YNP day 5

 On day 5 I woke up early in order to get to artists point at sunrise.  Everything was going fine until two things happened.  First a huge bus load of loud and obnoxious tourists invaded the quiet of the dawn and clouds emerged and stopped the golden sun just as it approached the falls.  It was still a magic morning.  

 R

 Just as the clouds took over.

 Fox on the hunt

 Great views all over

 Raven

Wolf print on rock.

YNP day 4 pm

On this afternoon we headed to the Canyon section of Yellowstone.  The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone was spectacular in it's color.  As we headed back to our cabin we spotted a large bull elk in a small grove.  I took about a hundred pics of him and here is one that captures the beauty of him.  That evening we headed south to the Hayden valley to see more Bison. 

 

 Bull Elk

Baby Bison

 Bull Bison over 2000lbs and can run 35 mph, not something to be messed with

 A Bison Jam

YNP day 4 am

On day 4 we headed over our next base of operation, the Canyon area.  So we got up early, went for a little walk and then headed leisurely over towards our next destination.  We stopped at Firehole Lake and Norris Geyser Basin.  Given the lack of rain out there the water table was low and many of the geysers held a lot less water than they usually do.  Nonetheless it was still spectacular. 

 

 An early morning view down the Firehole river

 Sandhill cranes

 My boy getting his shot of a geyser just before this

Norris Geyser Basin. 

YNP day 3

 Day three found us up early and on the road to the Hayden Valley.  The views were stunning.  After that we made our way south to the Grand Tetons.  There was more smoke down there but it was still beautiful. 

 

 Fog on the Yellowstone River.

 Hayden Valley Bison

 Overview on the Yellowstone

 Grand Tetons

YNP day 2

Day 2 was to be our first full day in the park.  We stayed in the Old Faithful area and I was up at dawn.  The air was chilly around 34 that morning.  Fires in Idaho let itself to spectacular sunrises and sunsets.  

 

 Sunrise on the upper Firehole

 Killdeer looking for food near a geyser

 A series of pictures of the Giant Prismatic Spring and it is stunning. 

 

I spent a couple of hours that afternoon on the upper Firehole, one of the few places open due to high water temps and was rewarded with some fantastic fishing for small browns and brookies.

 

 Just to prove that I was there, this is Old Faithful, doing its' thing.   It went off every 93 minutes or so and was really great to watch early in the morning or at night when there were few folks around.

 A view looking down river at sunset of the Firehole

Day 1 Yellowstone

 After years of dreaming and hoping my family and I were finally able to get to Yellowstone.  It was a long time in coming as I hadn't be blessed with it's beauty in almost 2o years. To share it's beauty with my family was special, plus I had forgotten just how stunning a place YNP is. 

 

 A little geyser action next to the Firehole River

 The colors of the waters are incredible

 Sunset on the Madison