Yellowstone National Park - South Loop

The following day I toured the south loop.

I present the first two photos to show the difference my camera was to process with the settings I experimented with the night before.  I am pleased with the results.

A pelican and another water bird.

A hot spring.

There are signs up all over the place telling you not to approach the wildlife.  Here, this elk walked right up to me and another guy just to my left.  It had wandered with another from the treeline to this area which was pretty bleak.

The visitor center at Old Faithful.

When I was younger I took a bunch of pictures of Old Faithful and I didn't like any of them.  I don't think they capture the experience.  Consequently, I didn't take many pictures of the eruption.  This is the one I like the most.

A bluebird.

At Grand Prismatic Spring.  From where I was at, the steam rising looked like it had different colors.  You can sort of see it here.  

Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in the United States.  

While the boardwalk gets you up close, the view is fairly flat.  Just south of this area, there is another parking area.  From there you can hike to an overlook of Grand Prismatic Spring.  The hike takes you to an area near the center of the screen.  I would have liked to have made the hike, but the parking lot is small and it was full.

A small geyser that seemed to be erupting continuously.

Runoff from the pool where the above geyser was.

A herd of bison.  Here's the thing about bison.  When you first get to the park, you're like "Oh look, a bison!"  After you're there a day or so when you see a lone bison, you think to yourself, "Meh, its only one."  The herds, small as they are, are impressive.

Here, oncoming traffic was stopped.  I cut across to the turnout that was on the other side of the road.  I was the first one to do so and was able to pull right to the front of the area.  I saw the herd was making it's way towards me so I just sat in my car and read as they approached, taking the occasional picture.  Once they go closer, I stepped out and took a few pictures.

This guy headed right for me.  By this time they were close enough I had gotten back in my car.

He stopped and grazed for a couple of minutes and then ran up the hill towards my car.  I thought he was going to actually charge the car, but at the last moment he turned and passed about 3 feet in front of my car.

Some calves.

Dead trees.

This area is just above the picture below.

This is a popular fishing area.

Along the roadside.