Wild Wyoming

Our first night in Wyoming was also the best overnight accommodations at Cody Cowboy Village. The kids were very excited as a mistake had been made in our original reservations and to make up for it, the owner gave us two cabins, one for us and one for the kids. Each cabin had a king size bed and flat screen TV with remote. The beds and bathroom were in complete cowboy decor and both cabins shared a welcoming porch. Everyone was in Wyoming heaven.


Just another sign that we were in the wild west. This sign was posted at a picnic area.



The buffalo were a sure sign that we were in Yellowstone.

Now for some hydrothermal action!

Stinky! If you ever wondered what these thermal areas smelled like, may I suggest rotten egg farts. Yes, the sulfur is pungent, but there are other gases being released that add to the aroma. If you do need to pass gas while here, no one will notice.

While visiting this geyser area we ran into some buffalo that were grazing and laying on the side walk. A ranger guided us single file across the barren terrain to safety. It is unlawful to walk off of the planks due to changes in location of hydrothermal activity. Adults and children have died due to burns suffered when stepping onto an unknown hot spot. The buffalo were in the same spot on the trail 2 years ago when Joe and I visited Yellowstone. That early morning there were no rangers to help us and we had to turn around and head back to the parking area.

Here is the famous Yellowstone Canyon waterfall. The pink rock surrounded by the emerald green river is breathtaking. The trek to get close to the falls requires a number of switchbacks and lends itself to shin splints and the need for lots of water. It is worth every step.



See the rushing water of the falls behind us? The wind created from such currents in the canyon are amazing.







Our drive from the canyon to the hottest spot in Yellowstone was not without a little wildlife. This was just one of many elk we saw during our visit.

Norris Geyser Basin, named after an early Yellow-stone Superintendent, may be the hottest geyser basin in Yellowstone. The Carnegie Institute of Washington, D.C. made test wells in 1929 to determine subsurface temperatures. One test hole was abandoned at 265 feet when the temperature reached 401 °F and the steam pressure threatened to destroy the drilling rig.

The stark, barren landscape of Porcelain Basin is the result of an acidic environment. Because of this hostile condition plants, algae and bacteria have difficulty in establishing themselves. Instead the basin derives its colors from mineral oxides, in spectrums of pink, red, orange (iron oxides) and yellow (sulfur and iron sulfates). The acidic water has also created changes in the formation of sinter deposited around vents. Silica deposits as tiny, sharp spines instead of thick, beaded deposits common in more alkaline basins.

The largest geyser in the world is located here. Steamboat Geyser has long periods of dormancy, but when it does erupt it sends jets of water nearly 380 feet high in a spectacular display. We watched Steamboat as it sent a plume of water into the air, but we didn't see any such huge eruption. Above is a picture of Steamboat during its eruption. We wish we could see it in person.

I love this basin. You can tell that something phenomenal is happening here. It is like walking on the moon without ever leaving earth. One basin has tested a PH of 1 in acidity, more acidic than battery acid. Fortunately, no walkways are near that one. The dead tree trunks are a stark contrast to the colorful mineral oxides created in this hot environment.

From Norris Basin we head to Old Faithful and we see her erupt several times. While we oohed and aahed over this wonderful experience, we later learned that we favored other less predictable geysers. Below you can see the crowd that gathers for her display.

Old Faithful.

We spent 2 nights at the Old Faithful cabins. They are quite stark, yet clean and offer the best location anywhere in the park. The cabins may need a little paint and a few chairs on the porch wouldn't hurt. The cabins are adjoining in groups of 2, so when others arrived late at night, we heard every footfall as they unloaded their vehicle. I would stay there again, because the location is so centralized to all that Yellowstone has to offer.