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

Grand Tetons and Yellowstone-Finally!

It really is a shame, that someone of my age has never been to Grand Teton National Park or Yellowstone National Park.  Both are icons of the National Park system, but finally, I am here.  The next several blogs will be devoted to my week stay at Coulter Bay, which I used as a base to explore both Grand Teton and Yellowstone.  But first, I had to get there.

Leaving Ft. Robinson, I traveled across Hwy 20 through Wyoming, spending the night at Wind River Casino in Riverton.  Then is was just a short distance across the Rockies, before arriving at my destination.  I just loved the various color variations on these mountains.

 

Standing at 9583 feet on the Continental Divide.

Just a wonderful view of the wild flowers in bloom in the high Rockies.

And then just down the road, there they were, the Grand Tetons.

Finally, I made it.

Coulter Bay is located on Lake Jackson, with a beautiful view of the Tetons.

The road to my campsite.

And here I am, parked for the next week.

I spotted this deer one morning on my walk with Fancy.

Another morning, again on my walk with Fancy, there were this pair of fox cubs.  Yes, I am still in the campground.

This guy is located outside my door and drives Fancy crazy.  She thinks she can dig down and catch this guy, even though he has at least 3 different holes in which he appears.

This deer was strolling through the campground last evening.

And I just had to take a picture of this unusual RV.

And Sunday morning I attended the church services at the amphitheater.

There is so much right here in the campground, it's a wonder I needed to go anywhere to enjoy the beauty of this place.  But there is so much more to report on.  Keep watching for more of the wonders of Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.