Probably the most incredible parts of Yellowstone are the geyser basins. They are also the most popular. Yesterday afternoon when we planned on going to Norris, the parking lot was closed due to congestion. Instead, we changed plans and got up early today to beat the crowds. We were some of the first people there around 8:30. It was amazing. You will see as the pictures progress, more and more people arrive. By 11:00 when we left, several tour buses had arrived, and the parking lot was full.
This is a rare sight...a mostly empty parking lot.
This cracked me up, and made me think of my brother.
Sometimes geyser basins don't smell so good.
Steam from the hot springs and geysers.
All the great pools of hot springs with varying bacteria and colors (which live at different temperature conditions)
One of our favorites - Vixen Geyser. We watched it go off several times. Here's a video:
Zoe picked up the camera a lot today.
You can see the scale of the basin by the boardwalks in the background.
After our visit to Norris, we headed back to West Yellowstone. We stopped along the Madison River for lunch and to play in the river. Kim and Zoe waded around, I botanized, and Ian took a nap in the car.
One last thought. We came prepared, because we knew what to expect. However, we've seen a lot of unprepared people - people hiking in flip flops or not carrying water. Yellowstone is dry, extreme in temperatures, and with unpredictable weather.
A hat, sunscreen, lip balm, rain gear, and WATER. Lots of water. Base elevation is around 8000 feet - the air is thin. And, it's almost the end of July and tomorrow's high is 54 deg (3- deg low).
Seriously people, be prepared. Ian and Zoe are not amused with other's unpreparedness.
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