YELLOWSTONE THEN AND NOW

In 1981 we had just moved from Canada to California. We spent every available weekend and holiday, traveling in our VW camper, visiting the National Parks, some on our doorstep and some further away. In the late summer we went to Yellowstone.

This summer 28 years later, our eldest son, standing next to his dad, traveled from Taiwan with his wife and daughter to join us on a return visit to Yellowstone .

There are two faces to Yellowstone park. The stinky, smelly, barren landscape with mud pots and fumaroles of hissing steam.

And the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone river with crashing pounding waters and rugged walls capped with fir trees.

This is the photograph we took this year

Here is the one I took in 1981. Not much difference.

We stayed in the Madison Campground which is close to the west entrance to the park. Our granddaughter toasted marshmallows.

From the this location we headed out to visit all the different features in the park.

Emerald Pool in Black Sand Basin.

Boiling water flowing into Firehole River.

In 1981 the buffalo stampeded across the field.

This time we only saw them peacefully grazing the lush summer grass.

Even in the more barren parts of the park wildflowers were growing. Here the fringed gentian, designated the official Yellowstone Park flower.

Hare bells.

We waited at Old Faithful for the show!

We stood well back from the crowds as the geyser blew.

At Mammoth Hot Springs we donned our sunglasses to view the blindingly white travertine formations.

Fishing Cone, at the West Thumb at the West Thumb Geyser basin on Yellowstone Lake, photographed in 1981.

Just a taste of all the wonders that await the visitors to Yellowstone National Park.