Our next destination was an attraction that’s just as famous as Old Faithful – Mammoth Hot Springs. Our navigator charted us a scenic drive following the grand loop northwest of Yellowstone National Park. The site was well marked on the map and there were several other interesting attractions nearby.

We woke up late and tired. The room was warm and cozy. It was very tempting to just stay under the covers the whole day. The cold bite, easily felt from outside, was surprisingly pleasant. A quick shower washed off the fog from our heads and we had our spirits back again.

We reached the edge of Fort Yellowstone after driving and following the gently winding road. The fort sits beside the Mammoth Hot Springs area and has been instrumental in preserving it during the early years of development. The trailheads started next to the parking lots and offered different options to reach the top of the hot springs. Walking the wooden walkways was easy were it not for the stairs as it snaked its way to the top.

That was where we were headed – the top of the hot springs where cooled, mineralized water flowed and formed the mounds. Bacterial growth in the hot springs made the mineralized deposits colorful. The continuous flow of mineralized water created the terraced landscape and flowing mounds. Geological movements diverted the water flow and shifted the mound formation in several places.

It was fascinating to see the multicolored, mineralized deposits at different areas of the hot springs. It was either flowing and multicolored or terraced and multicolored. White (bleached?) mineralized deposits seemed to indicate areas where the hot springs stopped flowing.

We ran out of time walking around the hot springs. The area was too big to cover with our limited time. There were other attractions to see hence we moved on. We realized that we have to plan better, for next time, if ever.