But our stay in the Lodge was unforgettable. We were on the edge of our seat later that summer when the fires went directly into the Old Faithful area and nearly burned the lodge down. Had that happened, we would have lost a truly great national treasure. Heading north on the GLR, the road follows the Firehole River and through the Midway and Lower Geyser Basins. Geysers eject hot water into the river at varying intervals, making the land seem very unfriendly.
Boardwalks allow visitors to get close to the geysers without being in much danger.
However, the thin crust here makes any travel off the boardwalks unwise. The Norris Geyser Basin is located up the road from the Firehole River geyser basins. Continuing north to Mammoth Hot Springs, the GLR enters the Yellowstone National Park headquarters. Gardiner, Montana, is located just north of here along U.S. 89, but the GLR turns east toward Cooke City. Near here, U.S. 212 leaves the GLR toward Billings, while the GLR turns south.