Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

A day at Norris

Tuesday August 16, 2011
Bridge Bay Campground
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

 

Today was Carrie’s final day with us and she wanted to go up
to the Norris Geyser Basin Trail.
But she also wanted
chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast.

So here they are, a couple of empty plates
(notice, not David’s)
on the STURDY table
and Carrie engaging in a family
favorite activity, watching what’s going on
with the neighbors.  :-)

 

Norris Geyser Basin (5) 

Here’s a shot of the campground for
those of you thinking you might
way to boon dock at Bridge Bay in Yellowstone.

 

Norris Geyser Basin

 

And then we were off toward the Lake Yellowstone
Hotel which we had wanted to see
and was on our way.
It was built in 1891
and is huge.  East and west wings.
It’s the same vintage as our farm house
and is the same color our house was for years.


Sign over the door says Yellowstone Hotel.
Name on the maps is Lake Hotel.
Sign in the yard in front says
Lake Yellowstone Hotel.

Wonder what that’s about??

 

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The lake view

 

Norris Geyser Basin (9) 

 

When we first entered the hotel, Carrie
turned to me and said
“You are going to like this, listen”.
And she was right.  There was a flute
maker playing the Native American Flute
in the lobby.  His flutes were beautiful
and very unusually shaped.  Some were made
out of flooring from both Mammoth Lodge
and the Lake Hotel taken
during their 1956 & 1919 renovations respectively. 
He said it had been very difficult to obtain the wood.

 


I like playing the Native American Flute and
would love to have one of his but
I already have 5 flutes in different keys and the full time
budget wouldn’t allow the expenditure of $325
for the one I would have chosen to buy.
One of the only benefits of those working days
was being able to to do these sorts of things.

 

Norris Geyser Basin (20)

 

Here are some other shots from inside the hotel
Just click the pictures to make them larger.

 

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Norris Geyser Basin (24)

 

We then went to visit the lodge.
More in our former price range before we were
driving our home with us.

 

Norris Geyser Basin (27)

 

Nice porch and chairs for relaxing on

Norris Geyser Basin (28)

 

overlooking the lake

Norris Geyser Basin (30)

 

Norris Geyser Basin (31)

 

Norris Geyser Basin (35)

 

Very relaxing atmosphere.
Maybe too relaxing,
is he nodding off??

 

Norris Geyser Basin (36)

 

Lake Village is quite close to Bridge Bay,
probably 5 miles or less.
But Norris is past Canyon Village
a total of about 28 miles from Lake so
we had to get on our way.

 

Lake Village to Canyon Village means crossing through
Hayden Valley.  The river and you know who are
always there.  Not quite so close to the car this time.

 

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First stop at Norris was the bookstore
(isn’t it cute)
to get my National Park Passport book stamped.
Forgot to do that at Old Faithful.  :-(
Just like a kid, I love seeing all the stamps!!

 

Norris Geyser Basin (40)

 

The museum at Norris is very interesting.
There is one room on each side and you walk
through the middle to get to the trails.

 

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For those of you who are totally tired
of looking at geysers, skip to the end from here.
Or stick around, Norris looks like
another world.

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Here’s a shot to show the boardwalk trail.

 

Norris Geyser Basin (76)

 

Norris is one of the most active earthquake areas
in the park, has many acidic geysers, which are rare in the
rest of the world and is home to Steamboat Geyser, the tallest active
geyser in the world.
In a comment to an earlier blog Nancy Mills
demonstrated an amazing memory when
she remembered from their trip in 2001
that Yellowstone park sits on top of
the caldera of its own volcano.
Yellowstone Caldera.
A fact I knew but had forgotten to mention.

 

I’ll just let Norris show itself off in a few of the 500+
pictures we took.

Norris Geyser Basin (72)

 

Norris Geyser Basin (71)

 

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Norris Geyser Basin (76)

 

 

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Norris Geyser Basin (82)

 

 

Norris Geyser Basin (101)

 

Norris Geyser Basin (118) 

Norris Geyser Basin (232)

 

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Norris Geyser Basin (245)

 

That’s all folks,
plane back to Baltimore tomorrow,
no more geysers, no more buffalo.

 

Norris Geyser Basin (205)

 

But NO, that’s not QUITE all.
On the road back through the Hayden Valley
to Winnona……..

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…. here he is almost in our shadow.

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You don’t suppose he’ll show up on the runway tomorrow do you??

8 comments:

  1. I never get tired of looking at geysers. The pictures we took at Yellowstone are the ones we look at most often. Glad you had a good visit.

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  2. Sorry to hear that it is Carrie's last day with you, but I'm sure she had a great time. I also think she is relieved to see that her parents escape from reality into full time RV life is working out well and they are keeping so busy, they don't have time to get into trouble! ;c)

    Love the geyser pix, happy to see them still letting off steam from that giant Yellowstone volcano. If they weren't, it would probably blow its top before I got to visit the park...

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  3. If you're going to be close to that runway tomorrow, Sherry, I wouldn't doubt he'd show up! :)

    Bet your visit with Carrie went so fast you can't believe it's over. She'll just have to put you on her calender and come visit next vacation!

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  4. Hi, Sherry and David,

    I've been on vacation to Myrtle Beach and am just catching up on these adventures. First, it is so nice to see Carrie! It appears that she had a great visit. What a blessing. Second, these geysers are amazing. I love the colors and y'all did a great job of picture taking. I know that it must have been a pain to go through them all, but really, these pictures are spectacular.

    I've been meaning to tell you that my sister, Gayle Trevillian, is also following your blog. I think that I've mentioned before that she and her husband, Tom, have traveled a lot in the western states and she would move us all out there if she thought we'd go. It has been particularly fun for her to see your pictures and your impressions of the places she's visited and to see new areas, too. She wanted me to pass that along to y'all. You have SO many blog admirers!

    Take care of yourselves and enjoy your next buffalo sighting! -- Pam

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  5. I love native American flute music and have almost bought my own flute several times now at western craft shows! Something else we have in common! are you sure we aren't related?

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  6. Such pretty views from the hotel and lodge, not to mention the lovely interior of each. More gorgeous pics -- particularly the one of Hayden Valley. It looks like a painting!

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  7. One of our all time favorite visits to Yellowstone included a stay at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel ... got to do these things while there is an income stream :-)

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  8. I'm way behind, but great post!!! It really captured the day. I miss it and you :)

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