Yellowstone National Park – Grand Loop and Old Faithful

Yellowstone National Park – Grand Loop and Old Faithful

September 16, 2013

Day 3 dawned with clear blue skies. Our plan was the Grand Loop with first stop at Old Faithful. We had time to spare so I could read email (cell service there) and even take some pictures with my phone and post them to Facebook! Old Faithful let loose at the right time with a nice display. The best pictures are here, not FB. We decided to head to our northernmost point, Artists Paint Pots and work our way back south. From there it was Monument Geyser Basin and Beryl Spring, then Gibbon Falls.

Old Faithful

Firehole River

Artists Paintpots

Artists Paintpots

Artists Paintpots

Artists Paintpots

Artists Paintpots

Gibbon Falls

Monument Geyser Basin

The WATCHERS

Fountain Paint Pot Area

 

After some more driving we arrived at the Lower Geyser Basin with several geysers and pools. We walked the plank there…oh boardwalk. While trying to take a picture my hat fell in the water, but I got it back. Our next stop was Firehole Lake Drive and especially the Great Fountain Geyser. It was due to erupt so I forced myself and the family to sit in the warm sunshine for an hour while we waited. We certainly were not disappointed. While we were waiting, White Dome also went off twice, so it was a relaxing hour well spent. During our chatting with others we were told this am the buffalo kill area up in the Lamar Valley, was sporting the big male grizzly, the big mama grizzly and her 2 cubs, and 5 wolves vying for the remains. Ah well, can’t be everywhere. Our last real stop was the Black Sand Basin for some great pictures.

Great Fountain Geyser

Great Fountain Geyser

Great Fountain Geyser



White Dome Geyser

 Below are from the Black Sand Basin

Yellowstone's Version of the Jammer

 

On our drive back up along Yellowstone Lake another bear made an appearance. Some folks were out taking pictures along the road. As I drove slowly past the bear (looked like a grizzly to me) was about 10 yards away from the picture takers in the woods. If it was a grizzly they were OUT OF THEIR FLAMING MINDS, since they were in a chase postion!!!