Yellowstone National Park – North Loop

Yellowstone National Park – North Loop

September 15, 2013

Day 2 was much nicer weather with some blue skies and clouds that was a lot better for panoramic view pictures. So we got lots of those. Our route took us north to Canyon Village, west to Norris, north to Mammoth Hot springs and the North Entrance, east to Tower-Roosevelt and south to base at Fishing Bridge. While driving north along the Yellowstone River, we spotted 2 Trumpeter Swans and got a good picture of those. We stopped and walked the Norris Geyser Basin to see the geysers and many different colored pools.  We had to go up to the North Entrance to see the Teddy Roosevelt Arch and saw some Big Horn Sheep resting atop a rock outcropping. On the way we stopped at Mammoth Hot Springs.

Hayden Valley and Yellowstone River

 

Buffalo in the Hayden Valley

Trumpeter Swans on the Yellowstone River

 

Yeah it sits there, boils and stew and bubbles steam, stinky hot air, but does absolutely nothing worthwhile!!!

 

Norris Geyser Basin - Porcelain Basin

 

Norris Geyser Basin - Porcelain Basin

 

Pinwheel Geyser

Run-off stream showing varied colors of algae

Emerald Spring

 

On the Road to Mammoth Hot Springs

Mammoth Hots Springs - Upper Terrace formation

Mammoth Hot Springs

The pictures below are all Donna's from her and Katherine stroll down the path below the Upper Terrace Road.

Yellowstone Big Horns

Of course a drive through Gardiner, MT meant a stop for ice cream cones. The drive back south to Mammoth Hot Springs the Elk made the grand appearance along the Gardiner River Valley. There was a large herd including 2 very nice Bull Elk. I got some pictures of both. On the dive up the mountain toward the Mammoth Campground I heard Elk bugling real close (open window) and spotted another Bull Elk coming up a draw. A quick U-turn and a spot to just big enough to pull off gave me some great shots of this Bull including one I’m naming “The Bugling Bull”.

The Teddy Roosevelt Arch at the North Entrance

Herd of cow Elk with young

Thank you Lord for letting me see him.

"The Bugling Elk"



"The Bugling Elk"

Black Bear and Rose Hips

On the drive home we stopped at the Petrified Tree and through an area full of rose hips (just west of Tower). Oh my, lots of parked cars and people on the roadway…a bear! This one was a Black Bear. We stopped too. It was just down off the road happily chowing down voraciously on rose hips and paying no attention to us humans 25 FEET away snapping pictures. He was deep in the bush and hard to see except when his head popped up to get at the higher branches. Thank goodness no rangers yet as everyone was way too close. THEY insist on 100 yards which everyone ignores!