Yellowstone Flashback - Springs and Things

Time for another Yellowstone flashback!  It's not all geysers in America's first National Park. Click the link here to find out more about the park's geothermal systems. Click on any of the pictures to see them clearer and bigger.

Hot springs are actually the most common geothermal system in the park, not geysers.

Morning Glory

Anybody who's been to visit Morning Glory knows it's tragic story.  People have thrown literally tons of coins, trash, rocks, and logs into the pool over the years. Much of the debris subsequently became embedded in the sides and vent of the spring, affecting water circulation and accelerating the loss of thermal energy. Through the years Morning Glory's appearance has changed as its temperature dropped. Orange and yellow bacteria that formerly colored only the periphery of the spring now spread toward its center.

We were amazed at how much trash we saw littered along the boardwalks in the park.  Much of it obviously thrown as it was a decent distance away. So sad.

Another kind of spring is featured at the Mammoth Terraces in the northern section of the park.  The limestone deposits make for a very interesting landscape.  Liberty Cap pictured above was formed from limestone deposited from a single water source that has long since found another escape route.

Springs that were once active may appear to be lifeless now, but may become active again at any time.

The springs aren't the only sources of water in the park.  The Yellowstone River is the longest undammed river in the contiguous United States at 692 miles long.  We saw a lot of people fishing in it when we visited and we took a walk along it near our campground at Fishing Bridge, spying deer tracks as well as a bald eagle flying overhead.  We attended a ranger talk at Fishing Bridge about the endangered Cutthroat Trout and the non-native lake trout that they are constantly battling in an attempt to preserve this species.

Even with all the water in the park, in places it seems as if the land is on fire with all the smoke and steam.

Norris Geyser Basin

So much to see and do in Yellowstone, but bison watching was probably my favorite.  Guess I'll have to tell you all about it next time!