Gurgling hot springs surrounding Old Faithful serenade the dawn while the legendary geyser sleeps. Suddenly dozens of thermal pools become agitated. Wildly splashing and spouting, they rumble and roar louder and louder, heralding a great event.
Moments later, majestic Old Faithful erupts.
Yellowstone National Park's celebrated geyser shares this extraordinary landscape with more than 300 other geysers and countless hot springs, mud pots and fumaroles. In fact, this World Heritage Site contains half (10,000) of the world's known geothermal features and two-thirds of its geysers.
Many other attractions add to the park's natural beauty and wonder. Streams swell with cutthroat trout. Bison, moose and bear roam scenic forests and valleys. And crystalline waters thunder down the sheer walls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
The park's Lower and Upper Loops lead travelers to key attractions. The Lower Loop showcases Yellowstone Lake and the greatest concentration of geothermal phenomena, including Old Faithful. To the north, the Upper Loop highlights dramatic mountain and forest scenes, rich with wildlife.
The Lower Loop: Gushing Geysers and Steaming Pools
Watching Old Faithful shoot glistening diamonds of water into the sky mesmerizes millions of visitors. Whether daylight or dusk, winter or summer, the sight is enthralling.
Bordering Firehole River, a trail winds past several whimsical and amusing phenomena. Sawmill Geyser, for example, spouts like a bubbling fountain, then suddenly stops and drains as if someone pulled a plug. Castle Geyser, which erupts only twice a day, surprises visitors when it spews water the moment they walk by, sprinkling silver droplets onto its massive cone.
Radiant hues of orange and yellow form rings around the aqua blue center of Morning Glory Pool. Unfortunately, its beauty is fading because coins tossed in it by thoughtless visitors have clogged its vent. This causes the water to turn cool and breed bacteria, turning it murky.
Farther north on the Lower Loop road, Black Sand Basin stirs in constant motion. Along the boardwalk, geysers erupt, steam billows and shadows dance. Underwater geysers in Sunset Lake tease visitors as they randomly erupt, then vanish. At any of the geothermal locations, bison and elk may be grazing, adding to the setting's fascination.
The loop turns southeast to Yellowstone Lake, a favorite location for boating and fishing. Cruises on the Lake Queen pass seven islands, where bald eagles crown treetops and white pelicans tend their nests. Shaped like a dome of snow, Mount Sheridan accents Absaroka Range, towering on the eastern horizon.
The Upper Loop: Towering Mountains and Thundering Waterfalls
The road heads north from Old Faithful to Mammoth Hot Springs, following the Gibbon River. In early summer, female bison and their golden calves snooze in lush riverside meadows. By autumn, regal antlers adorn the bull elk. In winter, white trumpeter swans glide on the waters.
Along the way, names such as Fountain Paint Pot and Steamboat Geyser describe other wondrous thermal features to explore. Mud pots plop and bubble. Fumaroles hiss as they vent gases. Geysers spout jets of steamy water.
Terraced hot pools beautify Mammoth Springs. A type of calcium called travertine coats their walls like icing on a cake. The color of the water varies from green to coral to ochre, depending on the concentration of bacteria - the hotter the water, the lighter the color. Canary Spring, for example, is bright yellow. The overlook on the Upper Terrace frames an enchanting view of water cascading from pool to pool into the Lower Terrace.
As the road heads east, it stretches through Lamar Valley, where wolves were re-introduced into the park in 1995. Their current number exceeds 170. Large herds of bison and elk thrive in the meadows.
Steep rock walls shaped like a series of columns distinguish the park's Roosevelt-Tower region. Thick forests of aspen, spruce and Douglas fir cover the slopes, harboring a rich undergrowth of balsam root and other edibles that bears favor. Instead of rush hour traffic, the park has bear jams. When several cars have pulled off the road, chances are good a black bear has been spotted. Ignoring clicking cameras and gawking vacationers, the critter nibbles on a vegetarian lunch in the cool forest. Other wildlife often seen include pronghorns (antelope), coyotes and bighorn sheep.
Turning south, the road crosses Dunraven Pass. At an elevation of 8,895 feet, the crest commands a sweeping view of the park. A patchwork of burned and green forests chronicles its recent natural history as the landscape continues to rebound from the wildfire of 1988.
Crowning a tour of the Upper Loop, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone exhibits raw, rugged beauty. The South Rim Trail winds through stands of lodge pole pines to views of the Upper and Lower Falls. Nearly twice the height of Niagara Falls, the Lower Falls thunder down 308 feet. While the cascades spray plumes of water, steam puffs out of thermal holes in the canyon walls. For more than 24 miles, the Yellowstone River roars between sheer golden cliffs streaked with hues of tangerine and rose. At Artist Point, painters and photographers try to capture the canyon's grandeur. Other visitors etch the glorious scene in their memory.
Winter Wonderland
An extraordinary world unfolds in winter when snow blankets the landscape and viewable wildlife far outnumber humans. Sun-kissed skies alternate with snowstorms; animals strive to survive. Raw, harsh, yet amazingly beautiful, Yellowstone in winter turns magical and mystical.
Snow-coach tours between Mammoth Hot Springs and Old Faithful showcase seas of shimmering snow adorned with glistening waterfalls and snow-tufted forests. Steam swirls over geothermal basins, frosting nearby trees into delicate crystal figurines. Attracted by the warmth, bison and elk graze on green grasses edging the pools.
Snow bridges stretch across the bottom of Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. On overcast days, snow-dusted rocks radiate hues of blue, pink and lavender. While snow-coach riders admire the views from overlooks, cross-country skiers glide along canyon rim trails.
Hundreds of bison and thousands of elk make Lamar Valley their winter home. Sweeping their heads side to side, bison burrow through deep snow to reach frozen grasses. Troughs created by their grazing pattern criss-cross the expansive meadows. Individual bison and coyotes saunter on the road where the footing is easier. Bedecked with huge, curled horns, bighorn rams rest on rocky hillsides. Wolves move through the valley camouflaged by the setting. Sighting one is a rare treat -another of Yellowstone National Park's magical moments.
IF YOU GO TO YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK:
Location: Yellowstone National Park is located in the western region of the United States of America, primarily in northwestern Wyoming, with portions in the states of Idaho and Montana.
Maps:
Getting There:: Commercial airlines serve the airports of Cody and Jackson, Wyoming; Bozeman and Billings, Montana; and Idaho Falls, Idaho year-round. The West Yellowstone, Montana airport is open from June to early September. Other commercial transportation is available seasonally from Cody and Jackson, WY and from Bozeman, MT. All four sides of the park have entrances accessible by state or federal highways. In winter, only the road into the north entrance at Gardiner, Wyoming is open to automobiles.
Entrance Fees:The entrance fee is $20 per passenger car, $15 per motorcycle and $10 per individual (hiker, bicyclist, etc.). It is valid for seven days.
Lodging: There's a wide variety of cabins and lodges inside the park. Call (307) 344-7311 or visit http://travelyellowstone.com to make reservations.
Reserve camp sites through Yellowstone National Park Lodges, (307) 344-7311. Campgrounds are open from late May until as late as November, depending on their location. Mammoth Campground is open year-round. Some campgrounds do not require reservations and operate on a first come, first served basis.
Getting Around: Within the park, concessionaires offer tours, subject-focused excursions and field seminars. Call (307) 344-7311 for details and reservations.
Currency: United States dollar. Calculate your current exchange rate.
For more information:For brochures and other information, contact Yellowstone National Park at PO Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190-0168 USA, (307) 344-7381 or visit the Yellowstone National Park website. For lodging reservations, travel guides and in-park excursions, visit the Xanterra Parks and Resorts website.
For UNESCO World Heritage Site information: Visit Yellowstone National Park on the World Heritage List.
For a children's story: Visit The World Heritage Pointer, a fun, educational website for kids.
