Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone, a simple and humble word, is the name of the first national park in the USA and the world. It is, however, anything but ordinary.
The park was named Yellowstone mainly due to the colour dyed by its volcanic nature, where the element of sulphur is abundant. Yellow is its theme colour, nevertheless, the park offers an array of spectrum that seems like a spillage from the God’s palette.
Park Entrance
The Park charged USD25 per car for a 7 days multiple re-entry pass. It is a geologic wonder that sits on a super volcano, with a wide diversity of attractions including colourful hot springs, geysers, mud pots and fumaroles.
We entered the park from its south entrance after visiting the Grand Teton National Park, frequented the re-entry at West Yelllowstone for lodging, and exited the park through the north gate after Mammoth Hot Spring into the state of Montana.
Hot Springs
The turquoise blue, calm looking water is deceiving. Yet, the emerging mist from its surface constantly reminds people that it is not as cool as it seems. The hot springs have their life circle, while one dries up, the other flourishes.
Geyser
Geysers, big or small, are abundant in the park. You need to be patient and have the leisure of time to be the audience of their dances.
Old Faithful
The Old Faithful is probably the most well known geyser in the world. In average, it erupts every 90 minutes. At a height of 32-56 meters tall, it greets all the park pilgrims with a spectacular showcase of power and beauty.
Old Faithful Visitor Centre, with its heritage architectural, offers food and accommodation to everyone with a touch of vanity.
Yellowstone Waterfall
Yellowstone Canyon with its thunderous waterfall.
The fierce water cuts the terrain in half, eventually transforms itself into a tamed, gentle, windy blue belt embedded on this ever changing land.
Grand Prismatic Spring
The Grand Prismatic Spring is unarguably the eye of the Yellowstone. Although it is best to marvel the Grand Prismatic from far, going near the spring rewards its admirer with a sense of intimacy to this iconic jewel of Yellowstone.
Fumaroles
Fumaroles are like noisy whistle of a water boiler. Their vocal character makes them hard to be missed even from a distance. This is a dynamic display of a fumarole at Norris Basin
Mud Pots
Mud pots are not as visually attractive as their volcanic siblings. They release a strong stinging smell and look like a pool of boiling cement.
Mammoth Hot Spring
The plateau of Mammoth Hot Spring. The Mammoth, although in its dry season, never lost it charms to appeal to the visitors.
The dry spell casted on this land makes people wonder when will its glorious splendour return.
Plants in the Park
Despite the hostile but dynamic environment, flora and fauna still thrive in various area of the park. There is heat resistant algae that manage to survive in this high temperature aquatic ecosystem.
Animals in the Park
It was hard not to notice the existence of some friendly creatures, although they were not our main focus for the visit.
Yellowstone Surroundings
Yellowstone spans across the 3 states of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. We allocated 4 days 3 nights for this part of the journey, stayed 1 night inside the park and the other 2 nights in this cowboy town of West Yellowstone:
One Response
Never realized yellows tone is that huge… I thought one day is enough. Beautiful place