Glacier National Park

From Yellowstone, we headed north to Glacier National Park.

We stayed at the historic Many Glacier Hotel.

 

The view from the hotel porch is gorgeous.

That evening we watched a grizzly bear on a nearby mountainside and a lovely sunset.

 

The following morning, we took a hike around Swiftcurrent Lake.

We were definitely in grizzly country.

 

Looking back at our hotel.

 

Fortunately, we didn't see any grizzlies, just beautiful scenery and small animals.

Yellowstone Waterfalls

Yellowstone has 45 named waterfalls over 15 feet.

In addtion to the popular Upper & Lower Falls, we visited many others.

Moose Falls

One & a half miles from the south park entrance, is Moose Falls on Crawfish Creek.

 Lewis Falls

Thirty foot Lewis Falls on the Lewis River.

 Kepler Cascades

Kepler Cascades fall 150 feet along the Firehole River.

 Firehole Falls

Firehole Falls drop 40 feet.

 Virginia Cascade

Along the Gibbon River, Virginia Cascades drop 60 feet.

 Rustic Falls

Rustic Falls are on Glen Creek falling 47 feet.

 Undine Falls

Upper Undine Falls along Lava Creek fall 60 feet.

Tower Fall

Tower Fall (spelled with no s) tumbles 132 feet down Tower Creek just before joining the Yellowstone River.

Critters spotted in Yellowstone

Least Chipmunk

These tiny chipmunks are the smallest in the squirrel family.

 Uinta Ground Squirrel

These guys are everywhere!

 Elk & Rabbit

A Mammoth doe elk & bunny

 Bull Elk

Bull elk near our Canyon Lodge cabin.

 Bison

Small bison herd with calves near Norris Geyser Basin.

 Bull Bison

This huge bull was sleeping outside the Museum of the National Park Ranger.

 Bison

Another bison, running down the road.

He tipped his horns at our car as he passed.

 Black Bear

This black bear & cub were spotted on the Blacktail plateau between Mammoth & Roosevelt.

Tower - Roosevelt Area

Our Cabin

Our final night in Yellowstone was spent in a Roosevelt cabin.

 

It was heated by a wood stove which we needed that August night.

Bathrooms & showers were a chilly trek down the row of cabins.

 

We drove out to Lamar Valley.

  A storm was rolling in over the bison in the valley.

 Slough Creek

We checked out the backcountry at Slough Creek.  

Lots of fly fishermen in the streams fishing.

 

Back at Roosevelt Lodge, we were supposed to ride horseback to the chuckwagon dinner, 

but due to a storm, we rode in wagons instead.

 l

The horses waited patiently while we feasted on 

steak, Roosevelt beans, potato salad, slaw, cornbread & apple crisp all prepared in the backcountry.

The chuckwagon cookout was awesome.

Mammoth Hot Springs

Next stop is Mammoth Hot Springs.

This is Orange Mound Spring on the Highland Terrace.

 

The Liberty cap, an extinct hot spring cone, with New Palette Springs behind.

 

 

Mammoth is different from the park's other thermal features.

Instead of sitting on igneous rock which was once molten, it sits on limestone which dissolves in the hot water and precipitates on the surface as travertine.

 

Active springs are colorful and constantly growing, forming terraces and mounds.

 

Inactive springs are white.

 

There is a nice hotel with cabins near the Fort Yellowstone area.

 

Mammoth is the year round home of a resident elk herd.

They rest on lawns & terraces.

Canyon Village

Upper Falls

From Old Faithful, we traveled to the Canyon Village area

where we saw the Upper Falls of the Yellowstone River which drop 109 feet.

The rushing water creates rainbows.

 Lower Falls

The Lower Falls are higher at 308 feet.

 

Lower Falls from Artist's Point

 Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is 800-1200 feet deep, 1500-4000 feet wide and 20 miles long from Upper Falls to Tower Junction.

Paint Pots

Paint pots must be seen & heard in real life to be appreciated.

They bubble & pop and are mesmerizing to watch.