Mammoth Days

I spent the last few days in Yellowstone at the Mammoth Hot Springs campground. It is the only campground in the park that is open year round. I've never really been impressed with the hot springs. The formations are interesting having been formed by hot spring pools. But I remember coming here with my parents and having the hot spring spilling over creating the formations. Now the springs are mostly dried up. Even so, there are some nice adventures to be had in the northern portions of the park. A couple were particularly fun for me.

There is one spot which is not even mentioned in any of the park literature. It has a very small parking lot with no other parking allowed anywhere close. There is no sign to let you know what is there. If you not a local, or happen to catch it in one of the trail books, you would miss one of the better attractions in the area.

So, what is it you ask?

A mile long trail which leads to the Boiling River. The river is short, just a few hundred feet long, that comes out from underground and flows into the Gardner River. And it is scalding hot!! But where it flows into the river, it mixes with the river water and is very nice. There are maybe five pools folks have made by piling up rocks. The evening I was there, the parking lot was full and there were maybe 30 people in the pools, plus a herd of elk grazing right next to them. Can you imagine what it would be like in the summer if the park service even slightly mentioned this spot. I'm glad they have kept it “under wraps” so to speak. And I'm glad I found it. It was good for the old body and soul.

OK, I admit it. This picture is a fraud. It's not the hot springs I'm talking about. No soaking here. But it is the Yellowstone River. You get the idea.

I went on several hikes while in the area, a bicycle ride that nearly did me in (it involved a very long climb with some steep decends) and I even tried my hand at fishing again.

This is the Garnder River Canyon from the bicycle trail. You can't see this canyon from any road.

Beaver ponds along on the trails I hiked

I was fishing down there but left when the big bull bison ( the black spot up the beach) decided he wanted to share the beach with me. These other two fellows passed me coming out. They said the bison was there all the time and didn't bother anyone. SURE!