Black Dragon's Cauldron

If you could take just one photo: Yellowstone National Park

The euro-van in front of us slows and puts on their flashers. As we come along side them to pass, the grin on the drivers face gives us pause. “Grizz!” he shouts out the window. I, not sure what he shouted at us, wonder why my boyfriend is now slowing down as well. He taps my shoulder and I look left. On the embankment above there is a grizzly bear and her cub. We stop, windows down, watching as the two climb slowly down the embankment and cross the road between our two cars. She pays us no mind. Yellowstone National Park sees enough visitors to not give her cause for alarm, but we were still, just watching quietly as she and her young one wandered off into the meadow below.

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If you could take just one photo: Yellowstone National Park

On the scenic drive from the East Entrance to the Fishing Bridge, there is a little turnoff leading up to a site known as Lake Butte. When you drive the short distance up to the lookout, keep alert as the area is ripe for viewing an eagle, marmot, deer, bison, or bear. At the top, get out and stretch your legs with an easy hike up the hill. On a sunny day from this vantage point you can see all of Yellowstone Lake to the Grand Tetons and the Gallatin Range that crosses into Montana. With the help of a guide or the posted signs, you can tentatively identify sections of the caldera that outline the center of the volcano, reminding you how truly tiny you are in the grand design.

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If you could take just one photo: Yellowstone National Park

After a long day of being amazed at the wonders in Yellowstone National Park, stop in at Moose Falls for a quick rejuvenating dip. With a glistening waterfall carving an inviting pool that trickles into a small stream, the site is perfect for a family dip or a romantic adventure. The pool is deep in the middle with a gradual cropping of rocks framing it. Don’t be too surprised if you spot a trout enjoying the cool water with you. Moose Falls is located on the South Entrance Road and is marked only by a small wooden name plate. It is a little known treasure; crowds will be non-existent, and you may even luck out and have it all to yourself!

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The Native Americans feared it, calling it the Dragon’s Mouth, named for the boiling, liquid tongue that flicks from within, catching unwary onlookers off guard. The geyser, near the Black Dragon’s Cauldron in the Mud Volcano area of Yellowstone National Park, continues its centuries-old belching of steam. Most disconcerting is the howl or growl that precedes the eruption of the flickering tongue of water, as if the angry dragon was giving warning to those who dared tread near its lair. Don’t touch the water! It’s boiling and filled with the vile excrement of its inhabitant. (Okay, so it’s only boiling, but it looks nasty!)

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