Surprises at Yellowstone National Park

Old Faithful is the most famous geyser at Yellowstone National Park. After many years of talking about it, my husband and I finally made our car trip out west. Well, Old Faithful didn't disappoint. However, with all the extensive pre-trip research that I did, we were surprised to learn that most of the national park area was a caldera, a collapsed volcano.

Before our visit, we had no idea the extent of the thermal activity within the park. There are multiple geysers, hot springs, bubbling mud pots and thermal terraces. A significant portion of the western part of the park is thermal. As you drive through this section of the park, you can the steam rising from the multiple thermal areas.

When you arrive at Old Faithful, check out the benches around the geyser. If they are starting to fill up, you know the geyser will be erupting soon. Otherwise, go into the lodge where you'll find a clock set with the next expected eruption time, give or take 10 minutes. As eruption time approaches, the benches around Old Faithful fill up quickly so don't wait too long if you want a front row seat. And be sure to visit more than once if your time permits as each eruption produces a different display of water and steam. Also at the Old Faithful site there are boardwalks to allow you to walk around the thermal area. But if this is the only thermal area you visit during your tour of the park, you are missing some of the best the park has to offer.

The Mammoth Hot Springs area has an Upper Terrace loop that is a one way drive (no RVs or trailers). The formations and colors are remarkable and driving slowly enough to truly enjoy it will take about half an hour. There is an extensive boardwalk throughout the Lower Terraces area where you can walk all the way down to Mammoth Lodge.

In our opinion, though, the highlight was the Midway Geyser Basin and its Grand Prismatic Spring. Take the boardwalk towards the Spring and you'll first pass a deep pool of remarkably blue water. Continue around the loop of the boardwalk to the furthest point and you'll arrive at the Spring. We were awed as the sun played havoc with the rising steam and the colors flowed and ebbed. It was a mesmerizing experience and one we are thrilled we got to experience.