We’re not even halfway done with the loop and the shadows are getting long.  I’m getting a bit tired too.  Not sure if this is just because of all the driving or lack of sleep or whatever else it might be.  Firehole Lake – definitely not a swimming spot.

Although the bison that live here seem to think it’s fine to bathe in.  There’s a small boardwalk that goes around this little area and over the lake.  I’m pretty happy here.  Apparently this isn’t that popular because no one else is around.

…that’s an interesting name. It’s a ‘newly’ formed geyser and no one is sure if it’s going to last.

You can see how newly formed – the vegetation is still growing along the borders of it.

Mini-eruption!

The Artesia Geyser.  Black and hopeless, just like Artesia, NM.  Obviously the blackness is not due to being deep…maybe it’s a different type of bacteria?

Yep.  More warnings.

Serious bacteria growth.  It’s like the bacteria have built whole cities under the water.

That bright, shiny spot is a penny.  Apparently those kill the bacteria living here and this area is going to die right around the penny.

A teeny steaming waterfall that the boardwalk crosses over.  I didn’t take further pictures of this area.  At one though, the steam rose up and covered most of the boardwalk from view.  It was eerie to walk along and not see anything around me.

More driving.  SO much driving in this park, just to see things.  You can get permits to hike off into the trees in areas like what you see beyond here, but I don’t know if I’d have the cahones to do it knowing that there are vents that just open up and grizzly bears and moose roaming around.

Gibbon Falls.  A big waterfall that the picture does not do justice to.

More driving.  We decided not to stop at Norris Geyser Basin.  We have seen enough springs and geysers.   The Norris Basin is where someone died this past June, so we’re not sure if part of it is roped off or not.  I have no idea why anyone, with all the warnings, would think any of these springs are ok to even attempt to touch.  I feel bad for the guy and his family and anyone who had to witness any part of that…but at the same time, so, so many warnings that he willfully ignored.

We drove past the ‘Grand Canyon’ part of the park – we’re heading that way tomorrow, so no need to visit it today.  Heading back to our campground, there’s a few other stops and the famous Hayden Valley, where buffalo and wolves roam.

…a dead buffalo?

It’s not.  We saw him move after we drove by.  Stunningly, there are no tourists stopped and backing up traffic near this…

Oh…here they are.  Must be something ahead.

Traffic was pretty much at a standstill at this point.  Might as well take pictures of the valley.

Canadian geese. None of the tourists except me cared.  Actually, I didn’t care, but we had already spent almost an hour inching along the road – we’ve gone less than a mile because of the idiots up the road holding things up.

Ah, this is why traffic is so bad.  Buffalo at sunset.  Because apparently no one has ever seen a buffalo before.  It’s not like they roam Wyoming or South Dakota or Montana or anything like that.

I know, I know, I shouldn’t grumble at city folk…and we should have done better research about how undrivable the road is when people want to see wildlife (seriously, we were backed up yesterday because of a coyote…a freaking coyote).   Unfortunately, we don’t have any other way to get back to our campground, unless we want to take a few hours to go back the way we came.  And its close to getting dark and I’m tired.

Ok, it is pretty cool to see this.

But not coupled with this.  The line of cars was so ridiculous that I tried (and failed) capture it.  Cars as far as the road goes.  After this, I climbed out of the car, calmly walked to the back where the cooler was, got us some snacks and drinks, and, without the car even moving once during this, got back in.  Apparently we get to look forward to this for two more evenings.

Thankfully, once out of sight of the buffalo herd, traffic resumed a normal pace.

Another example of the changing landscape.  This is a recent addition to this parking lot near the Sulphur Caldron.  A vent just opened up one day and ate the pavement, then started smoking.

For KL.  Buffalo poop.   That someone apparently thought they should poke at with a stick.

The Sulphur Caldron!  Seriously, it smells of farts everywhere in this park.  You know you’re close to a geyser or spring when the smell gets stronger.

This is pretty different from the other springs/geysers we’ve seen.  Despite the smell, the sight is pretty cool.

It’s boiling.  Because we’re right on top of a volcano.  And it’s full of sulphuric acid.

Not sure if it’s the buffalo or moose doing this to the trees.  Or elk – I think they have elk up here.

I went back to look at the newly-fenced off part of the parking lot.  Maybe in ten years it’ll be a new geyser?

Okay, last stop today.  JA is worn out and not interested in seeing more boiling pits of water.  I can’t help myself though, I think all of this is just plain cool.  This is the Mud Volcano area.  Another boardwalk with bonus points due to the lack of people.

The buffalo frequently come here to roll in the mud.  So this area isn’t too terrible for you.

I saw this sign and could hear something making whooshing, watery, kind of ‘roaring’ noises…aptly named, apparently.

This was just too cool.  It’s a whole in the side of the hill that spews out water.  Water goes back and forth – whatever the force is that shoves it back out creates the roaring noise heard before and vents a lot of steam at the same time.  Definitely draconic.  This was probably one of my favorite features at Yellowstone.  I took some videos but it just doesn’t do the noise justice.

The Mud Volcano.  Not as impressive as the name suggest, but it was still neat.  Violent, bubbly, churning mud.

I don’t know how recently this boardwalk was built.  But the wood is in pretty good shape. Maybe just recently repaired?  We’re running out of daylight so I didn’t have a lot of time if I wanted to see everything here.  So…I ran from sight to sight.  And a lot of it was up stairs/uphill.  I felt like a little kid and enjoyed myself thoroughly.

Apparently a fumerole is just a hole in the ground through which sulphur from the volcano beneath vents.  A scary thought, except it smells like farts.

More running!

Interesting name.

It bubbles and boils from that one spot where I guess the geyser used to shoot up.  The rest of the mudpot simmers.

It’s erupting!  This whole little area is super cool!  Lots of activity and a nice little hike.  And I had it all to myself.

Apparently the buffalo don’t care about gasses and acid.  This is the spot to be for morning mud bathes if you’re big and shaggy.

Okay.  I’m exhausted at this point.  It’s getting cold and I’ve seen enough.  We’re close to the campground now and ready for some food and sleep.

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