G spots... in Yellowstone National Park

Where to start?  We had an incredible 4 days in Yellowstone park. The park certainly hits the G spots, it is wonderful for geography. geology, geothermal and coming next post some fabulous wildlife...Massive huge thunder storm first night. We were hoping to lie on the picnic table and observe the Perseid meteor showers but instead we realised a different kind of insignificance, huddled in our four seasons sleeping bags hoping it was the good will season - in a very small blue tent – in the middle of a very large forest surrounded by massive pine trees and lots of sky!!

Mammoth Springs

It was fantastic we were only sorry we couldn’t see more then the tent lighting up every 5 seconds as the thunder rolled and thudded around right above the trees.  The rain was tremendous but our little tent held up and we were warm and snug right through to the morning.  The actual storm only lasted about 30 minutes moving around but never very far away – there was more rain but not as bad - I just didn’t let myself think about falling trees and we survived. 

In the morning everything looked fresh and the air was clear for about an hour and then more clouds rolled in.  We decided to investigate the Mammoth Hot Springs.  Seemed a good idea for a damp almost chilly day.  The springs were pretty amazing, lots of steam and sulphur water vapour – not sure if that’s the same thing… the lakes were icy blue and golden oranges and different shades of white and very lovely.  They bubbled and dripped over the edges making stunning formations – as Fred observed a little like stalagmites but quicker - all the vegetation was mostly dead, the trees bleached stark and leafless, strangely beautiful.  Some of the pools had varied depths and in some of them it looked like little forests had sprung up, miniature orange and ochre like trees and boulders, exquisite only as nature can.

beautiful patterns made by crystals and algae

Next we had a day of looking at geysers after a night of constant rainfall.  The tent held out just!!! There was leakage onto the inner tent but it didn’t actually come through and wet us. It did rain hard all night and the camp ground had a lot of water on it several very large puddles all around the tent and the car.  Fred braved the drizzle as it slowed down in the morning and made a cup of tea and we lay in bed listening to the rain almost stop and then start up again until mid-morning.  We decided to move and get on with the day and head down the road to see some thermal springs and geysers.     

Mammoth springs

We stopped first at a small but impressive thermal steaming lake and then carried on to the Norris Geyser Basin and after queueing for ages, the system for parking was non existent but we did eventually get parked and set off around the boardwalk.  The walks are well laid out and there are some notices along the way with information but the signage is generally poor – both on the road and once you are near the geysers.  The first major point in the Norris basin is the Steamboat Geyser – which bubbled constantly underground sounding just like a steam boat and erupted quite pleasantly – it blew to about 20 foot, it has been known to go much higher and is in fact the worlds tallest measured one.– the colours are quite amazing.  The sulphur just makes for lovely coloured algae and rocks. 

As we walked round the boards there was lovely variation pool colour from turquoise blue to creamy white – some were incredibly clear and others more opaque like opals.  There was one called the vixen that we saw erupting form a distance but when we got there it was very quiet, we stood for a few minutes wondering if it would go again or if we had just been lucky and to our delight it started again.  

Steamboat Geyser erupting

Some were very muddy and most of them made bubbling and plopping noises.  There were about 2 and half miles of varied geysers so after we had walked round those we took off for the worlds most consistant largest geyser Old Faithfull further down the park.  The traffic was bedlam – the roads weren’t bad, as we drove passed a large plain area we saw two bison ambling along, the first one was quite close so we pulled in and took some photographs – the second one was further away so we left him in peace and carried on becoming part of the madness at Old Faithful.  Which was mad, again there seemed to be no system in parking and we were lucky in finding a spot straight away.  Almost dead on time the geyser blew.  It was very spectacular at least 35 foot high pure white plume of water and steam.  There must have been at least a 1000 people watching and taking photos. A grand sight!

Old Faithful

Our next stop was the Grand Prismatic Spring, a place Fred particularly wanted to see so we parked on the side of the road as the traffic even after 5.30 was quite manic and walked down the riverside which was pretty with all the overflow hot springs gushing into it leaving orange and ochre and white trails.  The boardwalks were still busy – quite a few oriental coach loads so once again very China like the colour were beautiful, bright greens and oranges and lovely turquoise blues – we passed the Prismatic lake, and took a quick photo, you could see how it was turquoise with a orange outer rim which spiral off into lovely colourful strand but we could also see some people on an overlook above the spring so we headed to get better picture from there.   But…. The boardwalk was circular… there was no indication of how to get to the overlook,  we walked back to the carpark and walked through hoping there was another path and a bridge across the river but the wasn’t.  we went back to the car disappointed but thought we will drive on a bit and find the way.  So we drove on and saw a sign for the mid basin geysers and grand Prismatic spring – great we thought we’ve found it, but the queue to get in to car park was once again ridiculous so we parked by the road and walked back, it wasn’t unto we got right into the car park we realised it was just the other end to where we had just been and still no access to the overlook.  Once again disappointed we left and after checking the map again to no avail we decided to go on towards home. 

lovely colours -microorganisms growing 

Our last stop was the Artists Paint pots, a little drive off the road, and it wasn’t too busy, it was getting late by this time and the clouds, which never really cleared all day, were looking black so we hurried down the track and onto the boardwalk and up to the viewing point where you could see all the area of geysers and springs and all the lovely colours the water, rocks and vegetation made – you could see why it was called paint pots.  At eh top near the lookout was a great mud geyser.  It was quite large and very ploppy, great bubbling mass surrounded by white clay next to a small white clay pool also bubbling.  There were some lovely shapes coming out of the bubbles it looked like a heaving cyberman making mess. Definitely something off Dr Who….

Artists paint pots from the over look

That was enough geysers for the day, we were now suffering from geyser leg, the rain was coming in and it was time for a beer.  We went back to camp to see if our old faithful tent had dried out and hopefully would last us another potentially rainy night!