Yellowstone National Park: the geysers

Ah, Yellowstone National Park!  My happy place!  I have such a fondness for this natural wonder.  In part, because it's just an amazing place to be and see.  But also because I have such wonderful memories from the summer I spent working there.  

The Old Faithful and geyser basin section of Yellowstone is always a little bit of zoo in the summer, just because there are so many people and these people have to stop in the middle of the road to look at one bison.  Which is completely irritating to me, despite attempts to remind myself that not everyone has seen a bison before.  But seriously, I fail to understand why they cannot just pull off to the side of the road.  Probably because they're thinking "I'll just be second."  "Just one quick picture."  But is it NOT one quick second when every. single. person. is doing it.  Okay.  End rant.  

Regardless of the necessity to navigate far too many people and getting stuck in multiple "bison jams" to get there, it is absolutely totally worth it for my children to be able to see these natural wonders.  

We arrived at Old Faithful just after that geyser had gone off, so we decided to take the short, paved trail to Morning Glory Pool and be back in time for the next eruption.  Kaia was quite comfortable with her ride.  

We looked at the geysers and hot springs along the trail, but unfortunately, the timing didn't work out to see any other geysers erupting.

Here's Jason explaining something about hot spring bacteria to Sierra.

A little chipmunk popped up on the boardwalk, which caused much excitement from the 4-year-old.

Here is Morning Glory Pool, a perennial favorite, but sadly losing some of its vibrant colors due to many years of people littering and throwing things in the vent.

We made it back just in time to see Old Faithful, and our position allowed for the view of a rainbow in the mist from the geyser.

Look!  A rainbow!!

We took one more quick stroll around the area. taking in the views from the boardwalk.

Then we spent some time in the brand, spankin' new Old Faithful visitors center.  I want to work here.  I wonder if I could get a summer job ...

Before leaving, we stopped to walk around Grand Prismatic, the largest hot spring in the park, and I think, the second largest in the world.  Not great views from ground level because of it's size, but the colors are still lovely.

And despite the evening hour, more bison jams on the way out of the park.  Though, this one not complete the result of gawkers, but because the bison was in the road!!