Nature's colour palette 

 

My road trip to Yellowstone from the golden Californian coast was not just a veritable visual feast, but a rejuvenation of the spirit as well. For a thoroughbred city dweller such as me, wanderlust sets in even as the gleaming skyscrapers fade beyond the horizon, and the road once littered with BMWs and SUVs is now plied by tractors and pick-up trucks. Wal-Mart and McDonalds give way to roadside carts and small Mama-Papa stores. Slowly, we wind our way into the heartland of America; America as fresh as apple pie!

Two days and sixteen hours in a car filled with children, coolers, strollers and a six-CD changer that has exhausted itself, we reach our destination. Nestled in the heart of the Rockies, and straddling three States, sits the oldest and the largest national park of America.

Two million acres of unparalleled beauty, 10,000 hydrothermal features, 290 waterfalls, canyons, meadows, forests, lakes, over 70 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, 100 exotic plant species, and a rather insignificant human population of 212 — that's the Yellowstone ecosystem in a nutshell for you!

Volatile attraction!

Armed with straw hats, suntan lotion and bottled water, we commence the exploration of Yellowstone. The first on our agenda is obviously the most famous and volatile attraction of the Yellowstone — the Geyser. This awesome spectacle is the offspring of two powerful underground forces — molten magma and the vast underground network of running water.

The Yellowstone boasts of over 300 geysers, in all different sizes and forms — the Minuteman geyser vents off every minute while the steam vent geyser erupts only once in over a 100 years, but when it does, it spews its vengeance to an impressive 300 feet! The star of the show is undoubtedly the ‘Old Faithful', which spouts a 100-foot high spray with clockwork precision every 75 minutes. As the raw energy strikes you in the face, you stand humbled before the tremendous fury unfurling underneath the earth.

The geysers have in turn spawned myriad creations of their own, as they contacted the various rocks and minerals on the earth's crust — sapphire pools, mud pots, paint pots, fire holes… It's like a child gone berserk with unbridled imagination and a huge colour crayon box!

The geyser pools are framed with no less than a rainbow of colours depending on the mineral residue. What's more amazing than these multi-colored mosaics is the secret ingredient creating these vibrant hues — bacteria! These heat-seeking bacteria thermophiles thrive in extreme heat and radiate different colours based on the temperature, thereby also serving as biological thermostat. Add to this heady mix, lingering fog hovering from a distant steam vent, and one gets an ethereal feeling that this must be what earth looked like in the beginning of time!

Mineral cascades

After our fill of geysers, we move onto the terraces. Terraces are step formations created as volcanic mineral-induced water cascades down the slopes. As time and environment act on these waters, the minerals harden and sediments latch on to the slopes, creating yet another layer to the landscape. These terraces constantly change shape as the water flows…

The mud volcanoes are another must-see attraction with their bubbling hot springs, bursting with highly acidic mud and ash. Laced with the distinct smell of sulphuric acid, they evoke long-forgotten memories of the chemistry lab.

After feasting our eyes on these geological stalwarts, one wonders what the usual smorgasbord of waterfalls, meadows and canyons would have to offer us, but we were pleasantly surprised that they loftily hold their own weight. The pristine meadows are dotted with grazing herds of bison or elk and the watering holes are frequented by moose. After keeping a sharp lookout throughout the trip, on the third day, we managed to spot a brown bear.

The biggest and the most scenic waterfalls take your breath away. The sun glints over the majestic yellow canyons and between, gushes forth the silvery river snaking down to the valley below. Here is Nature's ode to the sublime.

The USP of the Yellowstone is not just the unique geothermal attractions or the unparalleled natural beauty, it's the kaleidoscope of variety that tickles our palette. Like a suspenseful page-turner, each fork in the road opens up an entirely new vista, more picturesque than the one before!

There are two ways to enjoy the park. One can drive down the scenic Grand Loop Road catching all the attractions it embraces, clicking Facebook-worthy photographs. For the more adventurous traveller, who's not deterred by either the stories of bear mauling or the 5,000- to 8,000-foot elevations, camping and hiking will be a more memorable option. You might see a coyote litter or get ash sprayed on by a disgruntled mud volcano.

To fully savour all that the Yellowstone offers, you need at least a week. The neighbouring small towns offer vacation cottages and cabins, where you can have delicious pancakes topped with home-made maple syrup. You can even catch a rodeo show or two.

As I leave the park, I remember what former President F.D. Roosevelt once said — that national parks were the best idea America ever had.