Crystal clear water begs you to jump in for a swim but the strong smell and the extreme heat is enough of a warning to not take the leap. These are some of the beautiful hot springs and geysers in Yellowstone National Park.
We visited Yellowstone several years ago. The vivid colors and sulfuric smells are still fresh in my memory. The pools all looked refreshing and tempted me to dip my toes in. I’m glad I resisted since my toes would have been scalded by boiling water.
Millions of years ago Yellowstone was the site of massive volcanic eruptions which created a 35 by 40 mile caldera making up the center of the park. The power is still present with hundreds of geysers in the park erupting from the pressure beneath the surface.
Old Faithful Geyser lives up to its namesake since it has reliable timing for when it erupts. Next to the geyser viewing area there was a schedule that park rangers kept up-to-date so we could plan our time to see it in action.
The largest of the hot springs is the Grand Prismatic Spring. The steam rising off the spring is filled with a rainbow of colors.
The rim is a rich shade of orange and the spring spills into bright waterfalls tinted with the burnt orange color.
Yellowstone is teeming with wildlife. Moose, bear and bison roam the vast prairies and forests of the park. We caught a glimpse of this bison taking a drink at the river.
We wished we had more time at Yellowstone and vowed to go back for another visit. The park sits in the northwestern corner of Wyoming with the boundaries stretching into Montana and Idaho. If you want to take a trip out, make sure to plan enough time to check out Grand Teton National Park just south of Yellowstone.
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