Bubbles, Boils, Steams and Falls

We have extended out stay on Henry’s Lake through the weekend and since we are so close to the national park I decided we should spend at least one day exploring Yellowstone. We only covered about 40 miles inside the park from the West Entrance, thru Madison, Norris and to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.  We were able to view the falls but the road north was closed for the summer.

Along the way we stopped to view the Gibbon River and its falls, the Geyser Basin including the Blood Geyser although we did not see it erupt, and the Artists Paintpots.  We chose not to see Old Faithful to avoid the crowds plus we have seen it before, as we have seen all the others sites.

We spent a long time around the Lower and Upper Falls of the Grand Canyon.  We walked the trails along the river to get the best views of the falls from both sides of the canyon.

We also stopped in Canyon Village to get a souvenir hat and pin and trying to remember what it was like the last time we visited but all had changed.  The crowds were not nearly as bad as we thought they might be since there are many closed campgrounds and visitor centers, no tour buses and restricted areas.  The wild animals are still on their summer ranges far from the center of the park so we only slowed a couple of times to see a lone buffalo or a small herd of female elk.

On the way back I did make John stop to view the Norris Geyser Basin which is mostly boiling water and steam vents.  I still enjoy walking on the board walks and seeing the splashing of mini geysers, the blue waters and mineral covered lands along the Porcelain Basin Trail.