Day 4 - Yellowstone NP

Yellowstone has a surface of ​​about 890,300 ha, the size of the Netherlands approximately. That's why we also spend a second full day in the park. Today we visit other parts of the park and hope to spot some wildlife. Yellowstone has a unique collection of animals. As for the latter, we are treated immediately. Mother and child elk are grazing alongside the water in the morning sun. We are taking a first stop at the Gibbon Falls. The smoke from the forest fires in Montana does not seem to cause any problems here. However, we are treated to another type of smoke: a water steam curtain coming from the very active hot springs this morning. It hangs like a hot mist over the area. We continue our way to the Norris Geyser Basin. On the way we cross rippling streams, more hot springs and eventually reach the Bassin. This is also called the Porcelain Landscape because many years of thermal activity, microorganisms, hot water and the continuous glaze of minerals make it look like porcelain. The blue sky makes sure that the volcanic power today is even more impressive than yesterday. White ‘smoke’ twist his way up. It creates an amazing spectacle.

Another beautiful spectacle are the famous Mammoth Hot Springs, another geothermal phenomenon. Hundreds of hot springs, ranging from fine streams to real rivers create this masterpiece. Due to the deposition of limestone, row by row terraces are build up. Due to the presence of bacteria and minerals in the water, the terraces have different color shades. It's like Pamukkale in Turkey but way smaller.

Our next stop is the Lower Falls, located in the Yellowstone canyon. Here it becomes clear that Yellowstone has its name derived from the yellow colored rocks of the canyon.

We continue to Hayden Valley. We wander through a landscape of steep mountain walls where high pine trees rise up as cathedrals from the ground. From time to time you can see the terrible consequences of the many forest fires that occur in the NP. Dead and fallen trees lie, like an almost impossible mikado game, through the new forests. On dry large bald spots, new fresh green pine trees are tyring to survive. There are about 35 forest fires a year, usually caused by lightning strikes, a single time by careless campers. The dammage from a big fire from 1994 is still visible. Three big lighthouses keep an eye on everything, so that the authorities can immediately intervene. Meantime we also keep an eye on the area : you know those wild animals we want to see so desperately. A little further down the road, there seems to be an accumulation of cars. What did they see? In the distance along the side of a lake, a grizzly bear lies in the afternoon sun. Incredible. The chance to spot a bear, and then a grizzly, is very small. It is at a distance and difficult to see with the naked eye, but some American tourists have set up their telescopes we are welcome to join them. What a beautiful sight. Rested, the bear gets up to enjoy a nice, relaxing bath. A bit later he steps out the water to dry his fur in the hot afternoon sun. This turns out to be an unbelievable day.

In 1872 the prairies were full of bisons and nobody could imagine that Yellowstone would be the last retreat for the handful remaining wild bisons in America, almost 30 years later. But not only the hunting by humans of the bison caused nearly extinction. Wolves, diseases and drought also claimed their toll. Today, the numbers are higher, but due to inbreeding, the bison has a genetic disorder. In the Hayden Valley we encounter a whole bunch. When we arrive, one of the animals storms up  to a car to literally push the car out of the parking lot. They are huge, impressive animals. They have almost something prehistoric. I would not like to get head on head with them. They do that amongst themselves. After all, it's almost mating season, so time to determine who's the dominant male and does get to be the first choice of the females. Soon the numbers will increase again.

We exit the park through the northern gate where impressive granite stones watch as temples over us. On mountain walls,  dried bushes and dead trees keep each other company. Green, red-colored or dry grass live next to each other.

We arrive in Cody, our overnight place. We have dinner at the Irma restaurant, owned by Buffalo Bill. It is named after his daughter and is still in pretty much original condition. Tonight it is the prime rib buffet. We are now really in the wild west.