Yellowstone: The Oldest and the Best

In my heart, Yellowstone National Park will always be the oldest & the best. I wasn't born in Wyoming, and I never had any hankering to live there, but that's where the nature seeking, critter bits of my heart will always dwell. But enough rhapsodizing. Arriving in West Yellowstone I noticed it was notably empty compared to the last time I was there in the 1990s. Not surprising as I normally visit in the summer, and May - well in May, winter is hardly done with in the Rockies and winter occasionally puts in an appearance. In fact, West Yellowstone was looking a bit ornery.

Mean looking storm clouds hovering over the eastern gateway to the park: West Yellowstone

As we drove through the entry kiosk, and drove the road along the Madison River we were estatic to once again see our first herd of wild bison.

Another Day in Yellowstone... Hey, pass me some of that clover.

Off to the north, the park was plenty full up with the lingering snows of winter

Took us a delightful bit of driving to get to where we had a cabin reserved, in the Old Faithful area to the south of the park. We put in a bit of sight seeing for the day, then tired out - we started our day in Twin Falls Idaho for heaven's sake - we were done in for the day.

Old Faithful blowing off some steam, late in the day (iPhone photo)

The Snow Lodge - must be time for breakfast!

Next morning we began a routine, beginning each day with breakfast at the Snow Lodge, where we would pick up a box lunch to see us through the day. Then we were off for the day's exploring.
Our first morning in the park we visited the elk strewn, West Thumb Geyser Basin. Loads of wooden boardwalk to traverse, and lots of cool colorful pool of water to gaze into.

On a chilly morning sitting near a geyser really
warms up a body - especially if you're an elk

Yellowstone Lake shimmers in the distance

Most of the geyser pools are sky blue

Of course the West Thumb Geyser basin has to share the spotlight with all the other geyser spotsin Yellowstone. Another spot with loads of sights is the Lower Geyser basin.

Just above are the boardwalks along the Lower Geyser Basin are where classic examples of bubbling paint pots and high rising geysers can be seen.

And can one stop with the Lower Geyser Basin? Nope. there was one infamous park spot, forever a joke between myself, Barbara and her boys back in the 1990s when, tired, we couldn't manage to say 'Biscuit Basin' and it came out, wrong, forever to be known to us as 'Biscuit Bacon'.

A bridge crosses the Firehole River over to the Biscuit Geysers

The colorful Biscuit Bacon... I mean, Basin

Riverlett running off a sizable 'biscuit' and into the Firehole River

Here are some big ones, making their way across the scenery at the Biscuit. Cue the drummers.