Norris Geyser Basin and More

It was a beautiful picture perfect day today as the rain yesterday must have helped quash the nearby fire.  The sky was clear and my lungs were happier than they have been in days;)  Since the opportunity presented itself, I took several landscape pics with some good results.

Our main goal today was Norris Geyser Basin also located on the west side of Yellowstone.  On the way there we had to stop at a few places of course. Some smaller geyser areas and a beautiful falls.  While at Norris we also hiked over to the Museum of the National Park Ranger which was very interesting.  We completed our day with a short but sweet hike to Harlequin Lake.

 We pulled off the road for a quick look at these pretty pools......

 This is Gibbens Falls.  As it is so scenic and right next to the road, the tour busses stop for this one...

Another angle on the falls

 Another small roadside geyser area...good a place as any to have our pic taken;)

 Then we made a longer stop at Paint Pots.  A board walk circled this area and if you look just up the hill midway on the right you can see a viewing platform.....

 From the platform.  This was a beautiful little area with a large variety of mud pots, geysers and pools in a multitude of colors!

 See the red mud bubbling below

 This little geyser was going crazy nonstop,  so colorful!

 Then it was on to Norris Geyser Basin. Just awesome!!!  Many of the hot springs and fumaroles in this area have temps above the boiling point!

Steamboat Geyser

Echinus Geyser

Green Dragon Spring

Ledge Geyser

The name for this lake comes from the popping sounds of the springs on it's southern shore.

Crackling Lake

Some of the rust colors seen result from minerals containing elements such as iron and arsenic!

The bright green here is  caused by thermophiles - heat loving microorganisms

 

The milky blue pools you see below are saturated with silica.

Harlequin Lake