Yellowstone: A to Z

Yellowstone National Park was the world’s first National Park. It is located mostly in the State of Wyoming (USA). There are very few places in the world that are as diverse as the Yellowstone area. The names of the places in Yellowstone remind me of alphabet soup. It has everything from A to Z. While it took me some time to find and photograph each letter, I have finally completed my version of "Yellowstone:  A to Z".

“A” is for Artist Paint Pot. In 1884, it was named by geologist Walter Weed because the bright colorful mud reminded him of the artist’s palette.

View of Artist Paint Pot

“B” is for Biscuit Basin. In the 1880’s, this basin got its name from the knobby biscuit-like geyserite formations found in the area. Most of the biscuits were destroyed during the 1959 earthquake 

BIscuit Basin

“C” is for Cave Falls. Located in the southwestern quadrant of the Park, the falls are 20 feet high and 250 feet wide. In the early 1920’s these falls got their name because of their proximity to a small “cave”. Due to a rock slide, the cave is no longer accessible.

 View from cave (1989)

Cave Falls (2011)

“D” is for Daisy Geyser. On the average, Daisy erupts to heights of 60-75 feet with an average eruption lasting 3-5 minutes. Its predicted eruption times range between 2-3 hours.

Daisy Geyser

“E” is for Electric Peak. Located west of Mammoth, this 10,992’ high peak is part of the Gallatin Mountain Range..  

Electric Peak

“F” is for Fountain Paint Pot. Apparently, the mud springs here reminded early visitors of a vat of bubbling paint – a “paint pot”. In 1927, the name “Fountain Paint Pot” was officially accepted.  

Fountain Paint Pot

“G” is for Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. The canyon is 24 miles in length, 800-1,200 feet deep and up to 4,000 feet wide. I think Harry J. Norton (in 1872) best described the canyon by saying, “The subject is beyond the conception of the most vivid imagination. Language is to inadequate to express the unapproachable picture presented – the eye can only photograph the gorgeous scene.”

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River

“H” is for “The Hoodoos”. Not considered hoodoos in the traditional sense, they are actually large travertine limestone boulders that fell in a landslide from nearby Terrace Mountain. This area is full of these large boulders. Just off the main road (near Rustic Falls) is a short “U-shaped” paved road. This is a preserved portion of the 1899 stagecoach road passing through what is known as the Silver Gate. Here, these large boulders line both sides of the old road. It’s a quick and fun detour.

Hoodoos

The Hoodoos at Silver Gate

“I” is for Indian Pond. Located about three miles east of Fishing Bridge, this was also known as Squaw Lake. In 1981, Indian Pond became its official name.

Indian Pond

“J” is for Jupiter Terrace. In 1871, members of the first Hayden expedition named this terrace after the Roman god Jupiter. Like many thermal features, Jupiter Terrace displays cycles of activity. For instance, during our late 1980’s visit, the terrace was colorful with some water flowing over its ledges. It has been dry since 1992.   

 Jupiter Terrace (2010)

Jupiter Terrace (1987)

“K” is for Kepler Cascades. The cascades drop approximately 150 feet over multiple drops with the longest drop being 50 feet. The falls were named after 12-year old Kepler Hoyt who accompanied his father and a group of men in 1881 in search of a practical route into Yellowstone from the south.  

Kepler Cascades

“L” is for Lamar Valley. Located in the northeast corner of the park, Lamar Valley is the “go to” spot for wildlife watchers. The valley has been referred to as the Serengeti of America.   

Lamar Valley

“M” is for Mystic Falls. The Little Firehole River drops 70 feet to create the falls. The trail to Mystic Falls is located at the back of the Biscuit Basin near Avoca Spring. It is a 1.2 mile hike to the falls. From the falls, you have two options.  You can continue the loop trail for a total hike of three miles which includes climbing the steep hillside for another 350 feet elevation change or you can return the way you came for a total hike of 2.4 miles.  We have hiked both options. Near the end of the loop trail is a somewhat lofty view of the nearby geyser basins. We saw Old Faithful erupt from that point.

Mystic Falls

“N” is for Natural Bridge. With a span of 29 feet, this natural bridge of rhyolite rock was formed by frost and erosion. Located near the Lake area, the 1.2 mile (one way) hike follows an old road through a forest to the bridge. It was lightly raining when we started our hike. I’m guessing that is what allowed us to have the trail and bridge view to ourselves. 

Natural Bridge

“O” is for Old Faithful Geyser. Old Faithful is the iconic geyser of Yellowstone National Park. Considered one of the “must see” things in Yellowstone, it was named in 1870 for its regular eruptions, However, it does not erupt every 60 minutes. Over the years, vandalism and trash have clogged the geyser’s tube disrupting the eruption pattern. Still it is regular enough and accessible enough for visitors to gather and wait and watch as the famous geyser erupts 130 feet (average eruption height) into the air.

Old Faithful Geyser

“P” is for Petrified Tree. Located 1.5 miles east of Tower Junction, this now fenced-in specimen was one of two such petrified trees here. Unfortunately, the other tree was the victim of souvenir seekers who destroyed it piece by piece. Today, the fence and the law (which prohibits the removal of such items from the Park) now protect the remains of this petrified tree.  

Petrified Tree

“Q” is for Queen’s Laundry. In 1880, a road (Old Fountain Trail) was being built. Workers discovered an area in the nearby hot springs that was cool enough for bathing and doing laundry. In 1881, the construction of a two-room bath house began but it was never completed. The ruins of that building still exist.  On July 25, 2001, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Queen's Laundry

“R” is for Roaring Mountain. In 1885, this landmark was aptly named Roaring Mountain. Located on the main park road about five miles north of Norris Geyser Basin, this mountain once “roared” loud and proud. Today, it appears to be inactive.

Roaring Mountain

“S” is for Soda Butte. This extinct hot spring cone is located in Lamar Valley and is easily seen from the main park road.  

Soda Butte

“T” is for Tuff Cliff. This rock bluff was named in 1920 because it is made of compacted volcanic ash known as tuff.  

Tuff Cliff

“U” is for Union Falls. Undine Falls might have been the more accessible choice to feature here, However, I wanted to share Union Falls with you. Located in the southwest quadrant of the Park, it is the second highest waterfall (250 feet) in Yellowstone (the Lower Falls are 308 feet). According to my 1989 trip notes, it was a 16 mile (round trip) day hike requiring us to ford a couple of streams. We hit the trail early … and so did about 100 boy scouts. It was a long day but the falls were worth seeing. Back then, our cameras weren’t able to capture the entire waterfall in one image. We had to take two pictures to showcase the entire waterfall.

Union Falls

“V” is for Virginia Cascade. This 60-foot long sloping cascade is located about two miles east of Norris.  Since this was America's first National Park, it was suggested that some of the features in the park be named after different states of the Union. In 1886, the name “Virginia Cascade” was made official. Today, the full view of the cascades can not be seen from the road.

Virginia Cascades

“W” is for White Dome Geyser. Located on Firehole Lake Drive (near Great Fountain Geyser), this 12-foot geyserite cone can erupt as high as 30 feet with a duration of about two minutes. The interval between eruptions range from 15 minutes to three hours. When we arrived on the scene, White Dome was nearing the end of its eruption cycle. We haven’t seen it erupt before or after that visit.

White Dome Geyser

“X” is for … okay I’m gonna take a little liberty here - Xanterra Parks & Resorts. They are the authorized concessionaire of the National Park Service and have a long-time history with Yellowstone National Park operating the lodging facilities, restaurants, campgrounds, and providing activities and tours.

Xanterra Sign

Another thought is a cheater “X” - eXcelsior Geyser Crater. During the 1880’s, this geyser was famous for its awesome eruptions (up to 300 feet high). Located in the Midway Geyser Basin, this large crater had thick clouds of steam constantly swirling around it during our visit.   

eXcelsior Geyser Crater

One last thought for the letter "X" … Yellowstone got its name from the yellow-colored rocks found in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. So what if we recognize the yellow colors found in the rocks and hot springs that make up Yellowstone National Park? I like using the Greek word for yellow – Xanthos.

Xanthos-Colored Run-Off near Imperial Geyser

“Y” is for Yellowstone Lake   At 7,732 feet above sea level, it is the largest lake in North America above 7,000 feet. It is 20 miles long and 14 miles wide with 110 miles of shoreline making it one of the world’s largest natural fresh water lakes. Its average depth is 140 feet but plunges to a depth of at least 320 feet in the West Thumb area. Warning – the lake water is cold all year.

Yellowstone Lake at West Thumb Geyser Basin

“Z” is for Zygomatic Arch. This small arch is located in the Biscuit Basin (near Avoca Spring at the back of the Basin).  

Zygomatic Arch

Because I have so many favorite areas in Yellowstone, it was difficult for me to pick just one place to represent each letter. This alphabetic photo scavenger hunt was a fun way to learn about Yellowstone’s special places.

I invite you to view my other blog posts on Yellowstone by clicking on the following links:
Introduction to Yellowstone: Basic Park Highlights
Yellowstone: A Geyser Gazers Guide for the Upper Basin
Yellowstone: It's Cookin' in the Biscuit Basin
Yellowstone: Touring the Black Sand Basin
Backpacking Yellowstone: Quiet Wild Moments
Yellowstone: A Ton of Fun at the Canyon

Hiking Yellowstone: Fairy Falls & Imperial Geyser
Yellowstone Scenic Drive: Firehole Canyon
Yellowstone Scenic Drive: Firehole Lake
Yellowstone: Fountain Paint Pot Nature Trail
Yellowstone: Mammoth Hot Springs is Really Cool (Upper Terrace)
Yellowstone: Mammoth Hot Springs are Really Cool (Lower Terraces)
Yellowstone: Fountain Flat Drive & Beyond
Yellowstone: Hell's Half Acre
Hiking Yellowstone: Monument Geyser Basin
Yellowstone: Mud Volcano - Stop and Smell the ... Sulfur?
Hiking Yellowstone: NW Corner - More Space; Less Crowded
Norris Geyser Basin: Back Basin - Some Like It Hot
Norris Geyser Basin: Porcelain Basin - Some Like It Hot
West Thumb Geyser Basin: Two Thumbs Up
Whatta Falls - Waterfalls in Yellowstone NP

For short but informative videos about Yellowstone National Park, I recommend checking out the National Park Service's video series titled "Inside Yellowstone" by clicking on the following link:

Inside Yellowstone Videos