Yellowstone! (Part 5)—Mammoth Hot Springs

Our last stop inside Yellowstone was the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces. It's a gigantic complex with some fascinating formations. Some of it looks like Mad Max wastelands.







Can't you just see Cyberdyne robots wandering around this place? Or giant irradiated gila monsters?

On the other hand, there's some wonderful color only a few yards away from the monochrome steam flats. Not only did this slope appear to be hand-painted marble, but the wind blew the warm steam onto the boardwalk. It was a cozy (and welcome) place to stand after a morning of exposure to the cold drizzle.



It also felt great to soak our chilly fingers in the soothing runoff. Sure, it made your hands smell a little sulfurous, but at least it kept the circulation going.



I tended to focus my camera on the steam pots and mineral deposit formations, but the truth is that the surrounding scenery was spectacular all on its own. Yellowstone would be a magnificent place to visit, even if it wasn't full of brimstone portals to the underworld.



And speaking of worlds beyond our own, it was impossible not to notice the alien carvings left in the rocks. There can be no other explanation; these rocks contain indisputable evidence of extraterrestrial visitation. (Hover mouse over the photo below for color enhancement.)



As I mentioned, the Mammoth Hot Springs complex is impressively large. Many of the visitors chose not to travel the entire boardwalk, but Tanner and I enjoyed the opportunity to stretch our legs and get a little exercise.





I'm glad we walked the entire route; there were completely different types of pools and mineral growths at the other end of the area. I thought these emerald step formations were especially pretty.





It was a pretty good climb back up the hill to where we had parked. If you look closely (or click on the picture), you can see our Subaru sitting by the road above the big orange rock.

For some reason, we both sorta half-jogged our way up the trail. It was steep enough to elevate the heart rate, that's for sure. Of course, I stopped to take a few more photos along the way, and spent a moment or two surveying the small town at the base of the valley. We would be driving through that village in just a few minutes.

I was struck by a funny thought when I looked at this rock; it seemed as if it should be Owen and Baru's house on Tatooine...if it had been designed by R. Buckminster Fuller.



After climbing the ramps and steps back up to the top, we jumped in the car and headed toward the park's exit. The only bit of tourist gawking that remained for the day was to take a loop around the town square to watch the lounging elk. The presence of the police car right next to them made me wonder if there were frequent problems with people harassing the animals. But the animals seemed pretty relaxed hanging out right in the middle of town.



So, I guess that's it for geysers and such. We stopped for the night in Butte, Montana, and prepared ourselves for the excitement of seeing "The Big Stack" and the "Miracle of America" the next day. Those may not be wonders of Nature, but trust me, they're pretty impressive. Stayed tuned for those adventures -- coming soon.

Have a great day!