I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't THIS. When my friend Ed invited me to come to the park at the end of his summer guiding contract, the prospect of visiting Yellowstone with an expert guide was too good to pass up, so I hopped the short flight to Bozeman last Thursday and made the 2.5-hour drive southeast to West Yellowstone and went into the park from there. This was Ed's third time guiding in the park, and having access to little-known places, plus Ed's intense knowledge of the history, flora, fauna, geology, topography, anecdotes, viewpoints, and his passion for this place, which he has been visiting since he was a young boy in Indiana, was an invaluable addition to the experience, for which I am supremely grateful.
Day 1: Entering the park and Old Faithful Village
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| traffic on the way in |
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| The Gallatin River |
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| Old Faithful |
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Geyser Hill |
Day 2: Morning Waterfall Hike with Ed, Morning Glory Pool, and Firehole Basin Tour
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| Little Firehole River |
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| silicified trees |
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| Mystic Falls |
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Jewel Geyser |
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| Morning Glory Pool |
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tour transportation, 1937 stretch touring car |
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 Fountain Flats Drive - where the bison roam |
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| Firehole Falls in Firehole Canyon |
Day 3: South Loop Drive
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| Yellowstone Lake |
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| Lower Falls in the 'Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River' |
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| Artists' Paint Pots |
Day 4: A Few Detours on the Way Out
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| Extremophiles (microorganisms that live in conditions of extreme temperature, acidity, alkalinity or chemical concentration) in Norris Geyser Basin |
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| Porcelain Basin |
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| Duck Rock |
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| Chocolate Pot |
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| Can't thank you enough! |
Fountain Flats Drive - where the bison roam
