Tuesday, July 17 Day 12

Got up at 6.  Took our oatmeal on the road.  Trying to get down to Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin before the hoards of people.  Stopped first at Artist Paint pots.  Very foggy.  We found out tonight that there actually was a grizzly bear wandering through this area later today.  Just a couple other people there. 

 Continued driving, took a little side drive through Firehole Canyon, lovely little place along the river with a beautiful canyon and Firehole Falls.  People stopped along the road further down.  Flipped a u turn and went into the parking lot and saw a beautiful bull elk with a full set of antlers.  Got some great photos. 

Proceeded to Old Faithful Visitor Center before 9.  Found out Old Faithful should erupt at 9:53 give or take 10 minutes.  Ate breakfast at the car and then took a little stroll and then got ready for the viewing.  Minor eruption but took photos anyway.  Walked the whole Upper Geyser Basin where there is a ton of thermal features.  We were lucky to catch the Grand Geyser in a 10 minute eruption.  So cool!  Also loved little anemone geyser which erupts regularly every 7-11 minutes.  Very cute.  Watch a much larger eruption of Old Faithful and did another little loop we had not seen and then took off.  The crowds were getting unbearable.  Huge concentration of people, very developed area with lodge, visitor center and cabins, stores, and lots of tourists. 

Grand Geyser

Anemone Geyser

Stopped at Biscuit Basin and then Mid Geyser Basin.  Way too many people.  Wanted to see Grand Prismatic Spring but not very good viewing due to wind.  Lots of steam and hard to see the spring itself.  Had trouble getting out of there.  Many cars and traffic.  Time for Jack and Jodi to get the heck out of Dodge.

 Did stop to photograph a large bull bison close to the road.  Back to the campground for a little clean up of bodies and clothes.  Got everything dry including the sleeping bag.   Went to ranger talk on how the Army protected Yellowstone.  Initially when Yellowstone became the first national park, there was no funding for running the park or salary for the superintendant.  Poaching was a huge problem but not really prosecuted.  People spent six weeks in jail and then sent out of the park with horse and supplies on north end and poacher at south end with orders not to enter park again.  There were huge bounties ($400.00) for bison heads so difficult to control.  Army was first to protect the park.

At one point the bison herd was down to 25.  Now there are thousands. After the ranger talk, went over to Norris Geyser Basin again without the crowds.  Only a few people wandering around.  Almost magical with the soft light of sunset and no crowds.  Now this is great.