We woke up around 5:30 (baby alarm clocks are very reliable), which worked out perfectly as our plan was to arrive at the gates of Yellowstone before the crowds. We totally lucked out that on the day we happened to visit the park, it was raining! (We have no cell phone service at the campground so we didn't know what kind of weather to expect.) It rained on and off for the first two hours we were in the park, which definitely staved off some tourists.
There was no one in line at the ranger kiosk (in the middle of summer!). It really couldn't have been more ideal. We have travel luck, which is probably the best kind of luck, after lotto luck, and wonderful baby luck. Baby luck is number one, lotto luck is two, travel luck is number three.
Yellowstone is so beautiful, no matter the time of year. I am partial to Yellowstone in the winter because it is even more surreal (it is like the sensation of diving but without being underwater), but regardless, it is always a treat to see.
Our travel luck is paying off again, we just happened to arrive 10 minutes before the eruption window for Old Faithful (98 minutes +/- 10 minutes). We basically parked and walked through the visitor center to see the eruption.
Daddy/baby photo shoot!
We are making a baby memory book with National Park Passport Stamps, so of course I was disappointed to find out someone stole the Old Faithful stamp years ago, and they never replaced it! (The picture is of their sample passport.)
You know whatever jerk stole it is not using it, ever. They should mail it back with an apology note. The Visitor Center did have the date stamp with Old Faithful Visitor Center written underneath, but we have been using both stamps at the other parks. I would say oh well, but I find the whole thing annoying, so shame on the Old Faithful Stamp Robber.
The next stop is Grand Prismatic Spring at Midway Geyser Basin. Grand Prismatic is the most photographed thermal hot spring in Yellowstone. The beautiful colors are caused by the thermophilic bacteria that thrive in the hot spring.
We didn't get the full colors (the deep blues specifically) because of the clouds, but the clouds are keeping away some tourists so we will take it.
Love love love this baby!
Usually when I come to Yellowstone it is with Raya so I just go with the flow, and during winter you don't have access to the whole park, but since it is summer, and just us, I wanted to check out Mammoth Hot Springs. It is a first for all of us. The drive is gorgeous but it is very isolated, 51 miles north of Old Faithful and there isn't much else in the area. Plus there are 30 minute delays because of road construction. We just had to wait 15 minutes on the way there, and 0 minutes on the way back (they were just shuttling everyone through).
At first we did the Mammoth Hot Spring driving loop, which was really by accident because I wasn't sure exactly where the main spring was. But there was hardly anyone driving on the loop and we got to see this really cool old hot spring which looks like it is made of table salt (but really it is limestone), so I was satisfied with the minor mistake.
After completing the loop we parked at the parking lot for Canary Spring, and walked along the boardwalk.
The underground "plumbing" changes locations as earth settles from little earthquakes, so new limestone travertine terraces form and the old ones become grey and lifeless.
At any given time it is estimated that only 10% of the water at Mammoth Hot Springs is on the surface.
Mammoth Hot Springs is sometimes described as an inside-out cave and I couldn't agree more.
It is amazing!
I am so glad we came here.
There are over 10,000 thermal features in Yellowstone National Park. It makes me curious what is out there, unavailable to tourists.
On the way back out to Madison Junction, on our way to West Yellowstone, we saw mountain goats, a large heard of deer, a nun, and bison.
The nun and I are bonding over nature, taking bison pictures together.
What a great day in Yellowstone!
Yellowstone National Park is magic.
National Park number four for this traveling baby.
This is a beyond amazing post. I love your 'road-less-taken' images. Exceptional... all of them. I love your baby's enthusiasm for adventure and double shame on the Old Faithful stamp stealer. Keep taking me along on this trip. I'm enjoying it all.
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