2 Days to explore Yellowstone National Park

Day 1 -The lower Loop taking in the upper, middle and lower thermal areas.

Good solid breakfast. Hit local supermarket to get lunch (including a great looking donut0. Then on to the visitor centre to check what roads were open.  Only one is currently closed - between Canyon Village and Tower Falls. Weather is cool (42 degree's F) with a hint of rain.

The annual National Park pass worked a treat. What a good investment (cost $80 (US) last year and it is still good.

On the drive from the West Entrance to Madison saw our first bull elk. Then a little further down the road saw our first herd of Bison. WE spent 2 hours stopping and walking among many different geysers, mud pools, fumaroles etc. Had to stop once or twice for bison (they just walk along the road at a very casual rate). The photo's below cover most of what we saw over those 2+ hours.

Silica rich hot pools

All with different coloured heat tolerant bacteria living in them.

This one was just strolling down the middle of the road.

The last stop was the lower basin and Old Faithful. Here there is an excellent visitor centre/education centre. Bathrooms!!! Yeh. Every where else was closed for winter.

Yellowstone is a super volcano. It currently sits over a plume of magma or hotspot (like Hawaii). This hotspot accounts for all the volcanic depositions in Oregen and Idaho.

WE discovered that 'Old Faithfil' was due to fountain. (Geyser to spout0 around 1.45 pm. So we waited. Then the rain set in and it rained. Around 2 pm Old Faithful lived up to its name and it happened.

Here is proof!

Ate our lunch in the car (nothing to write home about except the donut).

From here it was over Craig Pass (usually closed in early November) and on to West Thumb ( a lake in a caldera that is still warmed by magma- Yellowstone Lake). Apparently where the Yellowstone river drains from the lake is a very good spot for fishing. Which reminds our drive from the West entrance and Madison were saw numerous anglers in the Madison river trying their luck).

The rain by now was pretty steady, so we headed  Yellowstone Grand Canyon and water falls.

The Upper Falls in Yellowstone Canyon.

The Yellowstone river has cut a deep and long valley through rhyolite deposits and tuff. Very impressive.

By now it was close to 5 pm so we headed back to West Yellowstone and a rest.

Very good meal tonight, very European bistro (which I ruined by having a burger-which now I wish I hadn't.

Steady rain, so that a wrap.

Have decided that at least 80% of West Yellowstone is closed for the winter.