Category Archives: Wyoming

Yellowstone Wildlife Adventure

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ChipmunkBeware of the Wildlife

Wildlife watching is one of the top reasons people visit Yellowstone. Its thrilling to see animals in their natural habitat instead of a zoo. In every visitor center there are warnings and videos reminding you to give the animals their space. At the Old Faithful Gift Shop there’s a book titled  Death in Yellowstone: Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park. Have you ever seen the TV show called When Animals Attack? There’s a clip from Yellowstone showing a Bison tossing a tourist into a tree. That was being shown at the Old Faithful Visitor Center. Talk about a cautionary tale!

Watch the Wildlife from Inside Your car

As I followed the White Navigator toward Norris Junction the road narrowed to a single lane in each direction. To my right the mountainside dropped down the the road. There wasn’t much of a shoulder. My Gaperguide was chattering about the geography of the area. To my left the mountainside continued to drop off. As I rounded a curve the White Navigator came to an abrupt stop. I couldn’t see why. There was a pull off on the left side of the road. Suddenly the Navigator pulled across the oncoming lane into the pull off. Now I could see the problem. There were two Bison on the barely existent road shoulder. I didn’t dare pass them.  I was much too close as it was.

Bison right next to the road

Bison are Unpredictable! 

The bison were clearly getting agitated. In an attempt to give them more room and diffuse the situation I pulled into the same pull off as the Navigator. I could see a narrow bridge ahead with no room for car and bison.  As the bison moved closer the lead animal began huffing and shaking his big head. As the pair approached our cars they focused on my little Toyota. It was as if the Navigator wasn’t even there. The big guy in front started to cross the road toward my car.

Before the Charge

Almost the Next Chapter in Death In Yellowstone

I was trapped! I couldn’t go forward and there was a drop off to my left. My first thought was to wonder if my rental car was covered for damage by bison. My 2nd thought was that if that 1500 lb animal hit my car I was going over the edge. I wouldn’t have to worry about the rental car. I’d be another chapter in the Death in Yellowstone book!

Getting ready to pass by

A Close Call

Just as I was saying my goodbyes to this world, the Navigator took off. This gave me room to move my car forward. When I did it was like I’d waved a red flag! Heads down the agitated animals  charged my car and I didn’t wait around. I slammed that gas pedal to the floor and headed for the bridge with both bison stampeding after me. Once I crossed the bridge the bison gave up. Heart  hammering I was happy to put some distance between those bison and me!

Too Close for comfort

 

Madison Junction to Gibbon Falls

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Madison River joins the Gibbon River

At Madison Junction the road from the West Entrance joins the loop road. The Madison River also joins with the Gibbon River at this point. I continued on the Grand Loop to follow the Gibbon River. 

Gibbon Falls

Gibbon Falls

I saw the stone walls and walkways first. Photographers were set up with tripods, intent on something I couldn’t see. I was coming up on the parking area for Gibbon Falls. Gibbon Falls is not the highest or wildest waterfall in the park but it is really wide. The water flows in lacy ribbons over the gradual rock drop. From the parking lot you have a walk of about .2 miles to the southern end of the lookout. Along the way you enjoy different views of the falls and interpretive boards that describe what you are looking at. This is a very nice stop.

Gibbon Falls

You’re Looking at the rim of a Caldera

The Gibbon River flows along the rim of the Yellowstone Caldera. Gibbon Falls is where the river falls off the rim. Its mind boggling. The rim just looks like a mountain ridge but its the lip of a giant volcanic crater! 

over the caldera rim

A White Navigator

Returning to my car I met a couple who, like me had just trekked the length of the walkway. They were driving a large white Navigator and once again I wished I had an SUV instead of my little black Toyota. That would soon be a factor in my next Yellowstone adventure. Little did I know what was waiting for me just a few miles ahead as I followed my new acquaintances out of the parking lot. They turned right and so did I. They were on their way to Norris Junction. I planned to skip Norris today and start my swing back toward Jackson through the   Hayden Valley. I was hoping to start spotting some wildlife. All I can say is “Be Careful What You wish For!”

Jousting Bison

In the Cauldron Boiling and Bubbling

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A Boiling, Bubbling Brew

stock photo

Apologizes to Shakespeare (and Macbeth), but boiling, bubbling cauldrons are what went through my mind at the Fountain Paint Pots Loop Trail. This area has it all, mud pots, geysers, hot springs and fumaroles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fountain Paint Pots Loop Trail

That’s a mouthful. Good thing the trail is shorter than the name. Its only about .5 miles to complete the whole loop. It does have a slight elevation of about 50 ft. Plus the trail is a well maintained boardwalk making the walking easy.

Celestine Pool

Celestine pool

It was pretty windy the day I was there and the wind had a real “bite” to it. As I started up the boardwalk I passed a large, quiet pool named the Celestine Pool.  Don’t be fooled by its tranquil, steaming surface. In 1981 a young man and his dog both died here. The dog jumped into the steaming waters and the young man followed to save it. Neither survived the scalding water.

I wandered along for a few more yards then decided to save the rest of the trail for a warmer day. The wind was blowing the clouds of steam away from me so I was getting the full force of the cold without the tempering of a steam cloud. Sadly I didn’t make it to the boiling mud pots this trip.

 

Firehole Canyon DrFirehole Canyon Drive and Waterfall

Back in the parking lot I considered my options. Time to head more north to another loop road. This one is called Firehole Canyon Dr. The road is a 2 mile one-way drive through the Firehole River’s canyon. Here I found another waterfall. This one is the 40 ft. Firehole Falls. With it’s canyon walls and rushing currents it’s not a quiet , peaceful falls. This waterfall has a roaring energy.

 

 

Firehole River falls

There is a small parking area near the falls but no sidewalks on the side of the road closest to the falls. No one seems to let that stop them, myself included, as we jockey for the best photo we can get.

Firehole Falls

A little farther on you can go swimming in the river if you dare. There is parking and a set of stairs down to the river. I bet it’s a nice spot on a hot summer day.

Firehole falls flows over the boulder

Side trip of Geysers and Hot Springs

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Geysers abound on Firehole Lake Dr.

Just past Midway Geyser basin is Firehole Lake Dr. The concierge stressed that I should be sure to take this side loop.  At first I thought it was just more thermal features. But it turned out to be a great drive.

Unforgiving Landscape

 

Great Fountain GeyserGreat Fountain Geyser

I missed Great Fountain Geyser. I think it had just gone off. I could see the steam clouds ahead of me but when I got there it was over. This is one of the four  highest spouting geysers in Yellowstone. It’s fairly regular too but where I’d just missed it I’d have about 12 hours to wait for the next eruption so I waved at the steam and moved on.

White Dome Geyser

Eruption Begins at White Dome

I passed some steaming lakes and springs then turned a corner to spot a geyser that had built up quite a cone at the base. This is White Dome Geyser. According to my Gaperguide the eruption cycle is about 10 minutes so I pulled over to go on Geyser watch. It must have just gone off before I arrived because it took the full 10 minutes before erupting. I was much closer to White Dome than I had been to Old Faithful so in some ways this was more exciting.

White Dome Plume of Steam

There’s a board walk that goes around the base of this geyser. Some tourists were reading the information boards when it went off. Their reaction was priceless. I guess if I’d been sanding there and been surprised I’d have looked funny too!

An Active geyser

Paint Pots or Ravens

Fountain FlatsAs White Dome subsided I moved on. I drove past more steaming hot springs and possibly some geysers. I passed Firehole Lake. Looks inviting but you’ll scald you skin off!  As Firehole Lake Dr connected with the main loop road I spotted a sign for Fountain Paint Pots. I was anxious for a chance to try photographing those bubbling mud holes.

In the large parking lot I was greeted by a huge raven. These large “crows” are everywhere around Yellowstone and this fellow Pretty Ravenwas particularly friendly. After a brief chat with Mr. Raven I followed a long boardwalk out of the parking lot past steaming hot pools of water. I didn’t see any bubbling mud. And the wind was cold!

Next Stop: Lewis Falls

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Lewis Falls is just a 30 Ft Cascade

Parking for Lewis Falls is mostly by the roadside. Its just a short walk up a slight incline to a rocky outcrop with a good view of the falls. Even I was up to this much. I skipped the rocky trail that takes you right to the falls. It looked a bit slippery and icy from the snow in the area. I’d skipped this stop the day before because there were so many people. This early I was the only one here. Lewis falls 30 ft cascade

Lodgepole pines frame the waterfallNamed for Meriwether Lewis

Just as the Lewis River is named for Meriwether Lewis so too is the falls unless you want to say its named for the river. Even with the frothing cascade it’s hard to believe this river is carving out a 400 ft canyon just a little way downstream! On the opposite side of the road from the falls the river spreads out to a wide calm river meandering through a peaceful meadow. I’m told this is a great place to look for moose but the meadow was empty when I was there.

Standing in a Volcano

Everyone knows that Yellowstone is a super volcano but within that giant caldera are numerous vents and smaller caldera. It’s these features that create the bubbling hot springs, geysers and mud pots. According to the Yellowstone Guide Yellowstone Treasures by Janet Chapple, Lewis Falls marks the southern boundary of the caldera. I think she means the super volcano caldera. My Gaperguide talked about the road following the rim of the caldera so I think they are the same thing. Kind of amazing to think you are in such a huge active volcano.

Take a minute to Fish

The day before I spotted an angler perched on the overlook. He was whipping his fly rod back and forth and finally the line soared out in a graceful arch. I couldn’t do that if my life depended on it. It seems that most of the rivers are restricted to fly fishing. Check with the local rangers for rules and permits before you give it a try. Snow in the forest near the falls