Yellowstone National Park

As we crossed Idaho at Lookout Pass, it was snowing at 4,600 feet. Idaho sped by and we were then in Montana where we had a few days to break up the journey. The views of the snow covered Rockies in the distance were something to see.

On into Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park, which was the country’s first National park established 100 years ago. As we drove to our campground, bison were happily roaming the grassy fields by the side of the road

Our first campground, Madison at an elevation of 6,800 ft, wasn’t far from the west entrance, so didn’t take us long to set up especially as we were dry camping and relying on our own water and power. All the sites were really nice among the trees with lots of space, table and firepits. Mark saw a guy hoping to set up camp but unfortunately a bison had decided that the grass on his site was very tasty J  In the afternoon we headed down to Old Faithful and within a few minutes of getting there, we were rewarded with an erupting geyser, some 135ft high

The following day was rather wet but that didn’t slow us down. We went waterfall spotting:

Gibbon Falls

Golden Gate

Wraith Falls

Firehole Falls

Yellowstone is one the world’s most active geothermal areas, home to hundreds of geysers, hot springs, mud pots and steam vents. At Mammoth Hot Springs, water that is heated underground, rises to the surface and percolates through buried limestone where it dissolves calcium carbonate. Above ground, the hot water deposits the calcium carbonate, sculpting the rock and building travertine terraces.

On the drive back we saw a couple of elk

and a black bear and her cub

Norris Geyser Basin was the last stop for the day and is the hottest and oldest thermal area in Yellowstone.

The weather was much better the next day so we walked a number of the geyser basins.

Upper Geyser Basin contains the world’s greatest concentration of hot springs and more than 150 geysers including Old Faithful. We saw so many more that I can't list them all here. 

Midway Geyser Basin along the Firehole River contains the Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone’s largest single hot spring (which really needs to be viewed from the air)

and Excelsior Geyser

The hot water cascading into the river was something to see, but the bright orange colours left behind on the rocks, doesn’t really show in the photos

Lower Geyser Basin has nearly 100 geothermals including the multicoloured Artist’s Paintpots

The next day we moved to a new campground (for RVs only so not as spacious) at Fishing Bridge and added another 1,000 feet elevation to 7,900ft.   In the afternoon we drove down to West Thumb Geyser Basin, which was formed about 150,000 years ago when a volcanic explosion formed the small caldera, also known as the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake.

Fishing Cone Geyser was so named when local fishermen used to stand on the cone, catch trout then dip it into the geyser to cook!

We also found a few locals having their lunch by the lake

The view across Yellowstone Lake to the Grand Tetons was stunning

The following day we drove to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone to check out the park’s most outstanding natural features: 109-foot Upper Falls

 And 308-foot Lower Falls as seen from the aptly named Artist Point on the South Rim (it doesn't look real)

We then drove to the North Rim and hiked to the Brink of the Lower Falls, a very steep and rapidly descending path (1/2 mile with a drop of 600ft/180m) but it was worth it to see the Yellowstone River thundering over the edge

And this was from the lookouts further along

Next stop was the Mud Volcano area. The smell of sulphur was incredible and Sulphur Cauldron is one of the most acidic lakes in Yellowstone. 

Tomorrow we head down to the Grand Teton Range and see them up close