West Thumb, July 2005

Bull Moose

Crystal Falls

Saturday, July 16, 2005: I checked out of Canyon around 7am, but didn't go very far. I stopped at the entrance to the Brink of the Lower Falls parking lot and walked over to Crystal Falls for some photos. Then I headed south, stopping a couple of time in the Hayden Valley.

Storm Point

My next major stop was the Storm Point Trail east of Fishing Bridge. It's a 2.5 mile loop. I had to work around a very recent treefall (last night?) as I went through the woods. A male American Three-toed Woodpecker was a pleasant surprise. At Storm Point itself, I was surprised to find a Common Merganser on the rocks on top of the bluff. As I continued along the bluff, a couple of adult Bald Eagles flew over. Yellow-bellied Marmots were also around. Wildlife was pretty good on the return loop. I found a male Williamson's Sapsucker. Other birds were around, including a group of young Juncos. A little farther along I spotted a Coyote in a small clearing. As I neared the end of the woods, I encountered someone who was photographing a bull Moose!

Yellowstone River	Hayden Valley


Bull Moose

West Thumb Geyser Basin

West Thumb Geyser Basin was next. There are not a lot of thermal features there compared with the major geyser basins, but every thermal area is different. The fact that some (e.g., Fishing Cone) are actually in the lake makes it more interesting. My last stop before Old Faithful was Kepler Cascades.

Painted Pools	Fishing Cone	Abyss Pool


Blue Funnel Spring	Kepler Cascade

Firehole Drives (Lakes, Falls, and Flats)

After viewing the falls, I had lunch at Old Faithful Inn. It was too early to get my room, so after watching Old Faithful erupt, I headed off toward Madison. I started exploring the Lower Geyser Basin by driving the Firehole Lake Drive. After that, I visited Firehole Falls (outside the lower basin).

Firehole Lakes Drive

White Dome Geyser	Hot Cascade	Firehole Falls

I returned to the Lower Geyser Basin for a drive down Firehole Flats Drive, followed by a walk to Ojo Caliente.

Firehole Flats Drive

Ojo Caliente	Firehole River

Fountain Paint Pots

My last stop in the Lower Geyser Basin was the Fountain Paint Pots. Clepsydra was erupting there.

Clepsydra Geyser	Spasm and Clepsydra Geysers

Upper Geyser Basin Geyser Walk

Back at Old Faithful Village, I watched another Old Faithful eruption. Then I took the ranger-led 5:30 geyser tour (about 3 miles). As we gathered near Castle, we could see Sawmill and Penta erupting, but they quieted down as we approached. The walk went all the way to Grotto. On the way back, I encountered a family of Mountain Bluebirds.