This article is a collection of posts I made based on a trip to Yellowstone this summer. It is heavily edited from the versions that I initially posted. So, while the pictures are mostly the same, the copy has evolved.

Enjoy!

Have you been to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming yet? There are so many incredible sights within the park boundaries that it comes as no surprise to learn the area was designated as the world’s first National Park by Ulyses S. Grant on March 1st of 1872 during his presidency.

This summer I again went to Wyoming and took an all too hurried drive through Yellowstone to see a few of its wonders for myself. The grounds did not disappoint!

In this photos compilation, you will get to see what I saw that day. I hope you enjoy these pictures. Better yet, let these pictures compel you to make the trip for yourself. See these views with your own eyes and lens. It will be well worth the effort, I believe. Then you can post your pictures here on Steemit as well.

The photo below is Silex Spring.

Yellowstone’s story is a tale of hydrology and geology - water and stone.

They seem so basic, so fundamental but inside the confines of Yellowstone they are epic. Once inside the park you will have the opportunity to watch these two entities display their most incredible instances of plumage. This was always a place I had wanted to visit. Who can resist the lure Old Faithful has in pictures or video?

While geysers are certainly a wonderful display, personally, they’re kinda “seen one, seen ‘em all” to me now as an adult. However, on this trip I went for the Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon this summer. They didn’t disappoint. The photos I’ve selected for this series are from my Instagram account, so if you follow me there you will definitely recognize them.

The real reason for hopping in the car and driving 20+ hours into the wilderness of Wyoming was a picture of a waterfall I saw in a book my aunt gave me for Christmas. It was immense and I hadn’t even known it existed. Before that book, I was completely unaware this beautiful feature was out there to explore.

The Upper and Lower Falls are located along the Yellowstone River path in the Grand Canyon. YES! There are more than one - I was surprised to find this out as well. It’s easy to learn a lot while traveling, it makes the memories richer I think. The image above contains the Lower Falls.

This next picture below is of the canyon itself. Look at the detailed striation on the walls leading down to the river in the valley floor. This area of Yellowstone has unmatched views but because of its epic size, it can seem intangible. As you can see I’m very far from the falls here, though a path was available to go down into the valley for a better view. I didn’t make the trek into the ravine because of how tight my self-imposed schedule was that day.

Intention gets turned to lemonade so often - doesn’t it? Seems like there may be enough intention to both pave the road to hell and offer the sufferers something to drink once the last mile is finished. When you venture into Yellowstone, you travel roads running over a supervolcano.

When the tower falls and leaves you searching for something worth looking up toward, I hope you have found a place you’re comfortable.

Mammoth Hot Springs was the final destination on my itinerary this summer. It was the last point-of-interest on the official map of the park before the north gate, where I was to drive out of Wyoming that evening.

I should have taken longer in the park. I should have stayed at least another day. It is not wise to rush through Yellowstone the way I did. I don’t recommend doing it. I won’t do that again.

At what I thought could me my last time out of the car in Yellowstone, it seemed appropriate to get a nice photo. Also, I wanted to take my time, get to know these grounds. Perceptively, the pools shapes are geometric in fundamental ways. Determined by years of mineral built-up, the patterns we’ve together randomly as the cascades form terraces to more level ground.

The guitar and djembe you see above have done quite a bit of traveling with me. I like to set them up at places like this that make for an epic landscape picture.

It was hard to leave Yellowstone. I saw so much in the short time I was there but still endless sights are left unseen by my eyes. Someday I will return and camp there to go slower and see more.

While driving towards the north gate, I saw one last breathtaking scene that I had to pull over to photograph. Dark clouds were rolling in over the mountains to the northwest. The park was getting moody as the evening claimed what was left of the daylight.

The road ran along the curve of the river that had carved a steep riverbank to walk down to the water. When I finally made it to the edge I noticed someone had built a cairn out of the rocks so I added a few more to the top as I always do before taking a photograph.

It wasn’t long before the sanctity of Yellowstone gave way to Montana proper. The rearview mirror and sun’s last finger hold on the horizon faded.

Have you been to Yellowstone before? Tell me about your trip or post pictures in the comments section. I know I missed so much that day.

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Disclaimer: All photos are mine. Screenshots are just captures and I claim no ownership of imagery or statements visible in them unless otherwise stated.