2.1 Million Years In The Making

We recently returned from an RV trip that covered some 5,200 miles over a five-week period.  Joining us on "The Great Westward Ho! Adventure were our friends Ralph and Adrienne.  Yellowstone National Park was one of our major destinations. While Mike did most of the trip routing and made most of the camping reservations, Addie made sure we hit the major highlights of the park - and made the always-important dinner reservations at several of the park's lodges.  There was plenty to see and do in the 2.2 million acre park, with over 10,000 hydro-thermal features including 300 geysers, not to mention the amazing scenery and abundant wildlife.

Old Faithful, the most iconic symbol of Yellowstone National Park, taken
from the second-floor balcony off the lobby at Old Faithful Lodge

Our friends Ralph and Adrienne, who accompanied us on "The Great Westward Ho
Adventure".  Taken at Biscuit Basin, near Old Faithful, on a chilly morning

Mike & Yvonne, taken at an overlook of the Lower Falls on the Yellowstone
River, in an area known as "the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone"

Yellowstone became America's first National Park in 1872, during the Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant. The U.S. Army was given the responsibility of protecting Yellowstone beginning in 1886.  Many of the structures in the Mammoth Hot Springs area were built between 1891 and 1913 as part of Fort Yellowstone. Congress created the National Park Service in 1916 and by 1918 the military presence in the park was phased out.

Our first view of Yellowstone was the Roosevelt Gate, at the north entrance
to the park, coming in from Gardiner, MT.  The road goes through the arch,
but when we were there road construction routed us around the arch.

This building on Officers' Row was once home to Army officers.  It is now the Mammoth
Visitor's Center.  Mammoth Hot Springs is also the location of the park's headquarters.

Elk graze and lounge on the grass around the buildings at Mammoth Hot Springs

This cabin at Norris once served as a remote outpost for the Army,
then later as a home for early park rangers.  It is now a museum

Yellowstone has always captured the imagination of the public as well as the interest of scientists. In a letter written by Daniel Potts in 1820, the area known today as West Thumb -  including Potts' Basin - was described with much fascination. The first scientific expedition into the area took place in 1869.  Interest has certainly not waned.  During the first eight months of 2015, three million people visited the park, and July 2015 saw the highest number of visitors in a single month since 1916.

THE WEST THUMB AREA

Most of the hydro-thermal features of the park are within the ancient caldera resulting from a massive volcanic eruption some 640,000 years ago.  About half of the world's active geysers can be found in this area. Probably the best known feature is Old Faithful.  It has neither the highest eruption nor  the greatest volume of water, but it is, well...faithful!  It can be counted on to erupt on average every 88 minutes, plus or minus 10 minutes.

Old Faithful

Beehive Geyser erupted about 20 minutes after Old Faithful one day while
we were there but it is nowhere near as predictable as Old Faithful

A close-up of Beehive, right after its eruption

In this area the hydro-thermal system has a constant source of water from ground water, rain and snow melt.  The underlying partially-molten magma body releases tremendous heat.  The super-heated water has temperatures exceeding 400 degrees. The water remains in a liquid state rather than turning into steam due to the pressure and weight of the overlying water.

Biscuit Basin area

Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest hot spring in Yellowstone, and
the third-largest in the world, at almost 370 feet in Diameter

Firehole River, just downstream from Old Faithful, in the Upper Geyser Basin

 

On a chilly morning in the Middle Geyser Basin area, the steam rising
from the geysers creates a thick blanket of fog 

There are numerous other thermal features including mudpots, hot springs, fumaroles (steam vents), and travertine terraces.

Mudpots, such as Mud Volcanoes, Artist Paint Pots and Fountain Paint Pots, are acidic features with a limited water supply.  Hydrogen sulfide gas is usually present, giving mudpots their characteristic odor of rotten eggs.  Some microorganisms use the hydrogen sulfide for energy.  The microbes help to convert the gas to sulfuric acid which breaks down rock into clay. The result is a bubbling, gooey, odorous concoction.  The Witches of Macbeth would feel right at home cackling around these bubbling pots.

 

Bison grazing near Sour Lake in the Mud Volcano area

Artist's Paint Pots

Mud Volcano area

Fumaroles - steam vents - are the hottest surface thermal features in Yellowstone. There is so little water in the hydro-thermal system that the water boils away before reaching the surface. Fumaroles are super-heated to 280 degrees F.  At sea level, water boils at 212 degrees F.  At an average elevation of 8,000 feet, water boils at a lower temperature in Yellowstone.  Some of the thermal features have temperatures just below 200 degrees, yet still boil and bubble.  The Norris Geyser Basin is the hottest and most changeable area in Yellowstone.

Norris Geyser Basin area

Steamboat Geyser in Norris Geyser Basin

Travertine terraces like those seen in the Mammoth Hot Springs area are formed from limestone.  Thermal water rises through the limestone.  At the surface carbon dioxide is released and calcium carbonate is deposited, forming travertine.

 

Calcium carbonate deposits have a resemblance to stalactites in caves

Minerva Terrace, named for the Roman goddess of artists and sculptors 

Some of these features were formed as recently as the 1990's

Mammoth Hot Springs is the only major thermal area found outside the caldera in Yellowstone.

While the geothermal features are the major attraction in Yellowstone, the area has abundant wildlife and amazing scenery.

Bison grazing along the Yellowstone River

Sapphire Pool in the Biscuit Basin area

Large bull elk with a huge rack

Upper Falls on the Yellowstone, in the area known as the
"Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone"

Ravens are seen throughout the park

Middle Basin area, along the Firehole River on a chilly morning

Trumpeter Swans on the Yellowstone River.  These birds are the heaviest
living birds native to North America, and can have a wingspan of up to 10 feet

Following our chuck-wagon cookout one evening, our wagon drove through
a herd of bison on the way back to our starting point near Roosevelt Lodge

Mike and Sophie relaxing in front of the Fishing Bridge General Store.
We camped at the Fishing Bridge Campground, the only full-hook-up
campground in the park.

During our eight-day stay in Yellowstone, we explored most major roads in the park.  Around every turn and over every mountain pass, we found new and exciting Road Stories.

We crossed the Continental Divide at least a dozen times
during our exploration of Yellowstone National Park

The END
Bison have the right-of-way and often just stroll down the middle of the roads