The area around Canyon is famous for two waterfalls . They are creatively named Upper Falls and Lower Falls. Lower Falls drops 309 feet. The falls are on the Yellowstone River, not some little trickle. The main viewing area is known as Artists Point. There is a huge parking area near the falls and a very short paved walk to see Lower Falls. There are other trails for falls viewing. We did all of them one day. As was my routine, on days that we went to touristy areas, we got up especially early to beat the crowds.
One of the trails we did, drops down into the canyon on a set of 600 stairs. I didn't believe it was that many on the way down so I counted them on the way up. Climbing the equivalent of 60 stories,I found out the number was correct
The river going through the 24 mile long Grand Canyon. It was a beautiful shade of aqua
Much closer. This picture was taken very early. We had to use the flash because the light was still not very strong
Right above Lower Falls on the Brink of the Falls Trail.
The Hot Springs at Mammoth pour out of the ground filled with minerals. As the water evaporates the minerals settle. After time they build up into really neat formations. Of the natural wonders, I thought the Mammoth Hot Spring was the neatest. Although right off the main park road, these springs were not very crowded. There were far fewer buses and tourists, I don't know why. They may not be as spectacular as a 300 foot waterfall or as famous as Old Faithful, but what they lack in grandeur, they made up for in uniqueness.
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| Different minerals, different colored formations |
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| A close up of a formation |
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| Trees were growing here until a new hot spring formed killing them off |
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| These formation formed by the evaporation of mineral filled water are huge |
The town of Mammoth has an elk herd that lives there. They hang out in the town common. They are not pets or fenced in, they choose to live there
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