Yellowstone Lamar Valley area

On our fourth day in Yellowstone National Park we visited the Lamar Valley area, all the way to just before the northeast entrance, then over to Mammoth Hot Springs, and around the upper loop:

Bison:

Bison

Tower Falls:

Tower Falls

Tower Falls

Tower Falls

Tower Falls

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Bison in Lamar Valley:

Bison in Lamar Valley

Bison in Lamar Valley

Bison in Lamar Valley

NE Entrance Road:

NE Entrance Road

Bison in Lamar Valley:

Bison in Lamar Valley

Bison in Lamar Valley

Bison in Lamar Valley

Elk in Mammoth:

Elk in Mammoth

Mammoth terraces:

Mammoth terraces

Waterfall:

Waterfall

Sheepeater Cliff:

Sheepeater Cliff

Bison strolling on the road:

Bison strolling on the road

Elk:

Elk

Bison:

Bison

Yellowstone Midway area

On our third day in Yellowstone National Park we visited the Midway area, specifically Fountain Paint Pots and Grand Prismatic Spring, with a spot of shopping in Canyon and a picnic dinner at the Firehole River Picnic Area beforehand. Here’s our route, going around the lower loop counter-clockwise:

Bison jam:

Bison jam

Bison

Bison

Bison

Fountain Paint Pots:

Fountain Paint Pots

Fountain Paint Pots

Fountain Paint Pots

Fountain Paint Pots

Fountain Paint Pots

We were standing around the junction of the boardwalk when Jenn spotted a bison approaching, grazing the grass, so we retreated to a safe distance (unlike those people, who are a bit too close):

Bison

Rather old and scrawny:

Bison

Fountain Paint Pots

Fountain Paint Pots

Fountain Paint Pots

Midway Geyser Basin:

Midway Geyser Basin

Midway Geyser Basin

Midway Geyser Basin

Midway Geyser Basin

Rather too misty to get a good view:

Midway Geyser Basin

Midway Geyser Basin

Midway Geyser Basin

Midway Geyser Basin

Midway Geyser Basin

Yellowstone Norris area

On our second day in Yellowstone National Park we visited the Norris area. We had actually planned to visit the Madison area, but it was a bit busy still, so we continued up to Norris, with a picnic nearby then a walk around the Porcelain Basin of Norris. Here’s our route, going around the lower of the two main loops in a clockwise direction:

A bison on the side of the road:

A bison on the side of the road

Picnic dinner at the Norris Meadows Picnic Area:

Picnic dinner at the Norris Meadows Picnic Area

Norris Meadows

Norris Meadows

Norris Geyser Basin:

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin

Yellowstone Canyon area

We seem to visit Yellowstone National Park every couple of years: we stayed in a rental trailer in 2021, stayed for a couple of weeks in our coach in 2023, and here we are visiting for nine days in 2025.

This time, we just concentrated on our favorite locations, for the most part, visiting different areas each day, or more accurately each evening after work during the week.

On our first evening, we visited the Canyon area. Here’s our route:

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone:

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Wind Cave National Park

We visited Wind Cave National Park again; the previous time, back in 2023, the elevator to the cave was broken, so we were unable to do a tour (but the surface stuff is good too).

This time we were able to do a cave tour: the Garden of Eden tour. This is a one-hour, quarter mile tour (their easiest option), featuring boxwork, frostwork, flowstone and cave popcorn.

Visitor Center

Cave tours:

Cave tours

Cave map:

Cave map

Heading into the elevator, about seven people at a time:

Heading into the elevator

Waiting for everyone in an airlock at the bottom of the elevator:

Airlock at the bottom of the elevator

Exploring the cave:

Wind Cave

Exploring the cave

Wind Cave

Wind Cave

Wind Cave

Wind Cave

Wind Cave

Wind Cave

Wind Cave

Wind Cave

Wind Cave

Wind Cave

Wind Cave

Wind Cave

Wind Cave

Wind Cave

Back to the elevator:

Back to the elevator

Model of the cave tours in the visitor center:

Model of the cave tours in the visitor center

Conditions at the cave mouth; neglegible wind:

Conditions at cave mouth; neglegible wind

The little hole of wind:

The little hole of wind

Not the most impressive cave, but still more interesting than Mammoth Cave.

Crooked River State Park trails

While staying in Crooked River State Park in Saint Marys, Georgia, we enjoyed frequent walks in the park.

Trail map:

Trail map

Info sign:

Info sign

Info sign

Alligator country:

Alligator country

River:

River

Trail:

Trail

Trail

Tortoise:

Tortoise

Another trail:

Trail

Nature center:

Nature center

Nature center

Nature center

Nature center

Boardwalk trail without a boardwalk:

Trail

The trail was somewhat flooded, but we did it anyway:

Flooded trail

Observation tower:

Observation tower

Swampy:

Swampy

The boardwalk has been removed:

Boardwalk removed

Flooded trail

Pond:

Pond

A nice park.