The Rockies Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park
The Rockies Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park: The Rockies are a series of mountain ranges extending all the way from Mexico to the Canadian Arctic, running along the Great Continental Divide that forms the backbone of America. In Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado they bring the traveler face to face with the inspiring natural beauties of America's backcountry, its vast forests and torrents, delightful Alpine meadows in summer and wonderful ski slopes in winter.The Rockies Bear Lake
A formidable barrier to the 19th-century pioneers' westward trek beyond the Great Plains, the Rockies also proved to be a source of great mineral wealth-gold, silver, copper, and, today, uranium.
Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming)
Yellowstone° (www.nps.gov/yell), the mountain plateau 8,000ft (2,500m) up in the Rockies, is more than a vast landscape of mountains, valleys, rivers, and forests both living and petrified. It's a perpetual spectacle of exuberant geysers (including star performer Old Faithful) shooting hundreds of feet into the air, volcanic mud pots exploding, hot spring bubbling out of the earth, and waterfalls so highthey make Niagara look like an overflowing bathtub. All of this is set against a backdrop of colors that begin with the yellow of the canyon rock that gives the park its name.
The headquarters for the park is at Mammoth Hot Springs on the north side of Yellowstone. Visitors should, if possible, come through the north entrance at Gardiner (Montana Highway 89) or make their way up to Mammoth from the West Yellowstone entrance. The Visitors' Center provides tips about campgrounds as well as trail maps, and a museum of the region's flora, fauna, and geological phenomena.
One of the great geological phenomena of the park is at Mammoth: the lovely silver travertine shelves of a terraced mountain being created daily before your eyes. Volcanically heated springs are thrusting up mineral-laden water from underground limestone beds and laying their deposits in terraced pools that form at least a couple of tons of new travertine each day.
Drive 21 miles (34km) south of Mammoth to the Norris junction on the 142-mile (230km) Grand Loop road that will take you around the major landmarks. An interpretive center at the junction points out short hikes (on boardwalks) across the steaming Norris Geyser Basin, and provides good explanations of the workings of geysers and hot springs.
The Rockies Bear Lake
With exceptional luck, you may even witness the world's biggest active geyser, the Steamboat. But unlike that of steady, reliable Old Faithful a little farther down the road, its performance is almost as erratic as a volcano. The spouts vary unpredictably from every few days to just once a year when it does blow, though, it shoots water, steam, rocks, and mud as high as 400ft (122m) into the air.
Further south, at Madison Junction, the Loop meets the road from the West Yellowstone entrance and curves down along the Firehole River. This well-named river is fed by hot springs and in places feels like a bath, compared with the plateau streams' chilly 39°F (4°C).Yellowstone facts
- Most of Yellowstone's 3,472-sq. mile (8,992-sq. km) expanses in Wyoming, but it also spills over into Montana to the north and Idaho to the west. Only one of the park's entrances, Gardiner, remains open year-round; the others close between November and May. In winter, the park is snowbound and access is only with a rented snowmobile or in the park's own snow bus. Both Salt Lake City and Denver have local airline services to Yellowstone's airport, where you can rent a car Though all of the major sights can be reached by car, plan on some good walking too.
- Lodging must be reserved well in advance, particularly in winter when only the plush Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and the Old Faithful Snow Lodge & Cabins are open. Access to the Snow Lodge is by park-approved on-the-snow transportation only, and all park lodges are non-smoking. Go to www.yellowstone-travel.com for details and to make reservations.
The Rockies Bear Lake
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