The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-09-10
A TRIP THROUGH
YELLOWSTONE PARK

turned last week from a trip
the Yellowstone NatioUal
Park and by special request he gives
the readers Of The Recorder q pen
picture Of his impressions OF this
great wonder and pleasant incidents
Of their trip. You will find 1t both
instructive and entertaining.
The Yellowtone National Park is,
beyond doubt, one of the most inter-
esting places In the world for the
lover Of nature, and may we'll be call
ed 1.-THE paradise of the tourist and
the scientist Here, as In no other
place, Mother Earth is revealing to
man many Of the secrets of her
heart, which otherwise would remain
unknown. She Is painting pictures
more grand and beautiful than any
artist inthe world will ever be able TO
paint, and Is building castles that
no language can perfectly describe.
This wonderful park, located at the
top Of the continent with an eleva-
tion OF 5000 to 1900 feet has within
its boundary the source OF three of
the large rivers Of the United States
the Missouri, Yellowston. ana the
Columbia.
Entering at the Yellowstone sta
tion, on tue western boundary. you
drive along the left hank of the Mad
ison river, distance Of perhaps
twelve miles, where you reach the
fork Of the Gibbon and Firehole ris-
ers, which marks the spot where the
idea of National park was first con-
oeived in 1870, by explorers. The
park had been explored the previous
year, 1869, by three young men who
claimed the honor of discovery, oi
whom the present mayor of Salmon
is one. They remained In the region
about six weeks and saw much OF the
park.
Passing along the Firehole rivel
you arrive at the Lower Basin which
contains 693 hot springs and Il gey
sers. The first geyser We saw wal
the Fountain Geyser, which Is ouly
2, 600 feet from the hotel. The for
nation or deposits from this geysel
covers several acres which is usually
of dull gray color, much resembling
the deposit formed by boiling wateI
in = teAkettle. The crater 10 sbou
80 feet In diameter and throws IT.
water from Is to 60 feet high, A fev
hundred feet east Of the Fountain q
the Mammoth Paint Pots. Thes'
pots measure about 10 II. by 90 II
In diameter. The sides are protectee
by walls OF chalk-like deposits , by
It. high, while the center resembles
mass Of boiling paint about tn
thickness OF mortar. The colo
ranges from white 10 light red.
Passing up the Firehole river abou
three miles we arrived at the Excel
ior GeyseT. Here we found goou
camping place and decided to cam
for the night.
Ths bank of the river for q dis
tancs Of l5 or 20 rods In front OF Tn
E xcelsior GeyseF Is lined with tn
most brilliantly colored deposits O
all colors, with here and there larg
stream OF boiling water emptyin
into the river. This geyser some
tines throws rocks $50 II. into tn
air. 1t was known as Hell's Hal
Acre" until 1881, when discovered b
Col. p. W. Norris to be a geyser, an
he named 1t Excelsior.
About 100 It. north OF this II TuT
quois Spring. This is . still pool G
clear blue boiling water. A few fes
west Is the only cold water spring l
this region. about 500 II. west 9
the Excelsior, and on the same foI
nation IL Prismatic Lake which
the largest and most beautiful ho
water lake In the park. II IN 25O b
400 II. In diameter. The water fnoE
u fiows out 10 all directions o"er
beautiful formation, having all th
colors OF the solar spectrum, and
few extra ones.
From this place We proceeded TO u
Upper Basin some : or 10 miles
the southwArd. This Basin IL tr
angle with an area of square milss
containing +Oo not springs and
geyssrs. the hrst along the roa
were the Fan and Mortar, wnsI
some OF our party had their pictur'
taken. We pass on about 80 yAfc
10 the Riverside GeySer, which COT
si-ts OF two chimbey.liks crateIs.
plays every eight bOurs when co
umn OF water 10 70 ~ II. 10 Ill
charged through the lowsr crate
+ emptyinR ali its contents into "a
FirehoIs river. Only tbe steam q
cApes through the upper chimDel
Here we camped aud saw II play.
Directly across the river and aoo'
BOO feet from the bank II q
"Gfotto. 9 very ouriOusly shaps
= geyssr, which also played while y
} wsre there. The ooos Of this geys
= is PARTIALLY covered with q roof. lac