Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone

Leaving craters of the Moon, we continued through Idaho's high desert. We passed through the tiny town of Arco, it's claimed to fame being the first town in the United States, powered by atomic energy. We then noticed the Idaho National Laboratory, the Materials Fuel Complex, and nuclear waste management areas. Underground potato storage bunkers were not far away- I think I'll stick to rice for a while! We crossed into Wyoming and the West entrance of Yellowstone, and headed North toward Mammoth Hot Springs. Along the way, we saw a moose, pronghorn antelope, an elk and a black bear! The bear caused quite a scene, and a bear jam, resulting in a 40 minute delay. Not being in any hurry, we enjoyed the gorgeous scenery. The smell of sulfur greeted us as we approached Mammoth Hot springs terraces. These boiling springs have created limestone chalk white travertine terraces as they have traveled down the mountain. The beautiful formations are similar to some that might be seen in caves, and are only accessible by boardwalk, amazing! We finished our day by setting up camp at the Mammoth campground.Read more