Yellowstone National Park
© Copyright Tom Christiansen, 2001
The thermal activity in Yellowstone is absolutely spectacular. This is one of the many hot springs. The water is about 170°F (~80°C), just below boiling. The water is heated by different sulfuric gasses escaping from the volcanic action in the underground. As the water flows from the pool, it cools off. Different types of bacteria grow alongside the hot spring. The type of bacteria in a given spot depends on temperature, thus, different types of bacteria grow in different areas. This leads to the stunning changes in color.
Yellowstone Falls.
Artist Point. Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.
Artist Point detail.
Another day, another sunrise... This is about half an hour before sunrise. I was on the way to one of the main attractions in Yellowstone; Mammoth Hot Springs.
Mammoth Hot Springs at about 9.00AM.
Mammoth Hot Springs quite a bit earlier -- at first light.
Mammoth Hot Springs detail. There's a reason why it's called a hot spring.