I just wrapped up three days in Yellowstone National Park and wanted to share some initial highlights, visually. I have so many more photographs, and can't wait to have time to pour over them. There are too many geysers and hot springs for me to recall the names of all of them without checking. I was particularly enamored of the West Thumb area's geyser basin as well as Lake Yellowstone. Uncle Tom's trail down to the lower falls was quite nice. Lucked out with some great weather and no troubles with bears despite the grizzly sighting someone reported in the campground the day I got there. Was a little intimidating, however we were in campsite 402. Yes, there are more than 400 campsites in this one campground. Insane. It was like being in some kind of tent village from pre-industrial days. Not that I spent much time there. I arrived at about 10:30 on my first night and pitched the tent in the dark, then was on the road by 8:15 the following morning. Got in even later the second night.
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| The monumental entrance north of Mammoth Springs |
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| Old Faithful |
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| Anemone Geyser, I think, in the Upper Geyser Basin |
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| An Elk along the road, happily not in the road. |
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| Sunset over my first glimpse of Yellowstone Lake |
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| Steaming shoreline at West Thumb |
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| View from Fishing Bridge |
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| Obligatory image of a bison-jam in Hayden Valley |
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| Lower Yellowstone Falls |
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| The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone |
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| Lower Falls from Artist's Point |
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| Climbed down to the shore for some shots |
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| Heading south from Canyon Village |
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| Bison calves are so cute |
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| Yellowstone River in Hayden Valley |
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| Dragon's Mouth - the roaring and hissing noises from this feature are incredible - very aptly named. |
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| Yellowstone Lake from Bridge Bay area. |
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| Lone fisher along Yellowstone Lake |
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| West Thumb Geyser Basin - definitely a favorite. |
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| Some geysers are submerged when the water is high |
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| Abyss Spring with Lake Yellowstone |
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| Looking back toward the steaming shoreline. |
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| Lake Hotel, where I enjoyed a birthday dinner of Trout. As we waited for a table, a string quartet started playing in the sunroom, with a breathtaking view of the lake. |
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| Yes! I saw a grizzly in the wild! |
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| Exiting toward Cody, WY |
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| The drive to Sheridan was full of visual surprises. Big Horn Canyon is now among my favorite places. |
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| Approaching Big Horn Canyon |
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| Very few pullouts along the slow and winding drive |
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| Shell Falls on the Big Horn River |
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| View above the falls. |