Yellowstone National Park, Grant Village Campground
Yellowstone is the very first national park in the United States to be formed by the United States congress. It is full of natural geothermal wonders such as hot springs, geysers and steam vents that beckon to the parks volcanic legacy. Yellowstone is a super volcano with a caldera that encompasses a vast portion of the park. No where is this feature more noticeable then in the parks many geyser basins such as the Old Faithful geyser basin.
Old Faithful erupting |
Crested Hot Springs |
Female Elk in the waters of the Gibbons River |
Old Faithful Lodge |
Heart Hot Springs |
The Lion geyser grouping |
Grand geyser erupting |
During our visit to Yellowstone we stayed at the Grant Village campground next to the West Thumb area of Yellowstone Lake. The campgrounds here have no electric however we were blessed with flush toilets and showers that were in the common area near the campground store. The nights were cool with lows in the 30's at night which is not uncommon due to the elevation of the park that averages about 7,800 feet. Yellowstone Lake is the largest Alpine lake in the world. I would say it is perhaps one of the most beautiful as well.
Our campsite at Grant Village, because of bears we had to keep our food stored carefully |
West Thumb portion of Yellowstone Lake |
Kayakers enjoying the calm waters of Yellowstone Lake near our campsite |
Yellowstone is a very diverse ecosystem with majestic canyons and towering mountains that create a sense of awe for those who come to visit this unique park. Even pictures can not capture the grandeur of the landscape that is beyond what images can reveal. One has to actually see the natural wonders of this park to truly understand how special it is. All I can do is plant a seed with my images so that one day you may explore this beautiful place.
Artist Point, Yellowstone Canyon |
Buffalo family in Hayden Valley |
Inspiration Point, Yellowstone Canyon |
Dragons Mouth Spring, just south of Hayden Valley |
Lower Falls, Yellowstone River Canyon |
Large bull bison walking down the grand loop road in Yellowstone |
The winding Yellowstone River making it's way through Hayden Valley |
The sheer majestic qualities and the abundant wildlife of Yellowstone should always be preserved and cherished. It is up to us to protect our national treasures so that one day our children's children will come to know how special nature can be. Our planet is a precious jewel that is our only home. We need to preserve our natural lands so others can come to know the joy of visiting our countries beautiful national parks & protected wildlife sanctuarys.
Mother Elk with sibling at West Thumb Geyser Basin |
Fishhole hot spring, West Thumb Geyser Basin |
Paddling the waters of Yellowstone Lake off of the West Thumb Geyser Basin |
Cliff Geyser erupting, Black Sand Geyser Basin |
Hot spring jewel, Biscuit Geyser Basin |
White Doom Geyser erupting in the Firehole Geyser Basin |
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