Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Yellowstone

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
traffic on the way in

The Gallatin River
Old Faithful

Geyser Hill


Day 2: Morning Waterfall Hike with Ed, Morning Glory Pool, and Firehole Basin Tour
Little Firehole River

silicified trees


Mystic Falls


Jewel Geyser


Morning Glory Pool

tour transportation, 1937 stretch touring car

Fountain Flats Drive - where the bison roam

Firehole Falls in Firehole Canyon


Day 3: South Loop Drive
Yellowstone Lake


Lower Falls in the 'Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River'


Artists' Paint Pots


Day 4: A Few Detours on the Way Out
Extremophiles (microorganisms that live in conditions of extreme temperature, acidity, alkalinity or chemical concentration) in Norris Geyser Basin


Porcelain Basin

Duck Rock

Chocolate Pot

Can't thank you enough!