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Yellowstone
For All
Seasons
by Valerie Summers
I
found Yellowstone’s five regional divisions, identified as Yellowstone
countries, a convenient way to determine my priorities in where to go and what
to see. I enjoyed getting my “passport”
stamped at the various visitors centers as I journeyed through the park. The vastness of this preserve makes it a
natural for many return trips, each one offering different sights and
experiences. Geothermal
wonders including geysers, fumariles, mud pot and hot pools lead their
bubbling, spouting lives in Geyser
Country. Of the approximately 10,000 geothermal features in the park, the
best known is Old Faithful, erupting on a average of every 79 minutes and
having rarely missed its eruptions during more than 120 years of observation.
Although Old Faithful remains the most well known geyser in the world because
of its punctuality, it is not the most impressive of the 234 active geysers in
Yellowstone. During my daytime viewing of Old Faithful, the area was jammed
with people, but when I returned at night, only a handful of viewers arrived to
watch the eruption by moonlight. The
region surrounding Old Faithful is choice area in the winter for cross country
skiing and showshoeing.
Continuing along the path toward Morning Glory Pool, I passed numerous
geysers with names like “Spiteful,”, “Riverside” and “Spasmodic.” Which ever
way I turned, white steam billowed out of the ground creating an other worldly
landscape. Finally, I caught a glimpse of bright colors and as I approached I
beheld what appeared to be a pool of water shaped like a giant Morning
Glory. The deep turquoise blue “petals”
edged in shades of tangerine and butterscotch, resulted, rather unromantically,
from the formation of bacteria breeding in the scalding waters. Mammoth Country extends outward form
Mammoth Hot Springs. Mineral-laden hot
water from deep beneath the earth’s crust finds its way to the surface and
builds tier upon tier of cascading terraced stone. Begun millions of years ago, the sculpting of the terraces
continues as thousands of gallons of water well up to deposit up to two tons of
limestone daily. This beautiful,
fascinating thermal area is home to elk, bison, and other wildlife as well as
abundant hot springs that have formed limestone terraces. Lake Country is the domain of native
cutthroat trout, osprey, and bald eagles was well as moose, bison, and bear
which wander the shores of cold, blue Yellowstone Lake. One of the largest alpine lakes in the
world, extending 136 square miles, it
creates its own weather, forming cumulus clouds during the day that often turn
to showers in the evening. The lake was
formed by a volcano, then carved and filled by glaciers some 12,000 years
ago. The best way to enjoy the lake is
on board a scenicruiser. My guide
pointed out wildlife along the shore and delighted passengers with the park’s
history. Grand
Loop Road passes along a 142 mile route crossing though Mammoth Hot Springs,
the Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone Lake, and winds through wild meadows on its way to Grand Canyon of the
Yellowstone. Canyon Country features the spectacular Grand Canyon of
Yellowstone, Hayden Valley and Lower Falls which is almost twice as high as
Niagara Falls. The Yellowstone River originates from Yellowstone Lake,
descending into the grand canyon of the Yellowstone over two major
waterfalls. Water plunging 109 feet
over upper falls is impressive, but it is thunderous lower falls roaring down 308 feet that is truly indicative of
the power of nature. I descended 350 metal steps to view the Lower
Yellowstone River falls for a spectacular view of the thundering river plunging
over the cliff. Benches along the
stairway provided a welcome rest to catch my breath, especially on the way
up. At the top I continued around the
quiet south rim trail to Artist’s Point to another vantage point of the falls. Home
to elk, bison and bear, the turbulent Yellowstone river roars and foams though
24 miles of golden hued cliffs. This is an especially beautiful hiking area,
but I was told to always check with
rangers for trail and bear sighting information, beforehand, especially in the
spring. One thing I learned is that
noise is one of the best protectors. Most animals do not want an encounter with humans and they don’t like being
surprised. One
of the most wondrous things Yellowstone offers its visitors is an opportunity
to view wildlife in their natural habitat, but caution is always advised. Although I often drove for miles without
seeing another vehicle, when I did see a gathering of cars up ahead, I knew an
animal had been sighted….not a bison, which herds of are encountered regularly,
but something more rare such as a black bear, predatory grizzly, wolf or
antelope. People stood patiently by the
roadside watching the animals every move, cameras and binoculars glued to their
eyes. Once, I spotted a black bear
resting in the shade by the babbling Antelope Creek while a cameraman from
National Geographic with a yard-long lens patiently waited to film this
subject. Continuing
my drive, I witnessed graceful elk and their newborn calves banded together,
grazing beside the river. Once, a pushy
mother elk, eager to get her young ‘un out into the world just hours after its
birth, pushed too hard and stranded the newborn on the opposite side of the
river. The calf was still standing
there alone when I returned several hours later. The mother, still on the other side of the river, had not moved.
Was this tough love, I thought.
The
2-legged inhabitants of Yellowstone are almost as interesting as the
wildlife. PhDs and corporate
executives have happily thrown in the towel and left the stresses of
city life to drive buses, serve in
hotels and restaurants and act as guides. A retired industrial psychologist
escorted me through the park. None regret the change in lifestyle. The consensus was that Yellowstone is truly
heaven on earth.
In
this year ‘round wonder of nature, snowcoach tours, snowmobile tours, snowshoe tours and cross country skiing enables
winter visitors to participate in a variety of activities. Summer pastimes include horseback trail
rides, cookouts, fishing trips and stagecoach adventures. And 365 days a year,
no matter what the season, visitors to the park will be awestruck by its
beauty. The
myth about crowds is just that…a myth. Can you imagine a park more than twice the size of two states, filled
with trees, lakes, rivers, forests, mountains and all sorts of wild life being
crowded with people? Most of
Yellowstone’s 2.2 million acres is backcountry with more than 1,200 miles of
walking and hiking trails through a variety of terrain. No crowds here. Just the wide open spaces.
The magic of Yellowstone, with its five
distinct countries filled with animals, flora, and geologic wonders left me
with treasured memories of my journey into nature and the national park where
it all began.. Lodging Amfac Parks & Resorts, Yellowstone
National Park Old
Faithful Inn -- a National Historic Landmark, built in the winter of 1903-1904
of local logs and stone. Immense lobby houses
a stone fireplace, etched glass panels, one of the original and most
spectacular of the atrium lobbies. Rooms are a blend of history and renovation.
The largest log structure in the world. Old
Faithful Snow Lodge and Cabins -- a new, modern facility, built in keeping with
the historical architectural styles of the area and the only geyser lodging
facility open during the summer and winter season. It received the Cody Award for Western Design. Lake
Yellowstone Hotel and Cabins -- classic historic hostelry from the golden age
of touring the park by stagecoach, has been restored to its 1920s
grandeur. Listed on the national
register of historic places. Guest
rooms range from historically renovated rooms to more modern annex rooms and
comfortable cabins. Lake
Lodge Cabins -- Main lodge built of logs with large porch providing a
spectacular rocking chair view of Yellowstone Lake. Spacious rustic western and frontier style cabins with private
baths. Casual, cafeteria style dining. Roosevelt
Lodge Cabins -- built in 12916 near Yellowstone’s Tower Fall, in an area which
was a favorite campsite of Teddy Roosevelt. Roughrider and Rustic cabins features wood-burning stoves and share
public showers and rest room facilities. Frontier cabins are more modern with electric head and private baths. Mammoth
Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins -- named for the nearby springs and open during
summer and winter seasons. Completed in
the 1930s, it features a Map Room containing a large wooden map of the United
States constructed from 15 different wood veneers from nine countries. A hub of winter adventures. Dunraven
Lodge and Cascade Lodge- - two of the park’s newest facilities blend in with
the environment both visually and functionally and are reminiscent of national
park lodges built earlier in the century with the philosophy of lodges being
more than simply accommodations at the end of a day. |
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The
grandeur of Yellowstone is not merely its size (larger than that of Delaware
and Rhode Island together) but its natural beauty, inhabitants and geologic
wonders. Animals of considerable size
and ferocity, roaming free, make their home in the protected environment of the
granddaddy of all national parks. Stories of crowds of visitors to the park are merely myths. Ninety nine
percent of the park’s 3,400 square miles remain undeveloped. There is plenty of room for everyone and
during my sojourn through Yellowstone, I sometimes drove for hours without
seeing other cars. Another
misconception is that Yellowstone is a summer park only, but nothing could be
further from the truth. It’s an
all-season paradise.
Nearby,
a pathway along the Norris and Firehole River Geyser basins, took me along the
Firehole River featuring the largest display of geysers in the park,
terminating at Morning Glory Pool. Steamboat, the world’s tallest geyser has infrequent, unpredictable
eruptions reaching 400 feet. Unfortunately, it was resting during my visit, but nearby, Castle
geyser, burst forth out of a castle-like looking base gushing white water and
steam with shimmering silver sparkles for a full 30 minutes.
The
fifth region, Roosevelt Country, recaptures the old West where I rode in a
bright yellow replica of the original stagecoaches drawn by two 2,000 pound
Belgian draft horses. Carrying on a
family tradition, my stagecoach drivers granddad drove the original wagons used
to ferry guests into the park when it first opened. Our half hour ride through
the hilly, green landscape gave me a taste of the olden days. The Roosevelt corral also offered trail
rides cook outs, and other western themed activities. This areas rolling hills were covered with sagebrush, fir, pine,
aspen and spruce with sparking streams teeming with trout, providing a
comfortable home to deer, bison and Lamar wolves.
Yellowstone
offers variety in every sense, scenery, wildlife, geology and
accommodations. All are beautiful and
all are different. The park features
2,200 rooms ranging from RV facilities, basic cabins to the Presidential suite at the Lake Hotel.