Visual Journey: Road Trip Part 1: Yellowstone National Park

There is so much to see & photograph in Yellowstone. Did you know it was our first national park? I knew that the 2 days of the workshop would not be enough for me, so I reserved a room in West Yellowstone and had 7 additional days to explore the park on my own.

Geysers

With over 500, Yellowstone contains the majority of the world's geysers, which are hot springs that erupt periodically, sending steam and water shooting into the air. Old Faithful is the most famous of the geysers because it erupts more frequently than any of the other big geysers. Every 90 minutes or so, tourists fill the benches surrounding the cone to watch the spectacle, which lasts from 90 seconds to 5 minutes, expelling thousands of gallons of boiling water and steam. I found a spot away from the crowds and was fortunate to catch an eruption just after the sun set.

And another after dark

My brother asked that I send out a few pictures that included me, so Mike Hall took this photo with my iPhone while several of us waited for Old Faithful to erupt.

A short hike away from Old Faithful is Castle Geyser, which erupts every 12 - 14 hours. I saw in the visitor's center that an eruption was due close to sunset so I sat and waited. I hoped it would erupt before the sun disappeared because the late side light and reflections were so beautiful. How lucky I was. The eruption started just minutes before the sun slipped behind the mountains. I got off about 20 hand-held shots before the light went flat and the reflection disappeared.

I found White Dome Geyser one afternoon while exploring a side road off the main loop and thought it would look much better at sunset. I returned several nights later and was treated to the backdrop of a colorful sky.

White Dome, which erupts every 30 minutes or so, was also on the workshop itinerary as the last location before the workshop ended. The eruption was overdue so while we waited, I took my camera off the tripod and crossed the parking area to shoot the scene in the other direction. When I heard the gush of the eruption I turned back and started shooting. From this new angle a rainbow appeared which I would have missed if I had stayed with my tripod.

This was the last significant photograph I took in Yellowstone, and because of the rainbow, it is one of my favorites. After packing up to leave the park, I got a speeding ticket which you can read about in Part 4.

Hot Springs, Fumaroles (Steam Vents), and Mineral Formations

Most of the park is in the caldera of a volcano that erupted 600,000 years ago. Geothermal features often set a scene that looked like the cataclysmic eruption happened last week, and it might happen again at any moment.

A variety of mineral formations surround the geysers and hot springs. When the hot water from a geyser or hot spring cools, it leaves behind a thin mineral deposit. Ribbons of color around the thermal features are formed by thermophiles (heat-loving organisms, including algae, bacteria and archaea) that have inhabited the earth for almost 4 billion years. Cool, huh?

Bears, Wolves, & Moose (The Animals I Didn't See)

Millions of bison once roamed the prairies and grassy areas in & around Yellowstone. By 1900 only one wild herd remained in the USA (in Yellowstone). From 1907 to 1952 an area called the Buffalo Ranch used captive herds to rebuild the population. Today some 3,500 bison freely roam the park. BTW: They are bison, not buffalo. Early explorers nick-named them buffalo and the name stuck.

One of my goals for this trip was to see & photograph bison. These shots far exceeded my expectations.

Although elk are plentiful, sightings are sparse. I followed this young bull (at a safe distance) down to the river's edge. Right after I took this, the fisherman moved downstream.

I first saw this bull next to the main road, but he soon walked off into the brush. I jumped into my car and drove back to a service road ("Do Not Enter") that had a view of a clearing, and waited. I knew when I saw the cows walk through, he would not be far behind.

After photographing a sunrise along the Madison, I spotted a herd of photographers with tripods and long lenses advancing toward a stand of trees well off the road. I grabbed my big lens (400mm) and followed. What a thrill to see this big guy posturing and bugling while keeping a close eye on his harem.

Sunrise/Sunset & the Moon

Except for two days, I was up and out the door at oh-dark-thirty to be in position for the sunrise. Although I was usually the first to arrive, and sometimes sat in my car waiting for some light (and thinking I could have slept a little longer), 6 or more other photographers usually showed up. The smoke from the Idaho fires added to the morning color.