Y E L L O W S T O N E   -   D A Y   # 1

Thursday, August 5, 2004

This is the visitor center. At the center I talk with a park ranger and pick up detailed literature on the park's sights, attractions, and hikes.

After talking with a ranger about biking opportunities in the park and thinking about the park's narrow, shoulderless, traffic-filled roads, I decide that road biking is out of the question, it is just too dangerous. Additionally, it's illegal to mountain bike on any of the foot trails so mountain biking is a no-go as well. I have to make peace with my only two options, sight-seeing and hiking.

At the visitor center, for a small donation, I pick up these 7 sight trail guides to help me plan my Yellowstone activities. There are 7 major sight trails in the park to choose from and after browsing through all the literature I decide I'd do them all.

Here are all 7 sights in the order I will see them: 1) Mammoth Hot Springs, 2) Norris Geyser Basin, 3) Fountain Paint Pot, 4) Old Faithful Area, 5) West Thumb Geyser Basin, 6) Mud Volcano, 7) Canyon Area

Here's a petrified tree stump located near the visitor center's front entrance. Earlier when I walked in I absently thought it was just an ordinary tree stump but on the way out I take a closer look and discover its true nature. It just goes to show you, it pays to pay attention to things around you, especially when you find yourself in Yellowstone.

I end up buying a Yellowstone hiking book to help me identify interesting, challenging, and scenic hikes. After inquiring about hikes in the area I'm given the free yellow and blue fliers detailing popular hikes in the Mammoth and Towers areas of the park.