Touring Yellowstone

The main thing everyone wants to see at Yellowstone is Old Faithful. It erupts about every 90 minutes these days, and you can cut the suspense with a knife.



After a few spurts of false starts, thar she blows!


Built in 1903, the Old Faithful Inn is close to the geyser, and appears to have a paid buffalo guard. This guy never moved, but I'm pretty sure he was alive.


The lobby of the hotel features a 65-foot ceiling with railings and supports made of contorted lodgepole pine.


While I was on the balcony of the inn, Beehive Geyser erupted! This one erupts only every 2 days or so!


This hot pool was one of many nearby. I didn't get the name, but I liked the colors.


Another highlight of Yellowstone is Yellowstone Falls, in what is called "The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone." This is the view you get from Artist Point. There are actually 2 falls, and this is the more-often-seen Lower Falls, which drop 308 feet.


You can even walk down to the brink of the falls if you want.


Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest of Yellowstone's many colorful hot springs. It's 200 feet across, and the colors are brilliant.


Inviting as it is, however, don't jump in! The temperature is a scalding 160 degrees F (70 degrees C)!


The only place you can safely swim in Yellowstone is way downstream near Firehole Falls on the Firehole River. It was a hot day, so the old swimming hole was very popular.


The last thing I went to was the terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs. Very surreal. I saw lots of stuff at Yellowstone, and this only touches the surface.