Yellowstone National Park

We had such a great time at Yellowstone National Park. We decided to take it slow and really absorb the Southwest areas in the park instead of rushing to all the sights. It was really a perfect day. 

We began in the Visitor's Center, where we listened to a program from quintessential Park Ranger Rick on Yellowstone wildlife. Lotus compared his paw to a grizzlies: 

and we set off to explore. 

Our first stop was Firehole Canyon, which Lilye wrote about. I'd like to second her emotion. It was one of the most exhilarating swims of my life. 

We walked the Mammoth paint pot trail, which weaves through geysers, fumaroles, mud pots and vents. The clear blue pools were actually boiling. The crazy colors are caused by minerals and bacteria, and the whole area sits in a caldera. As you walk through steam and mist, you can smell the minerals in the air. 

This is Mammoth Paint pot, a huge vat of bubbling mud with  just the right balance of heat, minerals and water to make a liquid that looks like house paint. 

These are Opal Pools, named because of their opalescence. 

Bacteria!

This is a jeweled geyser, because it has almost crystal like formations. 

The jewel geyser was very quiet as we passed on the way to our hike up Mystic Falls (see Lil's post). But as we returned from our awesome hike, it spontaneously erupted!! 

Most geysers at Yellowstone can't be predicted. You have to remain on the boardwalks because the thin crust of the caldera can change quickly. We were told by a ranger that they "monitor the heck" out of the park for volcanic activity. It was a treat to be able to explore such a unique place. 

We made it to Old Faithful, where the ice cream was sweet, the people watching diverse and the geyser dependable. 

As we left, we stopped many times on the side of the road. We saw a bull elk,

bison,

 and yes! A bear! We're not sure if this one was a cinnamon black bear or a grizzly, but we got to watch him/ her amble up the mountainside, taking a rest along the way. 

We left through the South Entrance in the late afternoon and were soon in the Grand Teton Mountains.