You Smell Like a Geyser Basin

Another feature in Yellowstone that is practically unmatched anywhere else in the world is it's collection of geysers, and other thermal features. They are magnificent to view along side the road. You can see the steam coming up on the horizon as you drive along the roads leading you around the park.

As we get out of the car to view them up close, we are greeted with the "sweet" scent of hydrogen sulfide gas. The kids didn't care for the rotten egg smell and tried to cover their noses as we walked the trails around several different geyser basins. And so we coined the phrase, "you smell like a geyser basin" instead of "you stink."

Sulphur Caldron along the Yellowstone River

Bubbling Mud or Paint Pot

Cone

Spring

Grand Prismatic Spring

The colors and intensity of these sights is not easy to put into words. The pools of azure color water look so inviting, but would be dangerous to touch. The heat coupled with the low oxygen content make it difficult for most living creatures to survive here except the smallest bacteria and algae that contribute to the colors in this picture.