Day 7 -Biscuit Basin and Beyond

A Stop At Biscuit Basin

We stopped nearby at Biscuit Basin where the main features are Jewel Geyser with lovely yellow run-offs and Shell Geyser which is shaped like a clamshell.  We took a short walk along the boardwalk.  I spent most of my time trying to photograph the flowers and the hot spring pool.

This was a short visit and soon afterwards, we stopped in a nearby woods to have a picnic lunch. I was surprised at the quality  of the lunch as we had ordered two weeks in advanced.  I had a sandwich of lettuce and tomatoes . Shawn had a roast beef sandwich as did the guide, Chris.  There was fruit for dessert and water to drink. We were there about a half an hour. I discovered that vegetarian or any variety thereof was not at all catered to within the parks system. Although every lodge restaurant had their token “bean burger”, it was difficult to find anything else. It made me very thankful to reside in California! Shawn and I usually ate in ethnic restaurants whenever we went out.

Bison in the Field

We continued our tour around the lower loop.  We passed a huge herd of Bison in a distant field.  We saw a lot of people walking across the field to take photos and get a closer look.  Our guide stopped the car and we walked across the field. I couldn’t get the whole herd as my lens was not wide enough. I took my time getting there,  doing my usual – photographing flowers along the way.

Lower Falls of the Yellowstone Grand Canyon

We walked back to the car and went on to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. There are three waterfalls at the Grand Canyon and we went to the Lower Falls. At 308 feet, the Lower Falls is the tallest falls in the park.

It was a stunning view of the Lower Falls!  We also enjoyed photographing all the chipmunks scurrying over and under the rocks along the path.

Animals Along the Way

As we made our way toward the end of the lower loop, we were caught in a bison jam.  Bison were crossing the road and people were getting out of their cars to take photos.  The scary thing was that they were getting very close and not respecting the park rules about distance. It is said that more people get hurt from bison and elk than any other animals.  Shawn saw a woman and child going so close to an elk that they could touch him. The park rule says you should stay 25 feet away from elk and bison. Most of the time, where there are “car jams” because of sightings, a ranger can usually be found.  I think one time on a tour we had to wait about 20 minutes before we could move.

Mud Volcano and Sulphur Caldron

Our last main stop was at the Mud Volcano and the sulphur caldron. It was hard to photograph because it was just a hole in the ground with steam coming out.  What made it so unusual was the sounds coming from the holes.  There was also a strong sulphur smell.

It was getting late and we had seen and accomplished a lot.  We had started out at 8:30 am and now it was  about 5 pm. We were heading back to the Yellowstone’s south entrance and then on to Flagg Ranch where we left our car.  Our guide and driver, Chris was wonderful and very accommodating  about stopping for photos.  We did four tours and I think this one was the best.  BrushBuck tours is the name of the company. If you ever decide to visit Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons,  you might like to organize a tour with them.