Thursday 30th March – Yellowstone

We agreed last night that we should get started early this morning – more chance of seeing some wild animals before the Park gets too busy.

I was awake about 6am due to some heavy rain waking me up, but I waited until it got light around 7am before making the coffees to take on the road.  By 740am we were creeping out of the campsite and in towards the park.  There was a fresh dusting of snow on the mountains opposite and as we drove further along it began to snow more heavily.  I was worried that if it started falling really solidly then we could end up getting snow-bound and stuck in the Park.  But, there are worse places to be stuck!  However, this road is maintained to be kept open throughout the year, so I tried to relax, take it slowly on the road and just enjoy the winter wonderland we found ourselves in:

It didn’t seem to be an issue for the numerous bison that we saw along the route.  It is so lovely to see so many of them living wild after their population was nearly wiped out by hunting over the last couple of centuries. They certainly rule the roads around here. They say that ideally you need to experience Yellowstone in each different season.  We could argue we’ve definitely experienced winter and maybe a little spring at times today, when the sun managed to force its way through the clouds.

The snow was deep enough for a snowball fight at times

We only drove about 20 miles on from the camp ground and Mammoth.  With the inclement weather, we were not embracing the thought of a long hike today and whatever distance we covered heading out we would need to do again for the return journey.  However, we stopped off for a short walk to the petrified tree (below) which I had misunderstood.   

 

Not a tree with a shocked expression worked into its branches!  What is left of this redwood, from approximately 50 million years ago(!), is a tree frozen in time and turned to stone by volcanic activity catching it in a flow of larva and preserving it. Don’t ask me how they know how old the tree is and why it’s not just a dead tree…. I am also a doubter! 

Then we found the Undine waterfall which is conveniently next to the road: 

The undine waterfall

But we had been camped right next to the best bit of Yellowstone that you can reach at the moment – the Mammoth hot springs.

The steam coming off Mammoth hot springs from a distance

A plan of the hot spring terraces

We parked up and followed the boardwalks - as you are warned not to step off the wooden platforms in case the ground suddenly gives way and you are ‘scalded to death’ like the dozen or so poor souls who had been previously!  I don’t think I’ve ever seen hot springs in person.  Apart from the surrounding air being a little ‘eggy’ at times, it was really fascinating how this natural phenomenon continues to alter and form this landscape.  Hot water from deep within the earth rises to the surface, bringing with it calcium carbonate which it deposits above the ground, creating these ever-changing terraces. The forms and colours were incredible:

 

Bridge over the Gardner river

We saw this sign on the way out of the park

We dragged ourselves away via the gift shop just after noon as we planned to be back on the interstate for 1-ish to make some ground.  We stopped in Bozeman, Montana briefly to do the Costco cheap gas trick again and have lunch before carrying on west through the odd rain or sleet shower.  There is more snow predicted tomorrow so we’ll see how we get on.  We needed to get a full hook-up for the first time in 4 nights (I think that’s a record) so we opted for a Good Sam Park in Garrison for $31 and bedded in for the night.