Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks

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Sunday, 30 September August 2019 - Overnight snow dusted the park, creating a scenic winter landscape. The day included visits to Firehole Falls and Lower Geyser Basin, where geothermal features steamed in the cold. Wildlife sightings included bison grazing and crossing roads, a coyote hunting, red-tailed hawks, pronghorn antelope, and juvenile bighorn sheep. The group explored Mammoth Hot Springs, observing the steaming terraces, algae pools, and unique rock formations. The day ended with a long drive back to the hotel, delayed by a bison herd blocking the road.

wyoming2019 — About 2 inches fell coating the trees, cars, and roads. Fortunately we had rented a four-wheel drive car expecting snow, so we did not have any trouble getting around.

wyoming2019 — Firehole River steaming in the very cold air with the snow in the background.

wyoming2019 — The trees were so pretty with the snow.

wyoming2019 — Our next stop was Lower Geyser Basin, which is a whole set of geothermal features. This is Leather Pool - it was tough to take pictures due to the steam. The air was very cool for the entire time we were in the park so the steam off the hot water was always a challenge.

wyoming2019 — Virginia Ann on the boardwalk looking at the hot water.

wyoming2019 — Red Spouter - low on water in fall - pretty much just steam making quite a noise.

wyoming2019 — Mary Mountain West from the top of the Fountain Paint Pots trail. You can see the steam from Gentian Pool, a hot spring pool in the meadow.

wyoming2019 — From the same point we spot buffalo (or as we learn they are bison) in the distance grazing in a meadow. Angie was so excited to see bison - she wanted to see one up close.

wyoming2019 — She got her wish - a big bison from the heard moved straight at us to cross the highway only 20 feet or so away from the car.

You are cautioned to stay away from them but people would get uncomfortably close.

wyoming2019 — Looking back at Lower Geyser Basin with the steam rising off the various geothermal features.

wyoming2019 — More big - I mean big - bison.

wyoming2019 — The Firehole River drops about 40 feet though Firehole Falls - pretty in winter snow and ice.

wyoming2019 — Cal and Virginia Ann at Firehole Falls.

wyoming2019 — Joe and Angie Kennedy at Firehole Falls.

wyoming2019 — Joe spotted this Red-Tailed Hawk at the top of a tree as we were moving along at 35-40 mph. And it was well off the road. Good eyes!!

wyoming2019 — As we were almost to Canyon Village we spotted a good number of cars pulled over to the side of the road - a clue that there was an animal sighting.

This coyote was hunting in the snow-covered meadow. He ended up catching a small rodent - unfortunately my pictures did not catch the action very well - his head was away from us as he ate the rodent.

wyoming2019 — After the snack he was still looking for more prey.

He was very playful, and we recognized several traits we see in our dogs - the tail up and then still before he pounced was one recognizable behavior.

wyoming2019 — Roaring Mountain was impressive with steam spilling out of several fumaroles (a fun word which would Joe use frequently). The entire mountain seems ready to explode.

wyoming2019 — A section of the roadway leading to Mammoth Springs called Golden Gate - a pass off a plateau.

wyoming2019 — Snow covered trees against red rocks.

wyoming2019 — The hills through Golden Gate.

wyoming2019 — Rustic Falls along Glenn Creek. It is almost 50 feet in height.

wyoming2019 — While we were taking in the Golden Gate and Rustic Falls area the clouds parted and there appeared blue sky - well just a little.

wyoming2019 — The foothills of Mt Everts in snow.

wyoming2019 — We arrived at Mammoth Hot Springs and began exploring the area starting at the top of the springs. These trees were all killed by the springs looking very eerie in the steam.

wyoming2019 — Virginia Ann and Angie at Mammoth Hot Springs.

wyoming2019 — Joe and Cal at Mammoth Hot Springs.

wyoming2019 — Steam on blue water which is depositing rock in the distinctive plateau pattern. As the deposits accumulate over many many years they retain the table like a stair step structure - just supersized.

wyoming2019 — Bigger layers of rock.

wyoming2019 — Hot water creating algae pools.

wyoming2019 — Hot water at Hot Springs.

wyoming2019 — Algae thriving in the cold weather under a warm blanket of hot water.

wyoming2019 — Small plateaus forming.

wyoming2019 — It was interesting to see the snow just stop where there was steam coming up through the rocks making them much hotter than the rest of the earth.

wyoming2019 — A whole section of this cliff looked on fire with all the steam from hot water bubbling up.

wyoming2019 — The stair steps of Mammoth Hot Springs.

wyoming2019 — Hot water cascading down the rocks.

wyoming2019 — We continued driving north exploring the park and met some interesting residents.

This is a Pronghorn antelope.

wyoming2019 — Juvenal Big Horned sheep.

wyoming2019 — Really young Big Horned sheep.

wyoming2019 — The cliffs over Yellowstone River.

wyoming2019 — The Yellowstone River with a fumarole hissing steam in the background.

wyoming2019 — An unusual rock formation.

wyoming2019 — A small draw headed to the Yellowstone River at sunset.

We then had a long drive back to the hotel which was delayed by a bison herd on the road stopping traffic in both directions. We finally maneuvered our way through the bison and arrived well after dark.

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