Yellowstone National Park GeologyAug 1-4, 2007. We are staying in Grizzly RV-Park in West Yellowstone, Montana just out the west gate of Yellowstone National Park. We stayed in a different site every night because we did not have reservations and at this time of year they are FULL. The only way we got to stay there for 4-nights was to move into cancellation sites. The rates range from around $37 to $47 depending on a variety of things but generally back in sites were cheaper than pull-thru sites. Then they charge $4 for wifi. I suppose the pull-thru sites are a bit larger so the BIG rigs would probably be forced into one of them. Grizzly is a nice park, the nicest campground in the area. Bottom line is if you are planning to visit WEST YELLOWSTONE during July thru Aug-15 you need a reservation as every campground in the area is FULL. After August 15 you can have your choice of campgrounds with no reservations.
Yellowstone National Park is one of the world's largest, most explosive, and most unusual volcanoes. The molten rock several miles beneath Yellowstone affects everything in the park---the landscape, the wildlife, and even the climate.
Lower Geyser Basin
This is Lower Geyser Basin located on the Grand Loop Road between Old Faithful and Madison Junction.
Both sides of the road between Old Faithful and Madison Junction are covered with thermal activity. A geyser is a type of hot spring that tosses hot water into the air. Throughout Yellowstone there are four types of thermal features to look for: geysers, hot springs, fumaroles, and mud pots. I will try and explain the differences as we get to them.
Lower Geyser Basin
Joyce took this picture from Grand Loop Road looking to the west. For those with more time and interest roads go back into this area so you can inspect these geological creations up close, via walkways. This looks to be an area of hot springs and geysers.
Biscuit Basin north of Old Faithful
This is just north of Old Faithful and as you can see walkways are constructed so you can get a close look at these geo-thermal springs. I think this is what they call Biscuit Basin.
Upper Geyser Basin
This is in the Upper Geysers Basin and only a mile or so north of Old Faithful. Super hot, mineral laden, water has left behind this thick deposit of minerals. As you can see some of the water makes it to the Fire Hole River. The Fire Hole River gets its name because it flows through this "fire hole". There must be 5 or more miles of thermal activity, similar to this, along this section of the river.
Firehole River & thermal activity
Different minerals provide different colors. Again this is the Fire Hole River.
Biscuit Basin and Fire Hole River
This picture is from the Biscuit Basin area along the Fire Hole river near Old Faithful.
These are hot springs that you see. Some of them may possibly be classified as fumaroles but from the volume of water these appear to be mostly hot springs. Hot springs tend to let off enough heat by boiling or surface evaporation to avoid the kind of steam explosions common to geysers. Some of the hot springs will take the form of hot pools.
Geyser & hot spring
A geyser is a hot spring with the intriguing habit of tossing underground water into the air. When water falling as rain or snow seeps through porous layers of rock eventually that water comes into contact with extremely hot rocks. This hot water then rises through a series of cracks and fissures underneath the surface of the Earth. You can think of these cracks and fissures underneath the surface of the Earth as a "plumbing system" of a thermal feature such as a geyser. A geyser is the equivalent of a giant pressure cooker, even though the temperature of water deep down may be well above boiling, the weight and pressure of the water above prevents that boiling from happening. Eventually, though, the pressure builds enough to push the water in the upper reaches up and out, causing an overflow. That overflow, in turn, relieves the pressure on the super-heated water below, causing it to flash into steam. That flash, that explosion through a narrow, constricted place in the rocks, is what sends water shooting into the air. And that folks, is a geyser in a nutshell. VBG
More Montana AdventuresSome Exciting Drives** More 2007 Travel Adventures
Mike & Joyce Hendrix
Mike & Joyce Hendrix who we are We hope you liked this page. If you do you might be interested in some of our other Travel Adventures: Mike & Joyce Hendrix's home page Travel Adventures by Year ** Travel Adventures by State ** Plants ** Marine-Boats ** Geology ** Exciting Drives ** Cute Signs ** RV Subjects ** Miscellaneous Subjects
We would love to hear from you......just put "info" in the place of "FAKE" in this address: FAKE@travellogs.us Until next time remember how good life is.
|
| ||
| |||
|
|
|||
|
| |||
|
|
