7/6: The 'Grand' Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone!

Earlier that July day, Steven and I spent several hours mostly exploring the phenomenal travertine terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs near the northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Then, after meandering down the park's road toward Norris via Obsidian Cliff and Roaring Mountain, we headed east toward the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone located approximately in the center of the park.

To get a sense of the magnitude of this 'Grand Canyon,' here's some scientific background. About 640,000 years ago, a huge volcanic eruption occurred in the park, emptying a large underground chamber of partially molten rock or magma with volcanic ash spreading for thousands of miles. As the roof of the chamber slowly collapsed, a giant caldera was formed 30 miles across, 45 miles long. The caldera began to fill with lava and sediments. Infilling of lava flows continued for thousands of years. Scientists believe the oldest Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone formed in rock and sediments from 160,000 to 140,000 years ago. It wasn't as deep, wide, or long as the canyon we all see now. The Yellowstone River eroded weakened rocks to deepen and widen the canyon, a process that is still occurring. 

We drove initially along the one-way North Rim Drive south of Canyon Junction so we could access four views of the canyon. At the Brink of Upper Falls overlook, we glimpsed the 109-foot falls from paved trails at the top. The large rocks upstream from Upper Falls were remnants of a lava flow resistant to erosion.

Can you spot the double rainbows? We were pretty excited about seeing them as it had been a long time since our last ones!

Driving the short distance to the South Rim Drive, we found a parking spot so we could hike and observe different aspects of the canyon’s power, color, and geology.

We'd hoped to hike down Uncle Tom's Trail, a metal staircase that would take us about 500 feet below the canyon rim to an amazing view of the Lower Falls but the trail was closed, unfortunately. The trail was named after H. F. Richardson, known as Uncle Tom by his contemporaries, who had engineered a trail and pioneered a guiding service in 1898 to lead Yellowstone visitors into the canyon. 

It was fun reading that Uncle Tom Richardson used to row his guests across the river in calm upstream waters, then lead them through the woods to the canyon rim, and then down his trail of wooden ladders and rope handrails to the mists of the Lower Falls. Finally, after a steep ascent, Uncle Tom served his guests a campfire supper before rowing them back across the river. How adventurous the park's early visitors must have been to participate in such an outing!

Since seeing some of the most famous falls in the world, Steven and I have always been suckers for falls and the falls flowing into the Yellowstone River didn't disappoint us. 

Another overlook with a magnificent, full-on view of the falls:

Since a buffalo on the trail had made it impossible for us to hike in another area of the park the day before, we were excited at the chance to hike to the end of the Canyon to Artists' Point on the South Rim Trail. 

These fascinating rock formations were called hoodoos!

I learned that the nearly 1,200-foot deep canyon was forever growing longer, deeper, and wider. Water erosion and not glaciation had sculpted the canyon.

The multi-hued rocks of the canyon result from the hydrothermally altered rhyolite and sediments. Still-active hydrothermal features, water, wind, and earthquakes continue to change the canyon.

We could spot hikers across the canyon from us on the North Rim of the canyon.

It was easy to see why Artists' Point had come by its name and has also become one of the most photographed views in Yellowstone. Framed by the canyon walls with forests for a backdrop, the Yellowstone River thundered 308 feet over Lower Falls. 

On his first view of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, 19th-century painter Thomas Moran declared Artists' Point to be "Beyond the Reach of Human Art." That seemed to be an accurate description as words like sublime and breathtaking failed to do justice to the breadth of colors in the canyon. If you're interested in the science of the canyon, the canyon walls were comprised of rhyolitic lava and tuff which had been altered by hydrothermal action. The heat, fractures, and hydrothermal fluids had softened the rhyolite so that, over centuries, the landscape had eroded into fantastic hoodoos, inspiring both artists and visitors!

You can get a sense of the South Rim trail here. Though paved, it was very steep in spots which I wasn't wild about as we headed back uphill to the car as we'd already walked/hiked a good 15,000 steps that day and ended up with another 4,000 steps.

The buffalo was dusty from switching its tail near the trail!

Once back on the North Rim Drive, we stopped at the aptly named Lookout Point for an idyllic view of the Lower Falls. The 308-foot Lower Falls may have formed because the river flows over volcanic rock more resistant to erosion than the downstream rocks, which were hydrothermally altered. 

It turned out there were other pullouts we could have stopped at along the drive but it was hard to think they could possibly be any better than what we'd just viewed and experienced. However, the name of Inspiration Point did entice us to stop for these last views of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone! 

On our way back to our hotel way up in Gardiner, Montana, we stopped to admire Bunsen Peak which was named for German chemist Robert Bunsen. He studied geysers and invented the bunsen burner we all used in high school! Someday it might be fun to hike up to the peak's 1,300-foot summit for some glorious panoramic views of Swan Lake Flat and the Yellowstone River Vally. 

Another view of the Golden Gate Canyon that we'd first stopped at that morning: I was curious to see even more falls while we still had the chance! 

The almost infinite number of awe-inspiring sights at Yellowstone National Park continued to amaze us on our last full day in the park. If you love seeing buffalo and bears, Yellowstone is the place for you. If you like seeing world-class travertine terraces, Yellowstone is the park for you. If you like to watch, with mouths agape, some of the biggest and grandest geysers in the world, head straight to Yellowstone. If you relish a hike amid drop-dead scenery, Yellowstone will thrill you. If you like falls and canyons, I guarantee that Yellowstone will not disappoint!

Next post: We didn't want to bid adieu to Yellowstone without a stop at West Thumb Geyser Basin en route to Grand Teton National Park! 

Posted on December 4th, 2020, from a gloriously warm and sunny day west of Denver. I hope that you and your loved ones are safe and connected as the numbers of coronavirus cases are spiraling upward.