Mimi and Maumau, Martine and DD Return! Or the Denver-Denver Loop of the 4 Friends (page 10 of 17)

Hello

Old Faithful!!! This time, we didn’t connect with it either—too many people, too much of a show. We prefer the smaller ones with almost no one around!

I think there’s a bit of "magic" when you walk around this park, but here, nothing like that.

But the rest is so beautiful that...

It's still better with blue skies... We much preferred the view from the belvedere, in the sun and quiet, with the pleasant little climb among alpine flowers and yellow-bellied marmots. But I think you’ll have to go back: did you miss the Solitary Geyser? A geyser that forms a big bubble every 7 to 10 minutes, I think, and is on the same hill as the belvedere! Christelle

Hi there! 🙂

Gilles: In the end, I think quite a few people feel the same way—namely, a little disappointment with the "staged" feel of this geyser.

Christelle: (This time I read all the way through and I’m addressing the right person!) It wasn’t just Solitary Geyser we missed!!! While looking up geyser names on Google Earth, I realized that despite our thorough prep, we missed some amazing ones right off the trail!!!

Like you said, we’ll have to go back!!!

Martine 🙂

Old Faithful Area Loop At the junction that would have allowed us to access it, we mistakenly decided not to go all the way to Solitary Geyser (don’t make the same mistake—it looks amazing!!) and instead headed straight for the boardwalks for a loop walk to Morning Glory Pool. From there, we took the paved trail back. Here, a quarter of the world’s geysers are gathered around an 8 km loop that we covered in no more than 4 hours. While Old Faithful didn’t leave us with an unforgettable memory, walking the paths crisscrossing the area was an enchanting experience, as well as impressive due to the number and diversity of geothermal phenomena. We saw so many other gems, going from one discovery to another, taking it all in!! What a wonder these pools of all colors and shapes are—bubbling, steaming, or erupting constantly in their natural setting of pine trees around the Firehole River. Especially since, as we progressed along the boardwalks, the crowd dispersed, and we found peace and quiet. The spectacle is breathtaking, and once again, we realize how small we are in the face of this restless yet fragile nature. The sun, which was a bit lazy in the early morning, is now shining despite a few clouds, even if the temperatures remain cool. Alright, let’s go—off for the main walk in the Upper Geyser Basin. Anemone Geyser It was just getting active as we passed by. Plume Geyser Google Spring Heart Spring with Lion Group Geyser in the background

Lion Group Geyser

Since the area is wide open, we can see the other groups in the distance. Firehole River with Castle Geyser Castle Geyser Spasmodic Geyser Old Tardy Geyser Belgian Pool Its name comes from a Belgian who fell into its 80°C water in 1929.

The skeletons of the white trees, devoured by acid, constantly remind us of the danger of the place. We arrive at a spot where the pools are more colorful. Economic Geyser Wave Spring Chromatic Spring Still Chromatic Spring With the zoom and no wind, the result is different. Beauty Pool Oblong Geyser The walk is easy, and we keep soaking it all in!!! The sounds, the vibrant colors, the smell of sulfur!!!! Once again, all our senses are on high alert!!! It’s magical!!! How beautiful Yellowstone is!!!

And more beautiful photos and a magnificent return! I don’t think you can see everything—absolutely everything—in one go! Even with the amazing prep you did! What matters is that it’s already extraordinary to have seen all that overall with good conditions! See you soon

Old Faithful Area Loop Continued Giant Geyser, Catfish, and Bijou These three geysers are side by side. When you arrive in front of them, everything is calm, and only a few fumaroles rise up. Giant Geyser

Suddenly, Bijou Geyser starts stirring and begins to erupt.

Rocket Geyser Grotto Geyser Cone It also starts erupting right in front of us—what a treat!!! Its very distinctive shape is due to deposits that stuck to trees, covering them in geyserite. Within a few minutes, the eruption is over, but we enjoyed it thoroughly.

Variable Spring Glory Morning Pool It’s stunning!!! We’re mesmerized by its colors, depth, and the clarity of its water. A sign right next to it shows all the things the Rangers have removed!! Stones, coins, and other objects thrown in by idiots have lowered the water temperature and changed the colors of this magnificent pool. Its blue water has turned into a beautiful bright green and yellow, and its narrow ring of bacteria has transformed into a wide band of brownish-orange algae. We could’ve stayed on the boardwalk overlooking it forever. Once there, we leave the boardwalks for the paved trail that takes us back to the parking lot. Riverside Geyser Unfortunately, it’s asleep. It’s a bit late to cross the Daisy Pool group, especially since some of us are a little tired. We leave it on the right, content to take a few photos from the trail as we pass. Brilliant Pool and Comet Geyser Splendid Geyser steaming behind Brilliant Pool Giant Geyser The loop passes by it again. Still those dead trees stretching their branches toward the sky while, in the background, it erupts again!! Pretty little unknown pool

Castle Geyser Unfortunately, we’ll have to settle for the fumaroles of Castle Geyser. But suddenly, Tortoise Shell Spring, in front of Castle Geyser’s large cone, treats us to some lovely bubbles. Crested Pool This one’s too pretty as well, with its bubbling, its blue water, the little lace-like crest surrounding it, and its halo of cyanobacteria. There you go—we finish the 8 km of this loop with images filling our heads, a must-see under any circumstances. It’s accessible to everyone, even those in wheelchairs or with a stroller. We capture Observation Point, visible in the bright gap between the pine trees. We’d planned to visit Old Faithful Inn, but since it’s relatively late, we’ll save it for later. Another stop at Grand Prismatic. I leave my three companions in the car and rush to the boardwalks to see if the steam has cleared. Unfortunately, it’s still there, and I return empty-handed. We arrive at 7 PM at Yellowstone Lodge, where we meet a lovely employee who chats with us about her upcoming trip to Paris and upgrades us to a family suite. Excellent meal in the cowboy atmosphere of the Buffalo Bar, where we enjoy four burgers and three beers ($117). A little relaxation in the hotel spa. Everyone’s asleep!! As every night, I post photos in the dark on *fesses de bouc* for my tribe and friends before finally turning off the lamp. I relive the day in my head!!! What wonders we were able to admire today!! And yet, we still missed some, intentionally or not, despite the 14 km we covered since this morning!! And tomorrow, we’ll see Grand Prismatic again!!!! I was a little worried about not recapturing the magic of our first trip, but I can assure you—there’s nothing to fear!!!!

What a job this travel journal and your prep beforehand! You can be proud—how could anyone *not* want to go after such a report? I wasn’t expecting so many geyser basins and pools!! Next to them, the Tatio geysers seem tiny! Thanks

Hello

Thanks for taking the time to note all the names—I didn’t have the courage to do that! But this was our second visit, and I took way fewer photos. It was just for soaking in the views!

Your photos are lovely to look at and really beautiful.

If you go back again, there are two spots I couldn’t make it to: Mystic Falls and Imperial Geyser. My wife’s accident meant we had to take it a bit easier.

Can’t wait for the next part! !

Good evening! 🙂 You’re both so kind!!!! To find the names of the geysers, I’m looking on Google Earth, among other things!!!! But I’m not sure I didn’t get it wrong!!!! It’s coming along, it’s coming along!!! At my own pace, but it’s coming along!!! Martine 🙂

Day 12-13 September: Gardiner It’s already our last day in the park. This is our final chance to see everything we postponed because of the bad weather. First priority: we schedule the south rim of the Yellowstone Grand Canyon for the third time—it’s best visited in the morning to optimize clarity and light. This time seems to be the right one. The sun is shining, even if the temperature is only 5°C. 8:41 AM: time to leave. We’ll have to take a nearly 100 km detour for the round trip. The road is stunning—the river steams in the morning sun, and we see clouds of vapor in the distance!!! And, the icing on the cake, we spot a magnificent deer below, munching away!!! South Rim of the Grand Canyon We knew the trail “Brink of the Upper Falls” was closed due to construction, as well as the Chittenden Bridge, so we park at the Uncle Tom’s trail lot, ready to descend the 328 steps that would take us to the bottom of the canyon to see the falls from below. Unfortunately, a sign explains that recent bad weather has made the descent unsafe, and the trail is closed. What a shame!!! But they’re right—safety first!!! Upper Falls View So we settle for going to the viewpoint to see the falls from a distance.

Artist Point We get back in the car and quickly arrive at a packed parking lot, filled with cars and tour buses. Just a 10-minute walk through the crowd, and we’re at the viewpoint. We see the Lower Falls again.

And the river and the deep, colorful, narrow gorge that enchanted us on the first evening. Those falls at the bottom, those colorful walls contrasting with the blue of the river and the green of the conifers.

The landscapes are just as breathtaking as on the other side, and we’re captivated by the colors of the cliffs. We take the small ridge trail toward Point Sublime without going all the way. This path lets us walk along the canyon’s cliffs. As soon as we walk a little, we’re alone. It’s easy and shaded but has no guardrails. Pink, Yellow As we walk, the rocks light up or darken depending on the clouds passing in front of the sun.



It’s a feast for the eyes. The clouds thicken. Since we’re far from the Grand Prismatic, we decide to turn back. Back at Artist Point, we meet a cheeky chipmunk that comes to sniff my finger, hoping to scrounge some food. Finding nothing interesting, it scampers off.

We head back toward Norris, then the Gibbons Meadows and its bison. Before stopping at Gibbon Falls And the Gibbon River A little picnic by the Firehole River and its carpet of tiny flowers. The clouds have completely disappeared again, and the spot is as idyllic as can be. It’s mild out!!! We’re loving it!!!

Grand Prismatic I’d read that you shouldn’t plan to visit Grand Prismatic too early in the morning to avoid the steam clouds, and it’s true—you really have to keep that in mind when organizing your days because we saw it for ourselves. We’d done the Grand Prismatic boardwalk tour the day before, so we weren’t going back. But to see it in its entirety, you have to climb up to the specially designed overlook. It’s 1 PM, there’s almost no wind, and the temperature is really mild. The conditions are perfect for seeing it from above, unlike yesterday when, despite the sun, the temperature was low, creating huge steam clouds that would’ve hidden the colorful circle. We leave the car in the small parking lot 2 km south of Midway Geyser Basin, where the Fairy Falls hike starts. Some pretty green and blue pools are right there at the beginning.

After crossing the iron bridge, we take the wide, flat bike path until a small trail that climbs up the hillside. The climb is pretty easy since the path is wide and free of rocks. After about half an hour of a fairly relaxed walk, we’re there. It’s right there, like a jewel in its setting, with its colorful circles revealing themselves from up high. No matter how many photos we’ve seen of it, we still get chills discovering that nature can create such wonders. This giant cauldron of 70°C water is made up of colored rings that go from turquoise blue at the center to green, then yellow, ochre, and end with those orange and reddish flames where the temperature is lowest.

This place is just magical, and we’re standing here admiring it. There’s a crowd on the boardwalks below,

but up here, it’s calm and peaceful. There aren’t many of us, and everyone is under the spell.

We head back down the same way. Once we’re at the bottom, we wait for Mr. Bison to leave his meadow and cross the path calmly under the delighted eyes of the visitors and a pretty little blue bird.

There’s still one site we haven’t visited yet: Fountain Paint Pots It’s on our way to West Yellowstone in the Lower Geyser Basin. Another area completely different from the others. We explore it via a short loop of barely 1 km on boardwalks. Once again, caution is key, and when you see the stumps of trees burned by the heat, you realize it’s best not to step off the walkways. Silex Spring This pretty little spring exceeds 100 °C at its center, giving it that stunning blue color, while the cooler edges are tinted yellow and green by bacteria, then bordered by white silica. We still love the runoff waters for their warm colors. Fountain paint pots It’s a large pool of bubbling pinkish mud. The dried mud cracks and surrounds a viscous liquid that bursts into bubbles while trees and grass manage to survive.

Red Spouter It’s completely dry, and its two vents only offer hissing fumaroles. After leaving the red earth where a few pine trees grow, we wander through a white, completely barren lunar zone. Nothing grows—it’s as bare as a monkey’s backside!!! But this basin is extremely active. It bubbles, steams, and spouts everywhere in a sulfur smell, and we love every bit of the walk. Fountain Geyser Clepsydra Geyser Clepsydra Geyser and Spam Geyser in the foreground. Jet Geyser It also starts spouting just as we pass by.

We don’t linger and head back to the hotel because we’d like to take some time to stroll around town and pick up a few souvenirs from the park. We’ve taken this road several times—no need for GPS!!! In the car, we chat and chat, talking about everything we’ve seen!!!! Uh!!! Is the turnoff to West Yellowstone really that far??? Oh no, we recognize the Gibbon Falls parking lot!!! Come on, quick, turn around, make a U-turn!!! Finally, the hotel!!! We head out for some last-minute shopping and a great meal at Three Bears ($152). A little dip in the hot tub to relax, and then off to bed. Well, that’s it!! Tomorrow we leave Yellowstone!!! We’d dreamed for months about this amazing park, and it’s already over!!! The days flew by, and it lived up to all its promises!!! I know we were really lucky: we saw quite a few animals, never had trouble finding a parking spot, and despite that cold, rainy day where thick clouds blocked the sun, we had great weather. On the other hand, five nights seems like the minimum to deal with the unexpected and juggle the sites so you don’t leave feeling unsatisfied. Alright, time to sleep. Tomorrow, we’re off for new adventures!!!

Hi Martine, Wow, I love your travel journal. The photos are amazing. Hope we can take some just as beautiful shots in early July... Not too crowded to park and go see Grand Prismatic, right?

Hello Martine,

What a job on this travel journal! Always a pleasure to follow, the photos are beautiful. Even if Yellowstone isn’t my favorite spot (layout and crowds), it’s worth spending time there—it’s a "supernatural" change of scenery. Your adventures perfectly capture the area’s diversity and natural wonders.

Julien

Hi Martine,

You're amazing—you list all the names of the geysers, wow, so impressive... I was there in 2017, it's close by, but still, it makes me want to go back... when, I don't know... Either way, your photos and your travel journal are such a pleasure to look at and read. I'm always ready to follow you, and to follow Peggy's and Julien's journals too... so many great reads, so many beautiful places.

Have a great day. 🙂[;]

Hi Martine,

Like Sylvie (Titou), I'm completely charmed, and even though our trip to Yellowstone isn't that far behind us, I'm still learning new things from reading your travel journal. Thanks for including all these details—I always hesitate to add them to my own journals, thinking they're easy to find on websites or in guidebooks and might just bore readers, but no, your information is useful and really interesting. And, as you know, I love photos, so thanks for including so many in your journal. Good luck with the rest of it!

Hello everyone! 🙂 Marie: when nature is stunning, it's easier not to mess up too many photos!!! We never struggled to find a parking spot, but we were there in September. The parking lot where you leave your car to go up to the Grand Prismatic overlook has been expanded. Ju: we all four loved Yellowstone. It really lived up to what we imagined, and except at Old Faithful, we didn’t feel the "mass tourism" vibe. Sylvie: it’s true that I racked my brain trying to remember the names, and even though it was fun, I’m not upset to have photos that are easier to categorize!!! Françoise: I sometimes hesitate to post certain photos that seem redundant, but I usually end up giving in—it’s just so beautiful!!! Thankfully, we’re limited to 20 per post!!! That reins in my enthusiasm a bit!!! As for descriptions, I love finding them in travel journals, so I do the same!!!! Have a great weekend, everyone!!!! Martine 🙂

Day 13, September 14: West Yellowstone - Thayne Snider’s Rustic Inn Thayne 85 € for two people, no breakfast. A quiet, flowery little motel. Large room with a microwave, fridge, and coffee maker. It’s the same friendly family that runs the Mexican restaurant Juan’s House of Tacos next to the motel, where we ate very well. Excellent value for money. The sun is back this morning! Since we didn’t plan to hike in Grand Teton National Park, we decided to move our stop much farther south, stopping at the various points of interest along the way. 8:10 AM!! Let’s go!!! Last glimpse of the bison herds in these pretty meadows. It’s steaming, steaming in the crisp morning air!!! We’ll miss those plumes rising into the sky.

How about revisiting Firehole Lake Drive, which we saw under a gray sky? The detour isn’t long, and we might get lucky enough to see Great Fountain Geyser erupting, as well as the pretty White Dome. Alright, deal!!! We missed the first one—it’s as quiet as it was on our first visit—but we stop in the White Dome parking lot to see if it starts moving. For now, it’s very calm. 20 minutes later, a little smoke starts rising. And the jet appears, straight as an arrow. Giving us a little rainbow before calming down.

That’s its way of saying, “Goodbye, friends.” A few bison are lounging by the lakes.



Oh!!! What a great idea to come back here!!! Arriving at Old Faithful, we abandon the idea of visiting Old Faithful Inn. Too bad, but the leg is long, and we’d rather spend our time in the park since we’re only passing through. Lewis Falls We drive through hectares of burned forests, then through the beautiful dense forests following the Lewis and Snake Rivers. We show our Pass at the entrance to Grand Teton National Park—Yellowstone is officially behind us!!! Grand Teton National Park Jackson Lake Overlook This is our first encounter with Jackson Lake and the towering mountains above it. There’s still a little snow on the peaks, the three main ones reaching nearly 4,000 meters.

Willows Flats Overlook A ranger is there to show us animal pelts and let us feel their texture.

And explain the differences between a grizzly and a black bear. From there, we have a magnificent view of the range.

After advice from experts on this region in the forum, we planned to cross the park via U.S. 191. But first, we’ll take Teton Park Road for a few kilometers, as two points of interest are on the agenda. We turn off at Jackson Lake Junction. Chapel of the Sacred Heart This pretty little wooden chapel, nestled among the pines, is open. And we can admire the stained glass that gave it its name. Signal Mountain Summit This narrow forest road leads us to a plateau at the top of a hill (8 km). From there, after a very short walk to the end of the parking lot, we reach a viewpoint where we can see the mountains on one side and the Snake River Valley on the other. With the clear weather, visibility is perfect, and the view of the range and the lake is exceptional. However, our twisted minds had us laughing for a while about the highly suggestive shape of the pond in the middle of the plain. On the way down, we spot a coyote, but we can’t get it in the shot. Oxbow Bend Turnout This is apparently the prettiest viewpoint in the area. Unfortunately, the wind rippling the river and the clouds prevent the reflections in the water that make it special!! The place is still very beautiful and peaceful. Cunningham Cabin Historic Site Another place full of emotion when you imagine the living conditions of this family who built this cabin and lived here in the late 1800s!!! In the middle of nowhere, in this sublime but harsh nature, where horse thieves, Native Americans, or the weather must have made daily life incredibly difficult!!!!

Still, our twisted minds had us laughing for a while about the highly suggestive shape of the watering hole right in the middle of the plain.

No doubt about it—we recognize you four anywhere! 😏

Haha ha!!! What do you want, Pascal!!! We’re not gonna change at our age! Have a good evening Martine 🙂