Beaver Pond Loop and Upper Loop, Yellowstone NP

The Beaver Pond Loop is a 6 mile trail which starts behind the Mammoth Hot Springs Lodge.  It winds up the hill and through a meadow before coming to a series of small ponds, never saw any beavers though.  Then through a patch of woods before trailing back down.

First thing we saw upon reaching the top of the hill was this elk.

There was a series of these small ponds.

There was this small wooden bridge which went across the end of the pond.

The next wildlife we saw was this grouse.

Then another young elk.

Even though we didn't see any bears (which we were warned by several other hikers that bears had been sighted earlier that day), it was a great hike.

When I was at the Grand Tetons earlier in the summer, I drove the entire lower loop, but didn't drive the upper loop.  This was the what I saw on my trip of the upper loop.

The cliff was named for the Shoshone Indians, who were also known as Sheepeaters.  This basalt cliff formed the vertical columns nearly 500,000 years ago.

Roaring Mountain

All alongside of the road were signs of the volcanic activity which is still going on today.

Built in 1886, this was the U.S. Army outpost for the cavalry soldiers assigned to protect the new park.

Wandering through Norris Basin

Fumeroles or steam vents are the hottest spots in the park, and have been registered at 280 degrees F.

Whale Mouth

Steamboat Geyser, which last erupted July 31, 2013.

The Lower Falls from Inspiration Point.

Looking downstream from Inspiration Point.  Notice the intense colors on the cliffs.

Tower Falls

These herds of buffalo (or American Bison) are great at stopping traffic along the road.

Yellowstone to Upper/Lower Falls and more

I took another day trip into Yellowstone, but headed towards the east and Upper/Lower Falls, following the shoreline of Yellowstone Lake.  Here again are some of my memories from that drive.

Even along the shore of Yellowstone Lake you see the thermal activity.

Even with signs like this at all thermal areas, you still see stupid people climbing fences and going beyond barriers just to get a closer look.  I guess that's one way to thin out the gene pool.

Signs of the 1997 fire.

LeHardys rapids.  Usually in June and July you can see Salmon swimming upsteam.  I looked and looked, but didn't see any.

Mud Volcano Area and steaming Mud Caldron.

Mud Geyser in the early 1900s erupted every few hours spewing hot mud 50 feet in the air.  Then in 1927 it quit.  But in 1978 a series of earthquakes caused the soil temperatures to rise, killing many trees.  Around 2000 a series of vents opened up, again causing much steam to rise.  Who knows what changes are still to come?

I really liked The Churning Caldron, a large mud lake which was boiling.  Unfortunately I was unable to get a good picture through the steam.

Black Dragon's Caldron came into existence in 1948 when it erupted in 10-20 foot blasts of mud and blowing trees out by their roots.

Dragon's Mouth Spring

Part of the Sulphur Caldron

More of the Sulphur Caldron

Sulphur Caldron is not just one vent or hole, but an area which has boiling sulpher water, steam vents and steaming holes.

I passed several herds of Buffalo.

Below the Lower Falls on the Yellowstone River.

500 steps down, but here I am at the base of the Lower Falls.  The Lower Falls are 309 feet.

The spray of water at the base of the falls creates this beautiful rainbow.

The Upper Falls are only about 100 feet.

The view of the Lower Falls from Artists Point.

This Bull Elk was creating quite a commotion in Canyon Village.

Virginia Cascades

Now these people know how to picnic.  Table and all, they just set up in the meadow.

Artists Paintpot

Beryl Spring