Your journey begins as you leave the resort and pass through the Centennial Valley. The sun rising to the east tints the mountains with red and wisps of fog lift like long crocked fingers from the valley floor. Twice over the Continental Divide and you enter West Yellowstone.
Here you join the nearly 3000 visitors who pass through the west entrance each day. Past the famous nest you follow the curing Madison River. As the valley opens you catch a glimpse of elk in the river and a bull raking his antlers against a dead tree. A little further along the brown hump of a buffalo sprouts on the roadside.
Your route, today, will take you around Yellowstone National Park's famous southern loop. Geysers. Bubbling Mud Pots. Old Faithful Lodge. Yellowstone Lake. Hayden Valley. Names which engender feelings of excitement and exploration. However, with a tour guide, you'll also see some of those lesser known features most will pass right by.
The seventeen miles from Madison Junction to Old Faithful Villiage is probably the most famous real estate in Yellowstone National Park. With three geyser basins and a few little known treasures, you'll have plenty to keep you busy.
Early on a lesser known sidetrip will take you past Rhyolite, near the location of an 1915 stagecoach robbery, and offer views a pretty water fall. With so much to see, you'll need to move on to Lower Geyser Basin. The 17 hot springs nestled in the valley are most easily viewed from the Fountain Paint Pot Loop. Moving farther south you must stop at Midway Geyser Basin. Several 'must sees' include Turquoise Pool and Grand Prismatic Spring.
Black Sand Basin, just a short distance from Old Faithful Village, offers a walking tour which is worth your time. Especially look for spouters, beautifully colored pools, and the formerly famous 'Handkerchief Pool'.
You've arrived at the sight of Yellowstone National Park's most famous geyser. Thanks to its faithful nature, it is easy to schedule in a viewing of this beautiful geyser. While you wait, you'll want to take in Old Faithful Inn. This century old building is one of the few well worth visiting. In addition, two walking tours offer different options to take in the Upper Geyser Basin.
After a snack or early lunch, it's time to get back on the road. From Old Faithful Village to West Thumb most folks just drive right by some lesser known but well-worth visiting spots. A series of small waterfalls dropping about 100'. A hike to another faithful geyser. And the lake which feeds both the Atlantic and the Pacific. A bit further on and the vast expanse of Yellowstone Lake comes into view.
Gazing across America's highest large freshwater lake you'll see the Absaroka Range (don't pronounce that phonetically) and the Red Mountains. The West Thumb Geyser Basin is worth the time offering beautiful lake views, paint pots, pools, a geyser, and a few hot pots. As you return to the road, keep an eye out for good spots for photographing Yellowstone Lake. Your next stop and a easy walk will take you to a graceful rhyolite lava arch.
Your next stop must include an often passed-over volcano area to listen to the dragon's roar and watch the mud bubbling. Returning to the car, keep your eyes open for wildlife as you pass through Hayden Valley home to elk, moose, deer, coyotes, grizzly bears, and numerous birds.
You're approaching what might arguably be called the 'Second Most Popular' sight in Yellowstone National Park. The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone offers an array of colors - yellow, orange, red, pink, off-white, brown, green and black - from an array of minerals and living organisms. The Upper Falls drops 109 feet. The lower, 308 feet. The canyon is 800 - 1200 feet deep and reaches widths between 1500 and 4000 feet. From Upper Falls to Tower Junction the canyon stretches about 20 miles.
Artist's Point is the most commonly visited viewpoint - and for a good reason! However, Lookout Point on the North Side is also an impressive overlook! There is another waterfall, which is accessible from a short access road followed by a brief hike. This lesser known treasure drops 192 feet in three stages. In fact, a spot near the top of the falls was Superintendent Norris's favorite spot in Yellowstone. He even gave it a special name in 1875.
You're back to a spot you visited recently, if you toured the north grand loop. The next 11 miles have fewer 'well-known' treasures, but a narrow, winding, one-way side road does offer some pretty views of the Gibbon River. And, as always, keep an eye out for wildlife. It is often possible to spot at least one nice bull elk in the area.
The final leg of your journey begins with a stop at the Norris Geyser Basin. Here you can easily take in about 50 interesting hot springs, geysers, and mud pots - although with more time you could explore all 180 area features! This basin is generally both hotter and more acidic than other Yellowstone geyser basins. It reflects the underground forces by constantly changing. Additionally, some special springs exist in this basin. One deposits a material which may be a previously unknown form of arsenic sulfide. And, if you happen to visit in mid-July to early autumn, you may witness some unique disturbances which occur seasonally in this incredible basin.
At least two further 'must-sees' will delight your eyes as you finish your exploration of this less-traveled northern section of Yellowstone National Park. Watch for elk as you pass through Gibbon Meadows and traverse the winding road alongside the Gibbon River. Many bulls have been spotted in the meadows and along this river. Stop to view the oranges, reds, pinks, greens, and yellows in Artists' Paintpots. A litttle further and you will pass Gibbon River Falls - an 84 foot high and unusually wide waterfall which often has a 'lacy' appearance. A popular spot for photographs, the lighting should be good for a final shot of the day.
Don't put your camera away, you'll be passing back through the Madison River meadows soon. You'll surely see more wildlife there. Then it's back to West Yellowstone and the lovely drive back over the Continental Drive - twice - to the peace and quiet at Elk Lake Resort.
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