Yellowstone National Park

Looking to stretch the three-capitol road trip into more posts? What better way than this, given the drive between the second and third state house includes two of the finest, most scenic national parks in the country. I saw Yellowstone in the afternoon one day and the morning of the next.

Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is America’s (and probably the world’s) first national park. With an area of over 3400 square miles in northwest Wyoming and a little more in Idaho and Montana, the park contains half the world’s geysers and geothermal features. To say the area is geologically active is an understatement. The park sits atop one of the planet’s super volcanos.

Norris Basin Hot Spots, Yellowstone National Park (18 June 2014)

Not that you should cancel any plans, but know that one day, the huge caldera beneath the park will again come to life. The last eruption, 640,000 years ago, was a thousand times greater than the Mt. St. Helens event. It released 240 cubic miles of solid matter across much of the continent…what the disaster movies like to call an “extinction-level event.”

This was my second visit to the park. In May 1995, I had a bowling tournament in Reno. Becky came along and we spent a few days touring the region. Even at this late Spring time, given the high elevation, many roads through the park were still snow-bound. Of course, snow and cold never stops the steam and hot water from pouring forth from the bowels of the earth…often a disconcerting conflict of sensations.

Yellowstone National Park (May 1995)

In 1988, the Park was heavily impacted by the (then record) heat waves and fires. More than a third of the park’s area (800,000 acres) burned. This image from the earlier visit shows a burned landscape as far as the eye can see. The other is a closer look at Nature’s inevitable recovery…like She’s done all this before.

After the Fire, Yellowstone National Park (May 1995)

Seven years later, also evident was how Nature

recovers and renews its scorched landscape.

On the 2014 trip, it being mid-June, I was dressed comfortably in shirt sleeves. By the time we arrived at the old Faithful Village, we were in a serious snow squall… quite the dramatic reminder that at altitude, one can experience all kinds of weather. Fortunately, the snowstorm was brief and the gift store had a hoodie sweat shirt that saved my butt. It’s a favorite souvenir of the trip.

Old Faithful Inn, Yellowstone National Park (18 June 2014)

Hot springs spill water into the Firehole River.

The Old Faithful Inn is in the background.

Opened in 1904, it faces the geyser

field that includes its famous namesake.

Yellowstone National Park (18 June 2014)

A number of the special hot springs, mud pots and steam vent areas have boardwalks that allow visitors to get close to the features. Various minerals impart bright colors to the deposits. I got closer to this one because it reminds me of a sea turtle lunging at a jellyfish (or a plastic bag depending on your environmentalist sensibilities).

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (19 June 2014)

The Yellowstone River flows out of Yellowstone Lake and after two significant waterfalls, it has carved a canyon that extends twenty-four miles downstream. The canyon is between 800 and 1000 feet deep. The yellow appearance of the walls is due to the iron in the material that had been heated and then further oxidized after exposure to the air. I guess calling the place ‘Rust Canyon’ would have been more accurate but less appealing.
  

Bison and Elk, Yellowstone National Park (May, 1995)

The park is known for its abundant large mammal wildlife. Bison, sheep, elk and moose are common sights. Gray wolves were once important predators in this ecosystem but were extirpated (driven out; eliminated) by the1920’s. The successful re-introduction of wolves has dramatically improved more aspects of the park environment than originally imagined. It’s been shown that when the plant-eating prey animal numbers are controlled, many other environmental conditions improve as well. The Yellowstone wolf story confirmed the important role predators play in a balanced, sustained ecosystem.

There will be another post from Yellowstone…about different ways to show Mammoth Hot Springs. Then it’s south into Grand Teton National Park and the capitol in Salt Lake City.

  

Yellowstone National Park (18 June 2014)

2014 Capitol Jaunt - The Rest of the Trip

The extra joy of this little road trip to three state houses was the magnificent territory in between. I cannot think of any other three-state capital jaunt that would include such spectacular scenery.

I make that rather bold statement because the route between Helena, Montana and Salt Lake City, Utah took us through the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. I love every state house I visit but could never say the drives between Topeka, Little Rock and Oklahoma City were anywhere near as scenic. Just sayin’.

Salmon River, Idaho (15 June 2014)

Originating in the Sawtooth Mountains, the Salmon River flows northwest to merge with the Snake River and then the mighty Columbia to complete the run to the Pacific Ocean. The Salmon is known for its fly fishing and is a popular kayaking and rafting venue.

 

Salmon River, Idaho (15 June 2014)

We ran into some weather and photo stops were little more than, “Ooh! Stop the car.” Dash out for a quick couple of shots. Drive on.

The semi-arid west is interesting. There is not enough rainfall to support significant vegetation but there are streams passing through that nourish shoreline plants.

Corral at the Edge, Idaho (15 June 2014)

We followed the river much of the way to the Montana border.

It’s a pretty narrow valley in places so the homesteads butt

up against the mountains. I zoomed in to emphasize that feature.

June in Idaho (16 June 2014)

Up through the Sawtooth Mountains.

Drove through a little snow squall.

Always an experience on June 16th for an eastern flatlander.

I suspect this lush lowland historic site in a remote corner of one of our biggest states is not among the most visited. The Big Hole National Battlefield in western Montana is one of 38 parcels of land in four northwest states that comprise the Nez Perce National Historical Park. The park commemorates the history and culture of the people who lived here centuries before we arrived.

Big Hole National Battlefield, Montana (16 June 2014)

This was where the greatest battle in the Nez Perce War of 1877 was fought. The tribe, weary of the broken treaties and ever-increasing encroachment by miners and settlers, attempted to flee to Canada rather than be herded into a faraway reservation. It was after this defeat that Chief Joseph uttered the quote that outlasted him…”From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."

 

Cathedral of St. Helena, Helena, MT (17 June 2014)

Before returning to the Montana state house on June 17, we dropped in on the Catholic cathedral named for the city’s patron saint. As we have described frequently by now, I have a thing for grand church interiors. Construction on this Helena landmark began in 1908 and the church was consecrated in 1924.

Between Helena and Salt Lake City, the between-capitols scenery included two of the gems in our national park system. They will be the subject of separate posts.

Shots of the Day – # 40 - More Mushrooms and Happy Anniversary

In 2017, I posted a ‘Shot of the Day’ with pictures of mushrooms I had taken in the woods behind our home. I recently had the good fortune to have some of the images used in a Nieman Storyboard article on the amazing relationship that forest trees have with each other using underground fungus as the conveyor of chemical ‘communication.’

Bracket Fungus and Moss (5 October 2006)

I have encouraged picture-takers to broaden their perspectives when they look for things to photograph. Previous posts, “Look Behind You”, “Look Up” and “Look Down” all direct one’s attention toward intriguing compositions to capture. If there is another recommendation, which actually applies to any viewpoint, it would be “Get Closer.”

Often, I believe the most interesting aspect or portion of a scene should be the entire subject of the picture. If there is a whole field of things, find a better, more intimate grouping of them. Here are a few more fungus portraits from that fine day in the woods.

Tangled Parasols (5 October 2006)

Puff Balls and Oak Leaves (5 October 2006)

When Images and More began, I never imagined it would continue this long. In 2006, after I visited our former New Orleans home a year after Hurricane Katrina, I was compelled to post a lengthy illustrated critique regarding the storm. Five years passed before the second post appeared. On March 10, 2011, the blog was re-introduced. Now it’s ten years later and I’m surprised and delighted that the count will soon hit 300 entries.

Thank you for visiting and commenting. Hopefully, the coming years will continue to provide inspiration and images…in either order.