Day 54 - Yellowstone (Old Faithful)

Day 54 (July 18) started with our morning in Yellowstone.  We decided on this day that we would drive to the western part of the park where Old Faithful and the other hydrothermal features.  We drove over toward Old Faithful Lodge and ate lunch at their cafeteria.  Then we got to see Old Faithful go off.  It was somewhat impressive, but not as exciting as you would expect given all of the hype.  After Old Faithful we walked around the other geysers in that same basin.  We were lucky enough to get over by Grand Geyser when it was scheduled to go off.  That geyser was much more impressive in its eruption.  We also got to see many of the pretty pools of color and hot springs.  After we finished looking at that area, we headed to the gift store and got huckleberry ice cream for a snack.  Next we moved north and saw the grand prismatic spring and the upper geyser basins (called the Fountain Paint Pot area).  After that we drove to the Canyon area and ate a very late dinner at its cafeteria.  We didn’t get back to our campsite until around 10:30 pm.

Old Faithful (pre-eruption)

All of the people watching it

During eruption phase

Clear pool (really hot)

Grand Geyser

Grand Geyser and Vent Geyser going simultaneously

Grotto Geyser about to erupt

Grotto Geyser erupting

Catfish geyser

Bacterial mats

Vivid green-colored thermophiles (heat-loving bacteria)

White hot water running off geyser into Firehole River

Bacterial mats

Edge of Grand Prismatic Spring

Fountain Geyser

Bridge by Firehole Drive Geysers

Black Thermophiles - Thus "Black Lake"

Young Hopeful Geyser

Fountain Paintpot Geyser

Hotsprings in Fountain Paintpot area

Grand Prismatic Spring (slightly color enhanced by Erin's camera)