yellowstone

To remedy the fact that I had never been to Yellowstone, we took one day and drove in the west entrance, saw all we could see on our way out the south entrance. Andrew and I studied a book about the 4 types of geothermal features and we all listed to a CD in the car teaching us about yellowstone's history and geology. We found it fascinating and beautiful. 

 

 

We got advice from Mike's cousin Sarah and our friend, Michelle on the best spots to visit. Our first stop was the Firehole River swimming hole. We waded into the water on boulders. It is warmed upstream from natural hot springs. 

 

We stopped at the Lower Geyser Basin to see the Fountain Paint Pots. From the path we saw our first hot springs, geysers, mud pots, and fumaroles.

 

 

Our next stop was a recommended hike starting at the Fairy Falls parking lot to a lookout point to see the Grand Prismatic Hot Spring. We hiked to it in the rain, but right before we left the clouds cleared revealing the brilliant blue colors in the hot spring. 

Our last stop was at Old Faithful. We had lunch, caught the geyser's eruption, had delicious huckleberry ice cream, toured the famous inn and watched Old Faithful erupt again. 

 

 

After walking and hiking all day, we were too tired to make any more stops. We drove right past the Contenental Divide and Yellowstone Lake, right through Grand Teton National Park (where we saw bison from the car) and into Jackson Hole for dinner. After dinner we visited with Mike's cousins, the Dunlops. We watched a beautiful storm and the opening ceremonies of the London Olympics before saying goodbye to Elise (who was on her way to EFY).  After one more night at Quickwater, we made the long trek home to California.