The rain from the previous night continued into the early next morning. It was cold & wet when we awoke, the pitter patter of the water on our tent’s canvas walls singing like a lullaby & begging us to return to our warm sleeping bag. However, this was our last day in Yellowstone National Park, & we wanted to make the most of it.
Our first stop of the day was Mount Washburn. It was a long drive from our campsite, & by the time we reached the trailhead, the rain had stopped. We laced up our hiking boots, shrugged on our jackets, & began the trek up the mountain.
It was a chilly hike up, but the continual upward grade of the trail had us shedding layers after only a few minutes. All the while, we gazed around us at the breathtaking views of forested mountains illuminated by the warm glow of the early morning sun. As we walked, we heard an elk call through the trees, & we stopped for a few minutes, our breath hanging in front of us, hoping to hear the majestic sound again.
The clouds began to part just as we neared the summit. As we stepped onto the mountain peak, we were gifted with beautiful, clear blue skies & a gorgeous view of the valley below. Surrounding us on all sides were tall mountain peaks & fluffy white clouds. We had just enough time to take a few photos before the dark clouds rolled in again, obscuring our view.
The hike back down the mountain went by faster than the trek up. As we walked, we were met by a group of middle school-aged kids, who we recognized as the group we had crossed paths with just a few days earlier. The same kid from the Fairy Falls hike looked at us, caught sight of Joseph’s Colorado hat, & asked once again,
“Are you from Colorado?”
“Nope,” Joseph said again, grinning.
“Wait, I feel like we asked them that before!” the kid next to him exclaimed.
“She has a Maryland hat!” another kid exclaimed. Joseph & I laughed down the mountain. It was such a simple encounter, but the chances of running into the same kids for a second time, now on the last day of our trip in Yellowstone, felt almost fortuitous.
After we finished our hike, we headed to Tower Fall for lunch. The overlook did not provide much of a view – we could just barely make out the distant falls through the foliage of the trees. Joseph & I gazed at the plummeting water for a moment before we could evade our hunger no longer. We grabbed our food from the car & set up at a nearby picnic table for some much needed sustenance.
Since we had some extra time to spare, we decided to visit the Mammoth Hot Springs. Much of the area is still closed due to flooding, but the area around the springs is thankfully reopened for visitors.
As soon as we arrived, I was grateful we had come. The Mammoth Hot Springs are unlike anything I have ever seen. White & orange rock cascaded down like water, glistening in the sun’s light. We learned the incredible colors of the springs have been created over thousands of years as the hot water from the geothermal springs cooled & deposited calcium carbonate.
Walking around the springs, it felt as if we had traveled somewhere else in the galaxy rather than just another spot in Yellowstone. If I had seen photos of the white & orange landscape with barren trees poking out of the surface, it would not have taken any convincing to make me believe I was looking at Mars or another distant planet in our solar system.
The hike itself is not one I would recommend. We took the Mammoth Terraces & Upper Terrace Loop Trail, & it led us over the service road around the park, which had quite a bit of elevation & no shoulder for us to walk. We were constantly on edge as cars came flying down the hill we were climbing. By the end of the hike, we were hot & tired & had unfortunately seen very little of the actual attraction.
After our hike, we drove back to our campsite to shower & buy some wine. This was our final night in Wyoming, & we wanted to celebrate. We drove back to our spot on Yellowstone Lake from previous day, laid out our towels & relaxed. We ate dinner & drank our wine, watching the sun set & the ducks swim in the serene, still lake. When the sky grew dark, we returned to our campsite to make s’mores.
Just as we were scraping the marshmallows from out sticks with graham crackers & chocolate, the sky opened. Thunder rolled over our heads as rain poured down. We hurriedly doused our fire in water, grabbed our pajamas & dove into our tent. Soaked, laughing & happily eating our gooey, sweet s’mores, we leaned back with satisfied sighs.
Our Yellowstone adventure has come to an end. I have never seen anything like the colorful springs & explosive geysers we saw on this trip. Everywhere we went in the park, there was something new to see, & I was amazed by just how variable the landscape was. From geysers to waterfalls to tall mountains, there was always something new to see & explore.
The trip is not over, but this chapter is finished. Thank you Yellowstone for the adventure. Walking on this ancient land, it felt much like traversing into a different time. Often on our trips, we get to connect with locals & other travelers, & we always deliberately try to learn about where we are visiting & the people that live there. But Yellowstone connected us to something deeper – a rich history & a place where many have stepped on the land before us. Yellowstone was the first National Park to exist, & I can only hope that it will continue to be a special place for people to visit for generations.
The world is growing hotter, & Yellowstone is no exception. Because of the pollution of the world, & the unfortunate deliberate pollution of some visitors, the park’s springs & geysers already look much different than they did before. Species of animals, such as the ptarmigan, have been forced to move because of the hotter temperature. It is not often we are able to directly look at the effects of global warming, but visiting Yellowstone gave us a clear look at what our existence on this planet & the way we have treated it has affected other species & our home.
Making a change now won’t bring back the Yellowstone of 100 years ago. But it can ensure that Yellowstone National Park is still a place our children & grandchildren can one day visit. It can ensure that species of animals will not go extinct & the ecosystems unique to this park continue to thrive.
I am a strong believer that small changes make a big difference. No one person can stop global warming or save our planet, but when many of us incorporate just a few sustainable living practices into our daily lives, it can truly have an impact on a grander scale.
It’s been 150 years since Yellowstone was declared the world’s first national park. Let’s work together to make sure it remains the unique landmark it is for 150 more.