Yellowstone Pictures, vol. 6
General, semi-organized pictures of the park
The
Seven Mile Hole Trail. This wonderful trail leads a hiker down into the
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. If you have looked at the canyon from
the rim and gotten the urge to hike down to the bottom, then this is the
trail for you. The trail is often steep and hard to navigate (loose rock
and stuff) or even to follow in spots, but if scrawny old cigarette smoking
me can do it so can you. There are two or three back country camp sites
at the bottom, so it makes a good overnight trip. There are several small
thermal areas along the way, and a creek just beyond the farthest campsite
with strange green, sulphery smelling water that is a series of small falls
and pools, and is lined with small hot springs. Be sure to ask if the water
is OK if you camp. I found a sign on the way out that wasn't there when
I hiked in for an overnight trip warning that the river water was not safe
to drink even if filtered. I was just waiting to see what kind of disease
I would get from it, but stayed healthy.
The
Natural Bridge, near Bridge Bay. Yes, Yellowstone has just about everything.
My sister contributed a shot that is a
bit closer than this one.
Cupid
Spring, at Mammoth Hot Springs. The streaks of color are due to different
sorts of algae that grow in different temperatures.
An
elk grazing at Mammoth Hot Springs. Mammoth is often overrun with elk feeding
on the lawns around the buildings.
Elephant
Back Terrace , Mammoth Hot Springs. Elephant Back is on the upper Terrace
Drive, a short one way road. It's unusual shape comes from hot mineral
laden water seeping out of a linear crack in the ground, but not necessarily
along the whole length at once. The terraces at Mammoth are a very dynamic
area. The mineral deposited is travertine, which builds up much more rapidly
than the geyserite in the geyser basins. Very active formations can change
noticeably from one year to the next, and activity shifts from one spring
to another frequently. Elephant back is not very active in this picture.
The gray color is travertine with no water flowing on it.
A
pool on top of the Main terrace , Mammoth Hot Springs. I liked the milky
blue color of this one. Milky color like this is caused by suspended bits
of minerals in the water.
An
algae bed in a runoff channel of Canary Spring, Mammoth Hot Springs. Algae
(usually really bacteria rather than true algae) is responsible for most
of the colors in the runoff channels of hot springs and geysers. My sister
has an algae picture also.
A
sort of reddish bird. Don't know what kind.
As
long as we are on the subject of birds, these are the nests of Cliff Swallows
under the eaves of the old gas station at Lake. The nests are made of mud,
and would be all over the buildings if we let them, but that is a
story in itself.
Related
Yellowstone Links
back to the Yellowstone Pictures Page
back to the main Yellowstone page
CJ's home page
e-mail Chris Johnson (wolffedr@bellsouth.net)
The
Seven Mile Hole Trail. This wonderful trail leads a hiker down into the
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. If you have looked at the canyon from
the rim and gotten the urge to hike down to the bottom, then this is the
trail for you. The trail is often steep and hard to navigate (loose rock
and stuff) or even to follow in spots, but if scrawny old cigarette smoking
me can do it so can you. There are two or three back country camp sites
at the bottom, so it makes a good overnight trip. There are several small
thermal areas along the way, and a creek just beyond the farthest campsite
with strange green, sulphery smelling water that is a series of small falls
and pools, and is lined with small hot springs. Be sure to ask if the water
is OK if you camp. I found a sign on the way out that wasn't there when
I hiked in for an overnight trip warning that the river water was not safe
to drink even if filtered. I was just waiting to see what kind of disease
I would get from it, but stayed healthy. 
