Don't go chasing waterfalls? That's bollocks, TLC... #14

From May, 2015

We drove for 12 hours out of the state and through Idaho until we reached Wyoming; the state in which the Yellowstone National Park mainly lies. We stopped in the west of Idaho and Idaho Falls for lunch and dinner respectively and visited the town fair in the friendly, western town of Jackson in Wyoming. On the drive we experienced an array of extraordinary terrain including a snowy mountain range, deserted countrysides and never-ending rivers, as well as powerful winds, torrential rain, thunder and lightning, land-covering snow and blistering sun. What was to come was by far the greatest natural phenomenon I have ever experienced and I would thoroughly recommend going out of your way to experience it. Seeing a double rainbow en route was the perfect beginning for two days of natural beauty.

We arrived at the first viewpoint and a storm was brewing. On went the raincoat, under the coat went the camera, and round the neck went the binoculars. Although eventually pointless, my parents’ National Trust binoculars instantly made me feel like an extremely brave and well-travelled explorer. We climbed down as far as we could towards the bottom of the canyon and were inches away from touching the beautiful flowing waterfall.

Next up: the Great Canyon of Yellowstone. Although what we had seen already was exceptional, we still felt that there was more. The rebellious side of Rodney came out and we lifted the barriers reading ‘CAUTION! DO NO ENTER! YOU WILL DEFINITELY DIE!’ and we strode through the off-limits area – with our really brave hats on – leading south to the river. Ok, ok, but it did say not to enter. 

As we walked, we couldn't work out why it was restricted. I thought perhaps it was due to the huge rocks that kept falling by our feet but Rodney feared it was home to a bear – one of whom we had already spotted in the park. Either way, we were aware how brave we were and knew how few people would dare risking their lives in this way. Somehow we lived through it and reached the end and saw the greatest sight I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. We were just a few feet from this exquisite waterfall (it s**t all over the last one) running into the river of the canyon and finally – and perhaps more importantly, for the first time in my life – I was pleased to have met the usually useless, unreliable Rodney.

Back to the car and we drove on to experience horrific traffic getting through the park. Thirty minutes went by and we were gaining no speed. What could possibly be the hold up you wonder? Bloody bison in the road. We had seen them in the fields whilst driving along before from afar, but this was something else. Loads of the buffalo-related, furry, American creatures, crossing the road and taking up a whole direction of traffic. They were pretty darn blissful to watch I must say…

The exceptional Grand Prismatic Spring (aka the rainbow pool) displayed an incredible array of colours – as suggested – and is proudly the largest hot spring in USA and third largest in the world. The great geysers of the park were up next, and we didn't want to see just any geyser, but the Old Faithful Geyser which erupts roughly every 94 minutes. Time was ticking and we were sceptical whether this geezer was having us on…the name would've fooled us. Soon our reliable friend delivered and the beautiful eruption of water and steam rose to up to 56m (185 ft). Follow this with seeing the largest active geyser in the world; the Steamboat Geyser, and we left more than fulfilled enough to move on from one of the greatest natural phenomenons on the planet.