Old Faithful

Gibbon Falls - notice smoke in air in background

We saw Old Faithful yesterday. And just like everyone says - it was faithful.  The geyser was predicted + or - 10 minutes of eruption time - it was right on.  The amount of people who come to watch, then like little bugs - disappear, was fun to see also.  Back up to beginning of day - we packed a lunch and snacks to have because we thought we'd be out all day.  But first stopped at Gibbon Falls, a pretty waterfall of the Gibbon River that flows through the area that is on the western side of the park.  Yellowstone River is on the northern and eastern side of Yellowstone, a much bigger and faster flowing river than Gibbon or of Firehole (my favorite) in the park.  After that stop we went to the Midway Geyser basin area where the largest of the hot springs is - Giant Prismatic.  The temp was a brisk 55 so there was alot of steam/mist in the air and couldn't get a good shot of how blue this hot spring is.  And stink!!! But the colors were amazing.

Grand Prismatic

Old Faithful

Ooohed and ahhed, then drove on to Old Faithful area.  In the Lower Geyser Basin (where Old Faithful is) there are 5 active geysers - the most in the world.  We saw and heard so many German ad Oriental people yesterday - no wonder with our economy so lousy and theirs is booming - they come here to see the sights of US.  The parking lot was packed, felt that there was an eruption going on or close to it with that many cars.  We had just missed one by 5 minutes, so we sauntered into the visitor's center to get acclimated and see when the next show was.  Had to wait 92 minutes for the next one - okay, enough time to go through the center then head out to the benches in front of Old Faithful and have a picnic lunch.  Within 25 minutes people started to come and sit too, then it got really packed with people.  The geyser starts off sputtering, then within 5 minutes of that - poof, up it goes.  We heard someone say they were at the previous eruption and it wasn't much.  Guess we should be glad we saw this one and it was okay, not the hundreds of feet they say could happen.  After the show we walked the boardwalk to visit all the other geysers and hot springs and pools.

Morning Glory Pool

One of the two favorite hot pools is the Morning Glory Pool.  Beautiful.   Did I tell you there is a lot here?  Well, there is! And another 2 hours of walking and looking and smelling the sulphur, we have decided enough was enough.  We are done with this geyser thing.  The park is so pretty and raw and beautiful, but unsettling at the same time.  Sometimes we felt very restful, looking at a river coursing by, and then within 5 minutes you are in an area where the ground is bubbling and hissing and you realize that the core of the earth is a mere 3 to 5 miles below you - will it erupt while you are standing there?  Sorta a hell and heaven feeling.  Good and bad together. Worth seeing and experiencing.  We never thought we would visit Yellowstone - now we are glad, but don't want to come back.