Yellowstone National Park adventure!!
If you remember the recent travel Tuesday post about my photo adventure to the Tetons then you’ll know the next stop on that trip was Yellowstone National Park… I have never been anywhere like it! I’ve never seen so many geysers shooting hot steam from the earth! It was incredible and very smelly, due to the sulfuric acid spouting from the ground! Driving to Yellowstone my dad was talking about how he had always wanted to take me here and that it’s one of his favorite places. It was making me even more excited with how stoked he was! When we drove into the park and saw a buffalo crossing the road, I knew it was going to be awesome!
The first day in the park was simply amazing. We just drove around and pulled over when we saw wildlife and I simply soaked up the gorgeous scenery! I LOVED the waterfalls! The Upper Falls of the Yellowstone River was breathtaking!
It was such a peaceful place. I just love the simplicity of the image below. The scenery was truly calming.
We went on an awesome hike to Mystic Falls – it was gorgeous! Right when we started the hike there was a giant pile of poo in the middle of the trail… Which on our way back my dad informed me was from a bear! yikes!
The next day I was set on finding the Grand Prismatic Spring – a breathtaking hot spring that I had seen a photo of on a puzzle box the day before at a gift shop. I saw it and said WE HAVE TO FIND THIS! So, once we got back to the hotel room I searched online! Of course it wasn’t as simple as I thought it was going to be… I didn’t simply want to go to the Grand Prismatic Spring, I also wanted to take the photo I had seen from above it. After much research I found some secret directions on how to get to this spot above the hot spring. Apparently the park discourages visitors from embarking on this journey. WELL, we did it and it was awesome! I can see why all of the blogs I had read about it said to be prepared. It was literally a hike UP a mountain side covered in GIANT tree trunks. It was quite the adventure and SO worth it! This was a highlight of the trip for me and I am so blessed to have been able to share it with not only my father, but a photographer that I very much admire.
There were geysers and hot springs everywhere!! I LOVE all of the colors!
I couldn’t get enough of the reflections!
You know you’re with an awesome dad when he pulls over so you can take photos of wild flowers…
On our way out of the park we saw this lone buffalo grazing in this lovely meadow…
If you are still wondering what to do for your next family vacation or solo adventure… I highly recommend going to both Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park!! They are very different places and yet just as magical and breathtaking!
interesting facts about Yellowstone National Park
- Worlds first national park
- More than 300 geysers
- 290 waterfalls
- More people are hurt by bison than bears each year
- Is above a massive underground super volcano
- Experiences 1,000-3,000 earthquakes annually