Yellowstone Park - Wonder world

I didnt have much idea about the park until I saw two movies (2012 and another I dont remember). Now that I have gone, I found it really fantastic and even feel like going back again. In all the destinations I travelled, I rate this as Number one, pushing Key west to 2nd and Niagara Falls to the 3rd. Yellowstone: Its not an ordinary park. Its total area is around 3500 sq.miles and length of roads inside the park could be 100-150 miles. So why its so special: Simple - Its sitting on top of a volcano. I was also shocked to hear that Yellowstone experiences atleast 2000-3000 earthquakes in a year (not big enough to feel though). Yellowstone - Network of Roads - Only 10% of the park can be covered by roads The Core of Yellowstone park is connected by roads which is in the form of an 8 shape. The park has a very diverse landscape and to see the beauty of the park you must go through the entire park roads and some time off roads also. The left side of the park (from Mammoth to West Thumb through Norris) has most of the geysers, hot springs, mud pots etc. The right side of the park (Mammoth to West thumb through Canyon) is more scenic, and you would love to take photos at every mile of those roads. There are more chances of spotting wild animals too as the forests are dense on the right side. The park has basically five entrances and all of them are closed during Winter. The only way to get into the park in winter is through snow mobiles / coaches.   The picture to the left tells the hydrothermal features available in Yellowstone park and with some examples. Though these hydrothermal features are available in different parts of the world, yellowstone park has the highest number of them in a single space. The park also boasts as the first national park of the continental USA. And, to the right, we see the various hydro thermal features and how they look like beneath the earth. As I said, its sitting on top of an active volcano and magma(lava) flows within 5 miles underground. (In a normal surface, lava could be around 50 miles deep). Mammoth Hot Springs We started our journey from Billings, MT and travelled through the North Entrance. Our hotel was in West yellowstone, so we decided to cover the sceneries on the way.   The first one to encounter was Mammoth Hot Springs. Its the headquarters of the park. An european style village and its pretty scenic as well. We passed through the city searching for the hot springs. And there it was beautiful, colorful.  It was sort of like a small almost dried fountain with varied colours. The fountain was full of water (very hot) until the 70’s but dried later.  The fountain was a mix of orange, blue, reddish brown color. We learned the colour of the fountain is due to three factors: Superheated Water, Thermophiles, acidic chemicals. Thermophiles - These are heat loving bacteria and likes to live in extreme conditions (thermo - heat, phile - love). So when you really see varied colours, you actually see millions of bacteria.  There were terraces of different colors. Took couple of pics and proceeded to the Upper Basin (trail of ~1 miles). The lower basin is basically like seeing waterfalls from below and the upper basin is where the river is.. At first sight it was so different, full of colors everywhere, some ugly some beautiful - millions of bacteria. Norris Basin We then proceeded to Norris where we saw the highest number of geysers in one place. We had to get off the car and take trails (flat) of around 2 to 3 miles to watch the geysers. These trails were very narrow passages of just 4-5 feet in width and both sides geysers and hot springs, with super heated water and vapors around everywhere. When vapors arise, there was pungent smell in them and we found that it is nothing but sulphur. So we were inhaling sulphur all three days. The biggest geyser was the Steamboat geyser whose major eruption was in 2005 and water sprouted around 400 feet high. But minor eruptions happen every 5 to 10 mins. It was already too much for the day and proceeded to our hotel after that. It was a small petty decent room but still costed $100 and thats how it is in yellowstone. We started the next day morning to Old Faithful. Norris - Old Faithful This entire route is pretty scenic. Its green plains with golden colored grass spread across and small streams of water running across everywhere. We stopped at many places to take pictures, played in the streams - well enjoyed a bit. Then there was the Lower-Middle-Upper geyser basins. Every geyser / spring looked completely different and we couldnt stop admiring each of them.  The next biggest we saw was the Grand Prismatic ring, a picture of which if taken from the sky, should look like a distant colorful sun with hot gases escaping around. Its the biggest display of colors I have ever seen - And billions and billions of bacteria at one place. It had lot of Bacteria mats - Layers of bacteria.  The bacterias at the top layer use sunlight to do photosynthesis while bacterias at bottom layer derive energy from chemicals produced by surface microbes. There was numerous number of trail paths here and had we gone before our kid, sure we would have taken couple of them. Old Faithful Reception area of Old Faithful Inn This is the town where the most famous and beautiful Old Faithful Inn is situated. The famous Old faithful geyser and the Morning Glory pool is also here. It was already 4 in the evening and we have just travelled 30 miles all day. So you can assume how many stops we made by then. Old faithful Inn is like a Old western Hotel fully built using Wood. Hardly I saw any steel anywhere. Old Faithful Inn from the outside  Its interiors looked like I was staying inside a tree village with branches spread everywhere. They have a viewing gallery with benches to view the eruption of Old Faithful Geyser. There was a clock where the next predicted eruption was displayed (+/- 10 minutes). Ha Funny.  A clock showing the predicted eruption in the hotel The Old faithful geyser is the only geyser in the park which erupts to around 150 - 200 feet high and constantly for every 60-70 minutes. May be thats the reason its called Old Faithful. Also thats the only place in the park where you get mobile signal (and too with edge). We went near the geyser and watched the eruption. Vow.. it was like a 1000 HP water pump beneath the ground forcing water atop.  Never seen such a thing in life. Wished I stayed in that Inn. Other than the geyser there was around 4 mile long trail with full of geysers of different shapes and sizes (completely different from Norris) + morning glory pool. West Thumb Explaining the formation of the area The area was as such was formed by a simple uplift and lot of mysteries here like craters in the waters etc. This is where the biggest Yellow stone river begins. Again hot springs - but not so hot.  These were calm springs - plain blue color and transparent - Beautiful. And this was the first sighting of me of such clear water anywhere. And the riverbeds were having so many craters like the craters of the moon. They call them “mystic craters”.  A crater inside the river. Many such are found in the river During the winter, it seems seals will be around hunting fish here. And to be noted, the river as such has lot of geysers within. It looks only a part of the river can be used for boating which generally is in the Fishing Bridge area. Mud Volcano We continued and went to the Mud Volcano. These are full of mud pots. Again a trail. and this time pretty steep. And sure the height was almost of the tempe lake hill. Our cars looked so tiny from there. And with a stroller and baby in hand - my goodness it was tiresome. And thats when we realized that 3 day is not enough for yellowstone and we did a big mistake. We wished atleast we had one day more. But it was too late. Dragon’s mouth hot spring was the most fiercest one there. It was sort of a cave and a spring is inside the cave. So water raises and the gases and hits the wall of the cave, it raises a voice as if a dragon is shouting from inside. Thats it, we called it a day and returned to the hotel and had a sound sleep. Day3 - And the final day Old Faithful Until now the temp was around 80deg. but not today. It was cloudy and chill. We were ready with all accessories to protect us. Came to Old faithful and saw blazing sun. Went back to arizona costume. Started our walk towards Morning Glory pool, very relaxed, playing with our kid, letting her enjoy her walk etc. On the way saw an eruption of another geyser and it was like mud and fumes coming out. Pretty different.  Morning Glory - The colors looks like glass Continued further. It was 3.5 mile round trip. Clouds appeared from nowhere. Our leisure walk ended there. Reached morning glory. Its named after the morning glory flower. It was so beautiful, so lively with colours (again bacteria). It has orange, green and reddish brown colours and you can see the depth of the pool as though its completely transparent.It was like a mouth of the underworld. Also called as fading glory because of vandelism and carelessness its losing its colours now.  Look the change the colour already Now sudden rains lashed away along with wind, we rushed to the hotel. A passerby was so kind to give his umbrella so that we dont get wet. Once rains started pouring, it was just fumes everywhere. Assume, you were in the middle of a gigantic hot hot plate and some one sprinkled water on the plate. We were little frightened but managed to reach the hotel. We were very tired, took lot of rest and lunch too. Grand Canyon of Yellowstone: After we regained our energy started the drive again to the Canyon of yellowstone (canyon village). Now the outlook was completely different. No more geysers, no more hot springs. It was like the roads to the Grand canyon, flat grounds, mountains and looked completely different.  We proceeded to the North rim. And went to a view point. Amazing. Its a massive canyon, not to the size of grand canyon but still pretty beautiful than it, as it was completely green. And the best was there was a tiny (actually big one) waterfalls at the end of one side and a river between the canyon. And it looked so so beautiful. I thought the geysers and hot springs were much beautiful. but this has surpassed everything.  We took a trail to the “Upper Falls mouth” - so close to where the water falls from the river. Very beautiful in the midst of a dense forest. Amazing. Now proceeded to the south rim. There was a view point called Artist Point. And it is the best view point I have ever seen. Its like I am seeing from within the canyon. So beautiful. Dunraven Pass (Canyon Village - Tower Falls) Its a hill route full of pine trees, varied colourful landscape, plains, burnt forests, lot of deers - all in one place. My goodness, I still cant believe the beauty of this. And it was perfect weather. After some rains, water dripping from the leaves of the trees with perfect lighting. Best time and place to take pictures. I really took lot of pictures here. I leave it to the pictures to describe this area.  But this is the area where in its easy to sight Grizzly Bears. Wonder what they eat - Wildflowers, roots and tubers i.e. they are vegetarians. But if you cross them, you are done. They are really very very tall.  And now we started our way back to Billings - half hearted and fully tired. Was afraid whether I will have the strength to drive another 250 miles. but still had to reach it and reached it. Was such a wonderful and  memorable trip. Do’s and Dont’s Every place , every geyser, every spring is much different and you need to stop at every place. Must have a good camera preferably SLR to capture the beauty of this place and capture the beauty of your family too.. Try to have atleast 4 days in the park. Always stick to the trails and board walk. You never know where there a geyser is. You may create one, if you step out of the safe walk. Lot of wildlife left free - Park says - We cannot guarantee your safety anywhere in the park. So be watchful. Eat Stock upon with food and water before you enter the park. There is no shelter, no food nor water anywhere except the towns(mammoth, old faithful, canyon, fishing bridge) have something i.e. only one shop. Lodging We wished to stay inside the park but we were late. There are very few hotels inside the park and they get filled one year in advance. So we need to call the hotels every now and then so that we can grab a room if someone cancels their reservation. Park hotels can be reserved only through this xterra website. We stayed at West Yellowstone, just very close to the west entrance and the closest city to yellowstone park and its sort of in the middle of the park, so its easy to travel between room and park. Gardiner is another city where rooms are available but pretty far. And you would the world’s smallest rooms for $100/night. Thats the rates for yellowstone.  And finally, we managed to capture so many photos of the park and still even with the best camera, you cannot really capture the beauty. You need to be there to experience the beauty. I wish I had free flights so I come here again once in winter and again in summer.