowing plant life to flourish and trees to begin growing. Then, when that area begins to get active again, boiling mineralized water takes care of the trees in short order. Mammoth Springs Sentinels
Blue Spring Blue Spring is a relatively new feature at Mammoth Hot Springs, as evidenced by the newly-killed trees on the right hand side, the trunks of which are actually submerged. The high temperature of the water in this area prevents bacterial growth and leads to the pretty cyan blue color in the pool. Blue Spring
Fragile Travertine As mentioned in an earlier image description, travertine is a rather fragile material compared to the geyserite that makes up most of Yellowstone's geysers and other thermal features. Once a spring dries up, the travertine may crumble over time. Fragile Travertine
Mammoth Hot Springs -- Upper Terraces The terraces at Mammoth are actually split into two general areas: the Mammoth Hot Springs -- Upper Terraces
Orange Spring Mound Over many centuries, Orange Spring has built up a huge mound that surrounds its source; the spring itself is not even visible from the ground. I forget exactly how high the mound is, but it must be at least 12 feet. Orange Spring Mound
Angel Terrace Angel Terrace is a huge area at the Upper Terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs, with hot water flowing down a considerable distance from the top of a hill. In fact, when we were there, the water had apparently recently expanded its territory, and was flowing almost into the lot where you park to view the terrace... Angel Terrace
Looking Skyward -- The Petrified Tree Many people don't realize that there is a petrified tree at Yellowstone National Park... and it is still standing. It's located not far from Mammoth Hot Springs and I was fortunate to be able to photograph it in pleasant early evening light. Looking Skyward -- The Petrified Tree
Roadside Diner We had heard that the best time to see wildlife at Yellowstone National Park was in the morning. This was our first morning of the trip, and while we didn't go out specifically looking for animals, we found some anyway. Roadside Diner
New Growth and Steam -- Norris Basin Our first stop on our first full day at Yellowstone was Norris Geyser Basin, the hottest and most dynamic of the geothermal areas at Yellowstone. New features are constantly popping up and existing ones changing here. In fact, at the time we visited, part of the basin was closed for safety reasons -- heat levels along the pathways had reached temperatures high enough to melt your shoes! New Growth and Steam -- Norris Basin
Sunlit Steamboat Geyser Steamboat Geyser is one of the larger and more interesting geysers at the Norris Basin. It's not one of the "predictable" geysers, like Old Faithful; hours, days or even years can pass between its eruptions. When it does erupt, water can reach a height of several hundred feet, making it one of the biggest geysers in the world. Even when not erupting, Steamboat often vents large quantities of steam, which is likely the source of its name. Sunlit Steamboat Geyser
Steamboat Geyser Spray While Steamboat Geyser is in its steam phase (see preceding image) it often puts up "mini-eruptions" that are only a few feet high. These spray boiling water in a radius of a few feet around the geyser crater. Steamboat Geyser Spray
Lilliputian Volcano One of the interesting aspects of Yellowstone's features is that they occur in so many sizes and scales. This picture, taken in isolation, looks somewhat like a grand volcano spewing forth ash and steam. In reality, it's just a small steam vent (or fumarole), and the volcano-shaped cone is only a few inches high. Lilliputian Volcano
Cistern Spring Cistern Spring is a somewhat classic example of a "hot" hot spring. The very high temperature of this spring's water is evidenced by its deep blue-green color, the large amount of steam on the surface, and the lack of reddish-to-yellow bacterial mats surrounding it. Cistern Spring
Red Rock Fumarole A fumarole is simply a hole in the ground through which steam, hot air or other gasses escapes to the surface. There are several thousand of them within the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park. Red Rock Fumarole
Shy Visitor at Norris Basin When one thinks of wildlife and Yellowstone National Park, rabbits aren't what generally comes to mind. I was somewhat surprised to find this little guy hopping around right in the middle of Norris Geyser Basin -- though he was of course careful to stay well away from the thermal features! Shy Visitor at Norris Basin
Porcelain Basin One of the largest sections of the Norris Geyser Basin is the area called the Porcelain Basin. This large region is set in a depression and contains dozens of small geysers, springs, fumaroles and other geothermal features. I'm not sure exactly what the origin of the name is, but once again it may be from the variety of shades and hues exhibited in the structures here. Porcelain Basin
Steam Reflections One of the steam vents in the Porcelain Basin area, located on the edge of a small pond of runoff water. I am not sure what it's called, and in reality it wasn't one of the more impressive features, but I liked the reflection. :) Steam Reflections
White on Yellow After spending some time at the Norris Geyser Basin, we travelled over to the Canyon area in Yellowstone National Park, and spent several hour walking and hiking in the area. One of the first images I took was of this white water bend in the Yellowstone River. It is located just upstream from Yellowstone Upper Falls. White on Yellow
Yellowstone Upper Falls Of the two major falls on the Yellowstone River, the Lower Falls are by far the more celebrated and photographed. The Upper Falls, however, are also quite impressive; they are not as high as the Lower Falls, but are quite wide and make quite a splash. (Sorry. :) ) This shot was taken from a fenced-in overlook. Yellowstone Upper Falls
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone No, it's not Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Yellowstone Lower Falls A simple image of the powerful and majestic Yellowstone Lower Falls, taken from half-way down the canyon. The amount of mist kicked up by the falls was truly impressive, even from a considerable distance away. Yellowstone Lower Falls
Yellowstone Lower Falls - Curves and Colors If you view Yellowstone Lower Falls at the right angle, at the right time of day and the right time of year, you get rewarded with a beautiful rainbow produced by the clouds of mist. Yellowstone Lower Falls - Curves and Colors
Painted Walls -- Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone This is a wider view of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, showing that the stone here is in fact more than just yellow. Various minerals tint the canyon walls a variety of shades of yellow, orange, brown and pink; it's quite an amazing place. Far below, the Yellowstone River winds its way through the canyon. Painted Walls -- Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Pot of Gold Viewed from a different angle, the rainbow moves away from the falls themselves and further down the canyon. The rock outcropping is actually much larger than it appears in this image. Pot of Gold
Yellowstone Lower Falls from Artist Point Artist Point is set on an outcropping of rock on the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, quite some distance from the falls; it provides a panoramic view of the falls, river and canyon. This classic view of Yellowstone Lower Falls is one of the icons of Yellowstone, making this likely the "least original" photograph I took at the park. But hey, sometimes an image is a cliche for a good reason! :) Yellowstone Lower Falls from Artist Point
Yellowstone Lower Falls Closeup This is a close-up view of the powerful Yellowstone Lower Falls. It was shot from Artist Point, like the preceding image, but using a telephoto lens to get "up close and personal". Yellowstone Lower Falls Closeup
Yellowstone Caldera Rim from Dunraven Pass While most people think of Yellowstone National Park as being a collection of small geothermal features, the geological reality is that the majority of the park is located within a huge Yellowstone Caldera Rim from Dunraven Pass
Yellowstone Valley Panoramic Yellowstone isn't all mountains and geothermal fireworks; it also has its pastoral moments. I was taken by this expansive valley view that we came across while driving towards the northeastern quadrant of the park. Yellowstone Valley Panoramic
Lamar Valley -- Lone Tree Panorama After scrounging a somewhat last-minute dinner on our second evening in Yellowstone, we decided to turn our attention away from both falling and spurting water and towards Yellowstone's "wilder side". The Lamar Valley is located in the northeast corner of the park; you drive through it when approaching the park from the Northeast entrance. It also happens to be one of the better places in the park to see wildlife. Lamar Valley -- Lone Tree Panorama
A Peaceful Moment on the Lamar River The Lamar River is a renowned fly fishing river and of course runs through the Lamar Valley. I came across this idyllic scene while driving around looking for grizzly bears (which unfortunately we didn't see.) The fisherman, river, golden hills and bison in the late day sun make this a classical view of what Yellowstone National Park is about. (Well, except for the lack of geysers, but you can't have everything. :) ) A Peaceful Moment on the Lamar River
Golden Light on Tower Falls Tower Falls is a 132-foot drop on Tower Creek, and one of the prettier waterfalls in Yellowstone National Park. In contrast to the dramatic power and presence of the Lower Falls and Upper Falls of the Yellowstone, it has a more graceful appearance, which I attempted to capture here in this time-lapse closeup. Golden Light on Tower Falls
Lamar Bison in Early Evening A closer view of a bison grazing in the meadow alongside the Lamar River on a beautiful evening. Lamar Bison in Early Evening
Lamar Hills By early August (when we visited the park) much of the West is experiencing dry conditions and the hills turn varying shades of yellow and brown, especially as the sun gets low on the horizon. Here, the golden tones contrast with the evergreen trees and the crisp blue high-elevation skies. Lamar Hills
Twilight Cloudscape As we continued driving through the Lamar Valley, the bears kept hiding, but the scenery got more and more beautiful as the day faded and the light grew more golden. Twilight Cloudscape
Alpenglow -- Lamar Valley Finally the sun's rays left the valley and slowly crept up the mountainsides as we watched. This panorama doesn't really do the view justice, but gives you a good idea of what it was like. The cloud patterns were also very interesting that evening. Alpenglow -- Lamar Valley
Soda Butte There are no active geysers or hot springs in the Lamar Valley right now -- at least that I know of -- but this extinct geyser dome is evidence that the area has been geothermally active. The name of this feature comes from its location, near where Soda Butte Creek joins the Lamar River. It is actually very large -- some 20 feet wide -- and chunks of its base are eroding and breaking off (hopefully due to natural, not man-made activities!) Soda Butte
Lamar Valley Sunset This sunset wasn't as nice as the one I experienced my first evening in Montana, back in Bozeman, but was still very pleasant. I began to wonder if the sunsets were Lamar Valley Sunset
Magenta Twilight -- Lamar Valley After the sun went down, the sky turned a pleasant spectrum of blues, pinks and purples as haze began to settle over the valley. Quite a beautiful site, which I attempted to capture in this multi-shot panorama of the valley, river, mountains and sky. The small brown dots on the bank of the river at the bottom left are a herd of bison, which made this a nice conclusion to a wonderful evening. Magenta Twilight -- Lamar Valley
Misty Dawn on the Yellowstone Having had only limited success in the wildlife department the prior evening, we decided to try the early morning approach the next day, getting up before sunrise and heading out for another drive. (What, you mean people Misty Dawn on the Yellowstone
First Light -- Hayden Valley After trying the Lamar Valley the previous night, we set our morning sights on the Hayden Valley, another valley widely regarded as an excellent place to find active wildlife. The Yellowstone River runs through this valley from the Canyon area, south until it meets Yellowstone Lake; here the rising sun tinges its banks golden hues. First Light -- Hayden Valley
Otter Creek So we're driving along the road keeping our eyes peeled for wildlife, and we spot a sign saying Otter Creek
Fishing in the Hayden Valley The Hayden Valley has numerous wetland areas, where we saw hundreds of waterfowl. No, Fishing in the Hayden Valley
Still Morning A peaceful, still view of a quiet section of the Yellowstone River. Still Morning
Bison Reflections and Wildflowers Even when you can't find other forms of wildlife in Yellowstone, there is likely to be a bison or three not far away. :) Here the soft morning light illuminated this colorful hillside, with a herd of grazing bison, refleced in the water below. Bison Reflections and Wildflowers
Young Buck Finally, after much driving around, we came across this young fellow -- a four-legged creature that was Young Buck
Sunlit Steambath Driving further south along the road towards Yellowstone Lake, we came across an area with some interesting geothermal features. This was a huge hot spring -- it must have been around 50 feet wide -- that was producing enormous billowing clouds of steam, lit up by the bright sun. Sunlit Steambath
Clear Air at Yellowstone Lake Yellowstone Lake is a very large body of water located near the middle of the park. Due to the high elevation of the park, it is frozen much of the year, and filled with very cold water even in the summer -- cold enough that people are warned not to fall out of their boats! The lake is ringed with geothermal features, some of which are even under the water. It has been in the news lately because of evidence of geothermal activity in the lake bottom, with some scientists concerned about what this might mean in terms of the potential for earthquakes or eruptions in the greater park area. I didn't take a lot of pictures of the lake, because, as one Yellowstone guide put it: "What can I say? It's a big lake." :) But I did like this view of one cove with these big rocks in the foreground. Clear Air at Yellowstone Lake
Morning Light at West Thumb Basin Yellowstone Lake is shaped somewhat like a hand; on the west side there is a rounded bay that has, naturally come to be known as West Thumb. On the shoreline here is one of the most interesting geyser basins in the park, where geothermal features lie directly adjacent to the lake and interact with its cool waters. Morning Light at West Thumb Basin
Abyss Pool -- West Thumb Geyser Basin Abyss Pool is the deepest hot spring in Yellowstone, at 53 feet. It was named because this great depth makes it seem like the pool has no bottom... like an abyss... Abyss Pool -- West Thumb Geyser Basin
Underwater Springs West Thumb basin features many geothermal spring vents that are either completely or partially under the water of the lake. In some cases, they may be above the water level at certain times of the year and below it at others. Underwater Springs
Biological Abstraction One might be hard-pressed to think of bacteria as being in any way "beautiful", but the Biological Abstraction
Firehole Spring Splash Firehole Lake Drive is a loop road north of Old Faithful, near the Lower Geyser Basin. It is not a "household name" like several other geyser areas at Yellowstone, but has some impressive geothermal features. Firehole Spring Splash
Great Fountain Geyser Great Fountain Geyser is one of the largest and most dramatic geysers at Yellowstone National Park. Its "cone" is actually a set of sinter terraces over 100 feet wide -- most, but not all of it is pictured above. The crater at the center, where eruptions take place, is over 10 feet in diameter. It erupts approximately every 10 to 12 hours, with water reaching heights over 100 feet; unfortunately, we arrived between eruptions and didn't have time to wait. Great Fountain Geyser
White Dome Geyser White Dome Geyser erupts on an irregular schedule, approximately every 10 to 60 minutes, and reaches heights of 20 to 30 feet. The cone is over 10 feet high, but the opening of the geyser is only a few inches wide. As minerals build up on the outside, raising the cone, they also line the inside of the geyser, reducing the width of its orifice. It is possible that in time the cone will seal itself and White Dome will go dormant. White Dome Geyser
Fountain Paint Pots The Fountain Paint Pots are one of the biggest attractions of the Lower Geyser Basin at Yellowstone National Park. In this huge pit, an acidic mud composed of clay and silica particles boils away under the influence of geothermal heat. The color, which ranges from gray to pink, comes from minerals in the original rock that formed the mud. Fountain Paint Pots
Silex Spring Silex is a fairly ordinary hot spring in the Lower Geyser Basin, but I found its cool blue color fascinating, especially in contrast to the crisp Wyoming sky. The spring erupted after the 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake, which affected a lot of Yellowstone's geothermal features (its epicenter was just west of the park's boundaries.) Silex Spring
Multi-Hued Fumaroles This collection of fumaroles (steam vents) was bordered by rocks in a variety of pastel shades. The oranges and reds are due to mineral contaminants in quartz, I believe; the yellow on the left may be from sulphur deposited by the steam itself. Multi-Hued Fumaroles
Clepsydra Geyser A Clepsydra Geyser
Take Time to Smell the Flowers Elk compete with bison for the title of most populous large mammals in Yellowstone National Park. I was lucky enough to capture this female elk, who appears to be pausing for a pleasant sniff. I'm guessing that I may be anthropomorphizing a bit here, however. :) Take Time to Smell the Flowers
Excelsior Geyser Crater In the 19th century, Excelsior Geyser was the largest geyser in the world; over 200 feet wide and 300 feet long, it erupted up to 300 feet in the air -- it must have been quite impressive to see. Sometime in the late 1880s, Excelsior went dormant, though it oddly sprang to life in 1985, for just a couple of days, erupting to a much lesser height. Excelsior Geyser Crater
Excelsior Geyser Blues Another view of the Excelsior Geyser crater, taken from the opposite "hot" end of the spring, on one of the walkways in Midway Geyser Basin. Excelsior Geyser Blues
Grand Prismatic Spring Grand Prismatic Spring is the star attraction of the Midway Geyser Basin and is very appropriately named: it is indeed grand, and as you can see above, its waters and bacterial mats feature a veritable rainbow of colors. With dimensions of 250 feet by 380 feet, it is the largest hot spring in Yellowstone, and third largest in the world (the two larger ones are in New Zealand.) I was absolutely mesmerized by Grand Prismatic, and upset that I couldn't get closer to it to check it out better! Grand Prismatic Spring
The Crossing Driving from one of the geyser basins towards the Old Faithful area, we knew that there must be wildlife around because there was a big collection of cars stopped by the side of the road. (This is a common occurrence at Yellowstone!) We pulled over and found a large herd of elk grazing nearby. Then, all at once, they turned and crossed the river, presumably heading towards greener pastures. The Crossing
Old Faithful I know what you're thinking: "Finally, he gets to Old Faithful!" Well, it did take us until late on our third day at the park to work our way down to its location. Old Faithful is indeed the most famous geyser in Yellowstone National Park, and likely the world. It was named because of its reliable, predictable schedule of eruptions: it shoots off about every 45 to 90 minutes. Old Faithful
Castle Geyser at Rest Named for its terraced shape, Castle Geyser is one of the more beautiful formations at Yellowstone's Upper Geyser Basin. It's quite large, with a sinter cone over 15 feet high; the whole formation is about 50 feet wide (see the fence on the left side for some idea of scale.) Castle Geyser at Rest
Morning Glory Pool Morning Glory pool is named for its shape, which bears an obvious resemblance to a morning glory flower bloom. It is a rather large pool, and has always been a favorite of tourists. Too much of a favorite, unfortunately -- its behavior has been negatively impacted by early visitors throwing pennies and other foreign objects into it, which can ruin a hot spring or geyser. Fortunately, most Yellowstone visitors now are a bit more enlightened (though not all, sadly.) Morning Glory Pool
Punchbowl Spring Punchbowl Spring is another accurately-named spring at Yellowstone. It is about 12 feet in diameter and is contained by a "punch bowl" of scalloped sinter about 3 feet high. The spring is deceptively deep (more than 20 feet) and constantly boils away as seen in this image, with water running off through several channels. Punchbowl Spring
Daisy Geyser Daisy erupts every couple of hours for a few minutes. First it begins to bubble up water, which starts to fill the area surrounding its vent, and then it shoots water to a height of over 100 feet. It is an unusual geyser because of the slope of its cone, which causes it to erupt at an angle, as I endeavored to show in this shot. Daisy Geyser
Old Faithful Ablaze A lone tree and steam from a resting Old Faithful glow with the golden light from the setting sun. Old Faithful Ablaze
Time Goes By This is Old Faithful, but it probably looks quite different from most Old Faithful images you have seen before. Time Goes By
Steamed Goose On the morning of our last day at Yellowstone, we awoke at Old Faithful to find brooding, moody skies overhead. We set off to two of the smaller geyser basins -- Biscuit Basin and Black Sand Basin -- to check out the geothermal features there. Steamed Goose
Divine Retribution This was one of the most dramatic moments I experienced at Yellowstone National Park. Walking around Black Sand Basin, the gloomy skies above parted and rays of sunlight broke through the clouds, illuminating the pillars of steam rising from hot springs and fumaroles in the ground. The word that best came to mind to describe the resulting scene was... Divine Retribution
Cliff Geyser Explosion Cliff Geyser gets its name from the fact that it is surrounded by walls of geyserite, one of which borders directly on Iron Creek, the body of water that runs through Black Sand Basin. This geyser reaches heights of several dozen feet, and is somewhat irregular in its schedule, so we were lucky to be there when it was erupting. Cliff Geyser Explosion
Spring Runoff -- Black Sand Basin An abstract view of the curves and colors created by hot spring run-off and the microbes that thrive in it -- in this case, a shining mustard yellow color. Spring Runoff -- Black Sand Basin
Rainbow Pool Panorama With dimensions of over 100 feet in width and length, Rainbow Pool is another of Yellowstone's grand hot springs. Not quite as colorful as Grand Prismatic, Rainbow is still quite pretty with its cyan waters and rust orange/brown bacterial mats. Also like Grand Prismatic, it is notoriously difficult to photograph! Rainbow Pool Panorama
Big Splash at Grotto Geyser Grotto Geyser is named for the interesting cavern-like shape of its "cone". I put the terms in quotes because what you see when you look at the geyser cone is only partially the cone itself; the standing formations are actually trees, which over the course of many years, have been covered in sinter forming the intricate structure of the geyser. Big Splash at Grotto Geyser
Spasmodic Geyser Spasmodic Geyser is another Yellowstone thermal feature with a colorful appearance and an equally colorful name. It isn't just a single geyser, but rather a collection of over a dozen small vents, pools and "mini-geysers", which erupt in a rather irregular and erratic fashion. I timed this image to capture activity in one of the main pools, along with smaller eruptions in a few of the smaller vents. Overall, this is a very fascinating geyser to just sit and watch for a few minutes. Spasmodic Geyser
Rodential Contemplation While wandering the miles of walkways at Upper Geyser Basin, we happened upon this cute little fella. At first we thought he was a chipmunk, but later learned that a defining difference between squirrels and chipmunks is that while both may have stripes, only the latter have stripes that extend onto the face. So this is a striped squirrel of some kind. Rodential Contemplation
Solitary Geyser Solitary Geyser is named for its somewhat secluded location, several hundred yards away from most of the other geysers in the Upper Geyser Basin. It is large in size but only erupts to a height of a few feet. There are many interesting deposits around its perimeter, as you can see in the photograph. Solitary Geyser
Captive Audience -- Old Faithful from Observation Point Observation Point is a hill about 250 feet high near Yellowstone's Upper Geyser Basin. It's a short but somewhat steep hike up the hill, but definitely worth it for the eagle's eye view it gives you of the basin and surrounding area. It also gives you a unique opportunity to observe Old Faithful blowing its top from Captive Audience -- Old Faithful from Observation Point
Beehive Geyser Beehive Geyser is one of many "moderate-sized" geysers in Upper Geyser Basin. Early explorers thought its cone resembled a beehive and gave it the name. I didn't see much resemblance, personally, but what do I know. :) Beehive Geyser
Firehole River The Firehole River got its name from its early trappers who saw steam rising from geothermal areas near its valley and assumed it was caused by fires. The term "hole" refers to a small valley, thus "Firehole". It has a very interesting and unique ecosystem due to the elevated temperatures of the water caused by hot springs and geysers nearby. Firehole River
Purple Mountain's Majesty The sky began to get somewhat gloomy as we left the Old Faithful area and headed north back towards Bozeman for our trip home. I paused to take in this scenic vista, though unfortunately I don't know the identity of the mountain. Purple Mountain's Majesty
Falls on the Firehole A beautiful cascade on the Firehole River that we stopped to admire as we were driving towards the north entrance to the park. The black color is, I believe, due to algae that grow in the water, perhaps because of its higher-than-normal temperatures. Falls on the Firehole
Late Day Mountain Panorama The skies and the mountains continued to impress as we continued our journey through the western part of Yellowstone National Park. Late Day Mountain Panorama
Artist Paint Pots Basin The last geothermal area we visited before leaving the park is also one of the least visited: the basin where the Artist Paint Pots are located, which also houses a few other small geysers and hot springs. .This small geyser was surrounded with brilliant orange and pink mineral deposits. Artist Paint Pots Basin
Artist Paint Pots The artist paint pots are large holes filled with boiling mud. At the time of year we visited, enough water has evaporated that the pinkish mud gurgles and spatters, sending streams of mud several feet in the air, as caught in this photograph. The mud coats the walls of the Artist Paint Pots
Floating on Turquoise A small, unnamed spring near the Artist Paint Pots, but one that I found captivating. The spring was filled with fine silt, lending it a powder blue or torquoise color, and it undercut the reddish rock above it. The rock seemed to be floating directly on the water. Floating on Turquoise
Golden Gate to Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone has a Grand Canyon which is not Golden Gate to Yellowstone National Park
Hoodoos Hoodoos are unusual rock formations that sometimes resemble human figures. They are most commonly found in dry areas where weathering creates tall spires; Bryce Canyon is the most famous example of a formation containing large numbers of huge hoodoos. While Yellowstone is not known for hoodoos, there are some there, between Mammoth Hot Springs and the Golden Gate. They are not the most impressive hoodoos I've ever seen, but I did find myself noticing some faces staring back at me in this picture.... Hoodoos
The Day Fades A simple image of Yellowstone's peacful nature -- rocks, trees, valleys, mountains, sky and clouds -- taken as our last day at the park drew to a close. The Day Fades
A Final Glance Finally, we returned back to Mammoth Hot Springs, where we began our trek three surprisingly quick days earlier. The sky grew angry at our departure, and the clouds opened up not long after. We had an amazing time at Yellowstone National Park, with our only regret that we didn't have more time to explore the amazing place. If you ever have an opportunity to visit Yellowstone, I strongly recommend that you take advantage of it! A Final Glance

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