Early morning, we are in Yellowstone at one of only two open campgrounds, they close most of them in early October....
Yellowstone is basically a thermal park - it's in a huge volcano, a great deal of it falls within the caldera - these are mineral "steps" formed by the heated water flows, lots of these in the park.
Alright, so they call them "terraces". I call them "steps", this one is now static, as the water flow has been re-routed, and these are no longer growing...
So many scenes like this, bubbling/boiling areas everywhere.
Well, what can you say about this?
Raven fond of the Mazda - who needs buffalo and elk pictures, when you can have a raven?
Will this beater Miata make it to Fla? "Nevermore"... But after I fed him half of my blueberry muffin, he changed his reply to "Probably". What a guy..... He followed us for some time when we left, apparently regarding us as easy marks...
This looks like the "valley of desolation" on Dominica in the caribbean. Same sort of other-worldly appearance of steaming destruction....
Odd hues of colors, due to different organisms growing in the different temperature water flows.
A "typical' steam vent, if there is such a thing, so many of these..
A pedestrian bridge/walkway in the center, spring area in the rear.
"steamboat" geyser, this thing last went off big-time a few years ago, vented to about 400 ft, on and off for a few days, then returned to this level. It apparently does this from time to time, there is a hand-lettered replaceable sign they update whenever it decides to surprise the tourists....
Found this alongside a river, we climbed down a steep bank when we saw it from the roadway above - the running spring is gradually building up the "rock", and the various colors are interesting. Not a part of the "recommended" viewing for the crowds, no ramps or walkways to this. I wonder how much more of this you see when you backpack in to the areas more distant?
Hot tub - so many of these....
Hot spring water cascading into cold, fast flowing river....
Strange color combinations everywhere - here's a range of colors in one spot.
Our last park shot, Old Faithful, a little lethargic today, we're told it varies day to day...
Passing through the Grand Tetons on the way to Jackson, Wy. A shot as light is falling, interesting hues of blue on a still lake....
ditto...
Yellowstone is just amazing , nature really cut loose there .....but when I was there I kept thinking of the power that was creating those hot springs , geysers , etc . Spooky ! We did a snowmobile trip in the mountains North of Yellowstone , Cabin Creek area , really beautiful country , i can see why the old fur trappers loved it .
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