From Old Faithful Back To Mammoth Hot Springs

Our journey back to Mammoth Hot Springs area from Old Faithful on the snow coach flew by much faster. This coach runs in the afternoon, and the driver was trying to ensure that we got back to Mammoth before dark. Also, it was starting to snow, and while the conditions were still good, the driver was obviously straining while operating the vehicle.

We did stop at the Fountain Paint Pot and walked a half mile loop along the boardwalk to observe all 4 types of the thermal features—fumaroles, hot springs, geysers and mud pots. Because of abundant moisture available in the ground during the winter, the mud pots contained a lot of water. I remember them as being a lot more dramatic in the summer.

As we continued towards Mammoth, one of the highlights was seeing a female elk with a calf standing in the shallow waters of the Gibbon River right next to the road.