In Retrospect: Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first national park, is world-renowned for its geysers, springs, and wildlife. So, on my cross-country drive in July, 2004, I spent two nights camping at one of the campgrounds inside. Two-and-half days are definitely not enough for a national park of this size and diversity, but that was all the time I had.

Yellowstone National Park is located in the northwestern corner of Wyoming

All traffic stops and crowds gather as an elk crosses the road

Looks like something out of a Petrie dish. The thermophilic bacteria grow along suitable streams and ponds, the species and color changes depending on the temperature and pH of the water.

Over here the bacteria take on a reddish-brownish appearance

And along this stream, green and brown grow side by side

The Old Faithful – thar she blows!

Many of these creeks are replenished by run-offs from geysers and springs

Hot springs with boiling water like this one are so numerous, many are unnamed

Steam from springs blowing in the late afternoon glow gives the landscape a surreal appearance

Porcelain Basin is encrusted with calcium carbonate

The water of the springs can be clear, or it can be emerald-green, depending on the minerals dissolved in it

Grass and trees are constantly trying to reclaim the land

This spring next to a picnic area looks inviting, but it’s probably not a good idea to jump in - it's boiling

People watching yet another geyser erupt

The size of the Grand Prismatic Spring can only be appreciated from the air, this is just a sliver of it

Morning Glory Spring

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, although nowhere near the size of the one in Arizona, is still quite impressive

The raging torrent looks like a smooth ribbon from this height

With the spring dried up, the white calcium skeleton is what’s left of Minerva Terrace

These unfortunate trees stood in the way of the water spilling out of a spring

View from top of Minerva Terrace

A herd of bison grazing at the foot of the mountain

The road out of Yellowstone and into the big sky country of Wyoming

The road winds its way up the side of a mountain just outside of Yellowstone