Yellowstone National Park - Part I

Whitehall Library, Montana

    Because my camera's batteries konked out while waiting for Old Faithful to erupt, I didn't get photos of it on 23 Jun, but did return the next morn. While driving toward a campground I saw steam venting at Black Sand Basin on the road from Old Faithful to Madison. [Photos taken 23 & 24 Jun.]

 

 

 

    Since I was shooting directly into the sun at Black Sand Basin, I used my hat to block it out in this photo as well as the one above.

 

 

 

 

    With the sun close to setting, believe this is of the Upper Geyser Basin, to which I returned the next day.

 

 

 

 

 

    Nez Perce Creek on the morning of 24 June as seen from Fountain Flat Drive. Did see a couple of fly fishermen, but never say anyone catch anything.

 

 

 

 

    Old Faithful, which currently begins erupting c92 minutes after the previous eruption, begins with a small squirt as you see on the left.

 

 

 

 

 

    And now it begins to get serious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Close to full throttle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    As you can see I had a 2d row seat as Yellowstone most well-know geyser completes its show -- which was followed by a round of applause from the audience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    The show ends in a weak fizzle -- but come back again in 92 minutes if you'd like to see the show again.

 

 

 

 

 

    There are several hot springs on Firehole Lake Drive a short distance from Old Faithful.

 

 

 

 

 

    Some of the hot springs are very clear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Just as I arrived at the Great Fountain Geyser on Firehole Lake Dr, a geyser in the distance continued venting steam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Panning right one can see that the Great Fountain Geyser is well-named.

 

 

 

 

 

    Without the zoom one can see both Gt Fountain Geyser as well as the unnamed on still venting in the distance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Panning left for the rest of the Gt Fountain Geyser.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Three hot springs just above Firehole Lake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Fish On! Guess it will have to be well-done.

 

 

 

 

 

    Yellowstone Lake (elev:7733') as seen from the West Thumb Geyser Basin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Panning right....

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Panning farther right for a better idea of the size of the lake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Panning still farther right....

 

 

 

 

 

 

    After another pan to the right there is some steam from near the shore.

 

 

 

    Zooming in, the steam can be seen through a break in the trees; the fence is to keep photographers and others from walking toward steam vents.
    This photo concludes Part I of my Yellowstone visits. Part II will include the High Terrace area near Mammoth Hot Sprs, the Lamar Valley, and several falls, including Lower Yellowstone Falls.

 

---

Links:

• National Park Service webpages on Yellowstone National Park
• Wikipedia article on Yellowstone National Park
• Yellowstone Media history with slide show
• Wikipedia article on Yellowstone Lake

---

Return to Top of Page

Th 11 Jul Actual Route: Kings Mtn USFS CG - White Sulphur Springs Lib - Townsend - Helena W/M

F 12 Jul Actual Route: Helena W/M - Montana VA Hosp - Helena W/M

Sa 13 Jul Actual Route: Helena W/M - Clancy - Boulder - Whitehall Lib - Whitehall bd

Su 14 Jul Actual Route: Whitehall bd - Bozeman - Sunrise RV CG

M 15 Jul Actual Route: Sunrise RV CG - Bozeman Lib - Walmart - Livingston, MT - Yellowstone Riv bd

T 16 Jul Actual Route: Yellowstone Riv bd - Livingston Lib - Canyon USFS CG on Yellowstone Riv

W 17 Jul Actual Route: Canyon FS CG - Mammoth Hot Springs - Tower Fall - Lamar Vy - Cooke City - Coulter USFS CG

Th 18 Jul Actual Route: Coulter FS CG - Beartooth Hwy - Red Lodge Lib - MT308 bd

F 19 Jul Actual Route: Coulter MT308 bd - Red Lodge Lib - Joliet Lib - Laurel W/M

Sa 20 Jul Route: Laurel W/M - Laurel Lib - Billings

---

Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
• Free campsites website
• Info on finding BLM Campgrounds

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life, Woodalls, or FreeCampsites.net for including links to their free campground lookups.
--

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Cut Bank Library, Montana

 

    From the Togwotee Overlook looking toward the Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole. If you look closely, you can see the sun reflecting off of Jackson Lake -- in fact, take a look at the next photo.

 

 

 

 

    [Click once to enlarge; press ESC to return here.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

    The Tetons appear back-lit; that is, the sun is shining on their back or west sides but not shining through the heavy clouds.

 

 

 

 

 

    Approaching Moran Junction from DuBois via US26/287 here's a closer view of the Tetons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Zooming in....

 

 

 

 

 

 

    The meandering Snake River, since it's in a rather flat valley, can change where it flows in years of high water.

 

 

 

 

 

    Grand Teton (13,770'), looking like an Indian arrowhead pointing just to the right of vertical, next to Mt. Owen (12,928').

 

 

 

 

 

    The Hoback River, which joins the Snake about 18 miles south of Jackson.

 

 

 

 

    Generally geographical features aren't named after a person who's still alive. The indians made sure that John Hoback's name was immortalized.

 

 

 

 

    Conservatives say that the shrinking of glaciers is merely a fluctuation in long cycles of warming and cooling; liberals claim that global warming caused by man's careless habits is causing the shrinkage. In any case, here's a plaque with an excellent photo of the Tetons.

 

 

    An afternoon view of the Tetons.

 

 

 

 

---

Links:

• National Park Service webpages on Grand Teton National Park
• Wikipedia article on Jackson Hole, Wyoming

---

Return to Top of Page

F 5 Jul Actual Route: Sawyer Crk Rd bd - Seeley Lake, MT, Lib - Swan L - Bigpoint - Kalispell W/M

Sa 6 Jul Actual Route: Kalispell W/M - Kalispell Lib - Kalispell W/M

Su 7 Jul Actual Route: Kalispell W/M - Kalispell Walgreens - Glacier Natl Pk - St Mary bd

M 8 Jul Actual Route: St Mary bd - Browning - Cut Bank Lib - Shelby City RV Pk

T 9 Jul Actual Route: Shelby City RV Pk - Conrad Lib - Great Falls W/M

W 10 Jul Actual Route: Great Falls, MT, W/M - Great Falls Lib - Little Belt Mtns - Kings Mtn USFS CG

Th 11 Jul Actual Route: Kings Mtn USFS CG - White Sulphur Springs Lib - Townsend - Helena W/M

F 12 Jul Actual Route: Helena W/M - Montana VA Hosp - Helena W/M

Sa 13 Jul Route: Helena W/M - Clancy - Boulder - Whitehall

---

Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
• Free campsites website
• Info on finding BLM Campgrounds

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life, Woodalls, or FreeCampsites.net for including links to their free campground lookups.
--

South, Union, and Togwotee Passes, Wyoming

Twin Rivers Branch Library, Montana

    It appears that Wilson Price Hunt of John Jacob Astor's party seeking to monopolize the fur trade crossed Union Pass in 1811, and another Astorian, Robert Stuart, returned east the next year using South Pass. [Photos taken 13 -16 Jun 2013.] (Click once to enlarge; press ESC to return here.)

    As the above plaque notes, Jedediah Smith learned of South Pass from the Shoshones? after failing to cross Union Pass following a severe winter. Unlike most mountain passes, South Pass seemed like the rolling plains of Nebraska.
    If readable, this plaque shows that the California, Oregon, and Mormon Trails as well as the Pony Express all used South Pass.

 

 

    This plaque gives a special nod to the Pony Express, which, although the owners lost $1 million, was highly regarded throughout the world.

 

 

 

 

    Though it doesn't look like a typical mountain pass South Pass was between the ridge in the distance and the light-colored crown just past the dirt road.

 

 

 

 

 

    South Pass was a "milestone" for many. [Click once to enlarge; press ESC to return here.]

 

 

 

 

 

    Three names of importance for South Pass: Sublette, Bonneville, and Fremont.

 

 

 

 

 

    A short distance away from South Pass a Wyoming Rest Stop had this sign.

 

    The Lander Cut-Off. Unlike other shortcuts the Lander Cut-Off had water for most of its route.
    Speaking of water, this is an area of the Continental Divide where some creeks or streams flowed into a tributary of the Missouri, others into the headwaters of the Green River, which joined the Colorado River, and yet others into the Snake River, which joined the Columbia River. There are only a few spots where waters so close together emptied into the Gulf of Mexico, the Sea of Cortez, and the Pacific Ocean.

 

 

    Another plaque with information on the Lander Cut-Off; this plaque was in the Salt River Valley just inside Wyoming's western border.

---

Links:

• Brief Wikipedia history of Union Pass
• Will Bagley essay on the importance of South Pass to westward migration
• Wikipedia article on South Pass
• Wikipedia article on Togwotee Pass, including pronunciation

---

Return to Top of Page

M 1 Jul Actual Route: Road 550A bd - Darby Lib - Lake Como - Road 550A bd

T 2 Jul Actual Route: Road 550A bd - Darby Lib - Hamilton - Stevensville - Classmate's Home

W 3 Jul Actual Route: Classmate's Home - Florence P.O. - Milltown - Seeley Lake - Sawyer Crk Rd bd

Th 4 Jul Actual Route: Sawyer Crk Rd bd

F 5 Jul Actual Route: Sawyer Crk Rd bd - Seeley Lake, MT, Lib - Swan L - Bigpoint - Kalispell W/M

Sa 6 Jul Actual Route: Kalispell W/M - Kalispell Lib - Kalispell W/M

Su 7 Jul Actual Route: Kalispell W/M - Kalispell Walgreens - Glacier Natl Pk - St Mary bd

M 8 Jul Route: St Mary bd - Browning - Cut Bank

---

Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
• Free campsites website
• Info on finding BLM Campgrounds

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life, Woodalls, or FreeCampsites.net for including links to their free campground lookups.
--

Sacagawea Statue, Grave, and Cemetery, Fort Washakie, WY

Thayne Branch Library, Thayne, Wyoming
    Since there is controversy as to whether Sacagawea died in South Dakota or Wyoming, I've included the two plaques which flank her statue. [Photos taken 15 Jun 2013.] (Click once to enlarge; press ESC to return here.)

 

    In case the plaque is unreadable, here are the dates for each numbered spot in the Corps of Discovery's expedition: 1)17 Mar 1805?; expedition departs on 7 Apr 1805?; 2)Camp Fortunate, 15 Aug 1805, Sacagawea recognizes her bother; 3)[Winter of 1805-6], Ft Clatsop, SW of Astoria, OR; and 4)3 Jul - 12 Aug 1806, Sacagawea guides Capt Clark to rendevous with Capt Lewis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    A statue showing Sacagawea examining a sand dollar which she found near a beached whale at Seaside, OR, to the SW of Ft Clatsop.

 

 

 

 

 

---

Links:

• Bio.Com biography of Sacagawea
• Wikipedia biography of Sacagawea
• Wikipedia history of Fort Washakie, WY
• My 12 Aug 2011 visit to Fort Clatsop, OR

---

Return to Top of Page

Sa 22 Jun Actual Route: Wolf Crk USFS CG - Alpine Lib - Wolf Crk USFS CG

Su 23 Jun Actual Route: Wolf Crk USFS CG - Jackson Lib - Yellowstone NP So Entrance - Madison CG

M 24 Jun Actual Route: Madison USPS CG - Old Faithful - Firehole Lake - Gibbon Falls - Yellowstone Falls - West Yellowstone, MT - JcnUS287/191 bd

T 25 Jun Actual Route: West Yellowstone, MT - W. Yellowstone Lib - Ennis Lib - Virginia City bd

W 26 Jun Actual Route: Ennis bd - Virginia City - Nevada City - Twin bridges Lib - Melrose - I-15/MT43 bd

Th 27 Jun Actual Route: I-15/MT43 bd - Dewey - Wisdom - Big Hole National Battlefield - Darby Lib - Darby bd

F 28 Jun Actual Route: Darby bd - Darby Lib - Stevensville Lib - Classmate's Home

Sa 29 Actual Jun Route: Classmate's Home - Florence - Lolo - Missoula Lib - Classmate's Home

Su 30 Actual Jun Route: Classmate's Home - Lake Como - Road 550A bd

M 1 Jul Route: Road 550A bd - Darby Lib - Lake Como Rec Area - Three Frogs CG

---

Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
• Free campsites website
• Info on finding BLM Campgrounds

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life, Woodalls, or FreeCampsites.net for including links to their free campground lookups.
--

Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area

Sublette County Library, Pinedale, Wyoming

 

 

    A meadow along US191 into the Flaming Gorge NRA. [Photos taken 10 Jun 2013.]

 

 

    Panning left....There were two plaques, one of which asked, "Was Smokey Wrong?" The other noted that the elk had returned after the fire which apparently got away before it could be controlled. Most Federal agencies now emulate Native Americans, who periodically started fires to clear both underbrush but also accumulations of dead material which could lead to large, destructive crown fires rather than fires which scorched the trees but more often than not did not kill them.

    The Cart Creek Bridge over one arm of Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
    The name "Flaming Gorge" was given to a stretch of the Green River on 26 May 1869 by John Wesley Powell, a one-armed ex-Army officer who ran both the Green and Colorado Rivers in 1869 and 1871, when he saw a spectactular red rock cliff face.

 

 

    A pontoon boat "chugs" toward the bridge on the Cart Creek estuary.

 

 

    The Cart Creek Bridge as seen from US191 up to Greendale Junction.

 

 

 

 

    The Swett Ranch, which sits on a bench of the Unita Mountains near Red Canyon; Oscar Swett originally homsteaded the property in 1909.

 

 

 

 

 

    Looking to the north it's clear that the land is considerably flatter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    A look down into Sheep Creek Canyon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Sheep Creek Bay from the Sheep Creek Overlook, where it was extremely windy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Zooming in....

 

 

 

 

    Note the bright red layer on the other side of Sheep Creek just above my camper. It seemed almost as if it were wet; hwr, as you can see by glancing farther up the far side, it's actually very dry. Perhaps a similar outcropping along the Green River caused John Wesley Powell to name the area Flaming Gorge.

 

 

 

 

    Panning upward....

 

 

 

 

 

 

    The other side of Sheep Creek Canyon looks entirely different -- and even drier!

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Somehow the Wyoming Fish & Game Department was able to "imprint" the Kokanee Salmon they planted in Flaming Gorge Reservoir with Sheep Creek as their birthplace.

 

 

    The land-locked Kokanee Salmon spawn in the fall before Sheep Creek freezes for the winter. Of course, survival is higher in a fish hatchery, but Mother Nature has kept the run alive since the 1960s.

 

 

---

Links:

• US Forest Service website on Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
• Wikipedia biography of John Wesley Powell
• Lengthy PDF file with Biographical Memoirs of Major Powell

Return to Top of Page

W 12 Jun Actual Route: Rock Springs W/M - Rock Sprs Lib - Farson - South Pass bd

Th 13 Jun Actual Route: South Pass bd Lander USFS Ranger Sta - Sinks Cyn USFS CG

F 14 Jun Actual Route: Sinks Cyn CG - Lander Lib - Ft Washakie - Arapahoe - Riverton Walmart

Sa 15 Jun Actual Route: Riverton, WY, W/M - Shoshoni - Pavillion - US26W bd

Su 16 Jun Actual Route: US26W bd - DuBois Lib - DuBois Fish Hatchery - Togwotee Pass - Bridger-Teton NF bd

M 17 Jun Actual Route: Bridger-Teton NF bd - Moran Jcn - Teton Natl Park - Jackson - Hoback Jcn - Hoback USFS CG

T 18 Jun Actual Route: Hoback USFS CG - Pinedale Lib - WY106 bd

W 19 Jun Actual Route: WY106 bd - Big Piney - Fontenelle Resv - Kemmerer Lib - BLM bd

Th 20 Jun Actual Route: BLM bd - Kemmerer, WY, Lib - Fossil Butte Natl Monument - Raymond, ID, WY/ID Border bd

F 21 Jun US89 WY/ID Border bd - Afton State Farm Office - Thayne Lib

---

Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
• Free campsites website
• Info on finding BLM Campgrounds

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life, Woodalls, or FreeCampsites.net for including links to their free campground lookups.