June 2024
Yellowstone
In June of 2024, my wife and I took the trip of a lifetime to Yellowstone National Park. This was our first time truly immersing ourselves in the beauty of a national park.
Bozeman, Montana
45.682655, -111.046021
We flew into Bozeman and spent the day exploring the city. We stopped at the Museum of the Rockies and saw their amazing collection of dinosaur fossils. We then visited the vibrant downtown with all of its historical charm. Finally, we turned in for the night at the lovely Sapphire Motel, a family-run retro motor court motel with an amazing neon sign.
Paradise Valley
45.351839, -110.749886
The drive from Bozeman to Gardiner, MT, might be one of the most beautiful drives I’ve ever seen. Leaving early in the morning, the sun was just peeking over the peaks of the mountain range bordering the valley. It’s the one time I won’t complain about road work making a commute slow.
Gardiner, Montana
45.037305, -110.694091
Gardiner serves as the northern entrance to Yellowstone and was our home base during our time in the park. Straddling the banks of the Yellowstone River and sitting in the evening shadow of Electric Peak, Gardiner is charming and full of life during the busy summer months. The entrance road to the park takes you through the historic Roosevelt Arch and winds through five miles of green rolling foothills on the way up to Mammoth Hot Springs, with stunning views of the Gardiner River valley at every switchback.
Mammoth Hotsprings
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Growing bit by bit, the travertine formations that overshadow the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel complex and Ft. Yellowstone are a sight to behold. Formed by the deposit of dissolved limestone, these terraces are remarkable. Arriving early in the morning allowed us to explore the boardwalks in relative peace and gave us breathtaking views of the steam rising into the sky, backlit by the rising sun. While the travertine itself is white, many types of bacteria thrive in the extreme heat and harsh conditions of the 170-degree water. These bacteria give the terraces their color.
Northern Yellowstone
Day one of our trip was spent exploring North Yellowstone, notable for its cliffs, canyons, waterfalls, and wildlife. One of my goals was to capture long exposures of waterfalls with silky smooth cascades of water. I think I was overall pretty successful, though I could have spent all day trying to get the perfect shot. We had an awesome encounter with one of the park's resident bison, who was walking down the middle of the road.
Undine Falls
Mt. Washburn
44.851304, -110.422655
Climbing up and out of the Lamar Valley region, we quickly gained elevation. Soon, we were driving past sizeable snow drifts still clinging to the sides of the road. At the top of the climb is a pullout at Dunraven Pass below the summit of Mt. Washburn, where we decided to eat our lunch, looking out over the Yellowstone River Canyon.
The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River
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Measuring over twenty miles long, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone was formed by erosion as the Yellowstone River flowed over progressively softer, less resistant rock. Because of this variety in geology, the canyon is full of different colors and rock formations.
The Lower Falls dominate the landscape as water plunges over 300 feet to the bottom of the canyon. We decided to take the trail down 600 feet to the Brink of the Lower Falls, where you can stand mere feet away from the rushing water. Shortly before we visited the park, there had been quite a bit of rain, and the added snowmelt meant that the falls were raging.
Just up from the Lower Falls is the Upper Falls which, while smaller, allowed me to take some more long exposure photos.
Norris Geyser Basin
44.727911, -110.702789
We actually visited the Norris Geyser Basin (NGB) on two different days due to the crowds and our trip itinerary. The NGB is the hottest, oldest, and most dynamic of Yellowstone’s thermal areas, comprised of hundreds of very hot (most are over 199°F) and acidic thermal features and geysers. You definitely don’t want to fall off the boardwalk here.
Lake Yellowstone
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Formed by the collapse of the magma chamber created during the last eruption of the Yellowstone super-volcano, Lake Yellowstone is the largest high-elevation lake in the lower 48 states. We drove along the lakeshore to the Lake Butte Overlook, where we enjoyed another lunch overlooking the park. Gazing out over the lake, you look down upon one of the most remote wilderness areas left in the lower 48. In the distance, you can see the top of Grand Teton poking up over the horizon.
Moving on, we were surprised at the base of the overlook to see a large group of photographers gathered at a turnoff. Sensing the chance to see a bear, we turned off and found a large mother grizzly with her young cub. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such lens envy as I attempted to get a shot with my 24-70 and cellphone. Nevertheless, it was an amazing experience.
Just up the road, we stopped again to observe a group of bison grazing along the lakeshore. Here, I captured one of my favorite photos from the trip.
Grand Prismatic Spring
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My wife’s and my favorite site in Yellowstone was Grand Prismatic Spring and its little sibling, the Excelsior Geyser. We liked them so much we actually visited twice. The first day we hiked to the overlook, which takes your breath away. It’s otherworldly and unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Walking up to the overlook, you can see the steam rising off the water. With the help of a polarizing filter (or just sunglasses), the steam takes on the colors of the water just below the surface and appears rainbow-like.
The second day we visited, we raced against developing thunderstorms all the way from Lake Yellowstone, just barely skirting underneath them with only a few sprinkles on the windshield. However, these storm clouds added extra ambiance to my photographs and made for some great black and white photos.
Just a little further down the road, we drove through Fountain Flats and saw a large herd of bison with many young calves.
Old Faithful
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No trip to Yellowstone would be complete without visiting Old Faithful, a renowned geothermal feature famed for its predictable eruptions of scalding water and steam. Discovered in the early days of the park's establishment, this geyser has captured the imagination of visitors and scientists alike, demonstrating the unique geological processes at work beneath the Earth's surface. Erupting approximately every 91 minutes, Old Faithful is a prime example of the park's dynamic hydrothermal systems, drawing millions of tourists eager to witness its impressive displays of natural power.
Surrounding Old Faithful is the Upper Geyser Basin, one of the largest concentrations of active geysers on earth. The other geysers can actually have larger eruptions than Old Faithful, but they happen much more infrequently, with some taking hours and others taking days or even weeks to erupt again. We were lucky enough to see Castle Geyser erupt from a distance and walk past it during its later phases of eruption.
Final thoughts, and images
Looking back on our time in Yellowstone, I can’t help but be awestruck by God’s creation. The natural beauty is something that will stick with me for the rest of my life, and I’m sure there will be more national park adventures in my future.
