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Hi all, the world feels like doom and gloom right now so how about some national park photo threads to remind us that there's still some beauty in the world. Let's start with my favorite - Yellowstone! Feel free to post your own photos in the thread as well!
Yellowstone sits atop a massive super volcano - and no there is no evidence that it will erupt any time soon. The volcano forms Yellowstone's four major thermal features: hot springs, geysers, mudpots, and fumaroles.
On my first visit to Yellowstone I came across a wild grizzly bear feasting on a fresh kill along the Yellowstone River. The river provided a safe barrier for about as close as you can safely get to a grizzly in the park. The world's bravest crow kept sneaking in for a bite.
The animal Yellowstone is probably most famous for is the American bison. In the 18th century, 30-60 million bison roamed North America. Hunting reduced these numbers to less than 1,000 bison (today there are approximately 30,000).
You've probably seen the video of the news reporter freaking out as a bison herd approached - and he was right to do so. These walking tanks look tame 95% of the time but that 5% can be very unpredictable. The photographer in this should have MOVED already.
My favorite animal - the coyote. The curious trickster is fairly common in Yellowstone. Their howls and yips used to scare me at night, but after seeing them up close I learned how to coexist. They are quite easily the 2nd most adaptable animal in the country, 2nd only to humans
blep
I've called the Grand Prismatic Spring the crown jewel of planet Earth. Imagine being the first to discover it. Different micro-organisms live at different temperatures which create the color gradient (hottest in the middle). The GPS is the world's 3rd largest hot spring.
Yellowstone's landscapes are probably the most diverse of any park. One hour of driving will make you feel like you're on another planet.
Yellowstone is currently closed to visitors to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, but at least the park, the trails, and the wildlife, for the first time in a long time, can take some time to breath and relax without the constant bombardment of tourists.
