This day the plan was to see the thermal active sites with Old Faithful being the pinnacle.So we had a great breakfast prepared and made to order by our hosts, Tom and Judy, at A River Runs By It Bed and Breakfast lodge. Their home is magnificent. I have mentioned this before but it can’t be stated enough. It is very enjoyable to being staying here.

We got under way and just a few miles into the park we spotted a cow elk laying next to the Madison river.  So we stopped to check her out. She was very close and wasn’t alone. She had the company of a duck and a beaver as well. The duck and beaver seemed to be friends, it was very strange but they seemed as though they were hanging out with each other. The beaver was making trips back and forth with grass it was ripping from the river bottom and building a lodge. I got some pictures as did Nik and Michelle took video, since we were stopped along the road others looked to see what the commotion was about and some stopped as well. We caused our first elk jam!

After we got saddled back up, just a few more miles down the road we came across another traffic jam, what kind would it be? An elk jam again! But this time it was a herd of elk. So we stopped and admired the lady elk resting, eating and posing next to the river……more pictures, happiness.

Once we got back under way, our next big excitement was more than big, it was gargantuan! We didn’t know how big till later, it was yet another traffic jam. This one we soon realized was a bison jam! And were these fellas huge! They were walking down the road and people were slowly driving by, taking pictures and video. We finally got up to the bison and one decided he wanted to cross the road in front of us…….I let him! The other was just walking along next to us but as I would try to pass him by, he would start galloping, he did not want me to pass him. It was awesome. Got some decent pictures through the bug splatted wind shield and video.

We visited many thermally active sites. From geysers and hot springs to boiling mud pits. It was all very cool……I mean hot, it that stuff is really really hot. It’s boiling mud for crying out loud! Some of the hot springs bubble up into pools with awesome colors. These colors range from blues to greens to reds and yellows. It is amazing, what is even more amazing is the colors are made from living creatures in the boiling hot water! Depending on the temperature of the water determines where this bacteria thrives…..amazing. Yellowstone nation park not only contributes to the world in amazing beauty but it has helped scientists learn how to to tests by using the bacteria that lives in the super heated water to help do things, real life things like DNA tests………look it up, amazing I tell ya!

Finally to our featured destination, Old Faithful. This place was packed, it was like going to a ball game, only better parking. There were people everywhere! We got Nik’s junior ranger workbook at the visitor center and took some pictures in front of the Old Faithful sign and then went to see her erupt. She was to erupt at 1:40pm give or take 10 minutes. Ummmmm, i thought she was called Old Faithful cause she faithfully blew every 91 minutes!!!? NOPE! I think this geyser was named way wrong. Not only did “Old Faithful not erupt between 1:30 and 1:50, she didn’t go until 1:56! This is unacceptable to me and in noway can this name stand, plus, don’t set your watch by it either……I am sticking with the United States Navy’s nuclear clock for that. I like to have my time accurate to the 1/1000 of a second so Old Faithful just can’t cut it. But she did put on quite a show once she finally decided to show off her prowess.

We continued to work our way back to the west entrance to leave the park and head back to our home base at the B&B in Island Park Idaho. We stopped at a junior ranger station where we took part in a ranger lead talk on trees within the park, this help satisfy one of the requirements in Nik’s Junior Ranger workbook, very interesting stuff was thought to us by ranger Jay. Like do you know a grizzly bears favorite food? Other than idiots walking up close for a picture? White bark pine cones…….yes, pine cones. A pound of white bark pine cones has more protein than a pound of elk meat, crazy!

As we traveled down the road we spotted a guy fly fishing amongst bison, thought it might make an interesting picture so we stopped and Nik and I went down to the river to talk to him. Turns out this fella from Ohio had been chased out of there just last night by a bull bison that came charging across the river! He was keeping a watchful eye on the herd as they grazed towards us and he finally said it was time to go. We took his advice and went back up the hill to the truck.

Also, on the way home I pulled over to take pictures of these to fellas fly fishing in the Madison river, they had matched the hatch and found the fish. Every other cast one was hooking up, they were giggling like a couple school girls. They were having a blast! I was so jealous, look like great fun.

It was a long day but we saw so much and it was only a small portion of the park, more to come in the coming days. To see more pictures, find the link at the left of the home page listed as Grand Tetons/Yellowstone trip day 5- Old Faithful under photosets.