Yellowstone – Geysers and Springs
May 21st, 2009 by Dan Bodenstein
Old Faithful
When people think about Yellowstone National Park, they often think about Old Faithful. But the Old Faithful geyser is only the proverbial tip of the iceberg, or should I say, caldera. Within the boundaries of Yellowstone are some amazing hot springs, mud pots and fissures that will just amaze you. Yellowstone is more diverse than its infamous, like clockwork geyser.
Emerald Pool
On our trip the roads were closed south of Old Faithful, but the road we travel to get there has some sights we didn’t realize. (I cannot stress this more, talk to a ranger. Ask them what to see and what to do.) The ranger at Old Faithful told us about the Upper Basin area which included Biscuit Basin and Black Sand Basin. Both these areas had boardwalks, and some pretty interesting springs.
One of my favorites was the Emerald Pool at the Black Sand Basin. It’s amazing coloring (caused by living organism) was amplified by the majestic mountain view in the distance. The Cliff Geyser nearby spurted out steaming hot water and provided a continous, yet unexpected show throughout our time there.
The Bisuit Basin area contain springs such as the Sapphire Pool and Mustard Spring, as well as some geysers like the Shell geyser, which for our visit seemed relatively quiet. The colors along the edges of the springs are actually caused by living organisms in the water. The colors represent organisms that live in specific temperatures of the water. So each colorful ring is actually a different water temperature, and organism.
The air is filled with the smell of sulfur. Some of the water areas are actually so concentrated with sulfur that they have become acidic, creating sulfuric acid. It is mentioned on signage though out the basin areas, “Stay on the path”. Stepping off can be hazardous since the surface crust can be only inches thick.
Yellowstone’s water features provide you with a spectacular experience in both beauty and danger.
You can see more images of Yellowstone’s geothermal features at my gallery.
Comments
looks great, nice geysers
Leave a Comment