Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Yellowstone National Park, WY

TOTAL MILES TRAVELED: 9,388

We all went out to explore Yellowstone Lake this afternoon. It was another ‘winter wonderland’ day at the park with intermittent snow showers and it felt like there was magic in the air.

Situated at 7,733 feet (2,357 m) above sea level, Yellowstone Lake is the largest high elevation lake (above 7,000 feet / 2,134 m) in North America. It is roughly 20 miles (32.2 km) long and 14 miles (22.5 km) wide, with 141 miles (227 km) of shoreline and a surface area of 132 square miles (342 km²). Yellowstone Lake freezes over completely every winter in late December or early January, with ice thicknesses varying from a few inches to more than two feet.

The lake usually thaws in late May or early June. Yellowstone Lake remains cold year-round, with an average water temperature of 41°F (5°C). Because of the extremely cold water, swimming is not recommended. Survival time is estimated to be only 20 to 30 minutes in water at this temperature.

We also stopped at Artists Paint Pots, a group of over 50 springs, geysers, vents and especially mud pots. These exhibit varying shades of blue, grey and brown, and have a range of different textures, with the behavior changing during the year depending on the amount of subterranean water. This was a very other-worldly experience and we loved it.

Yellowstone Photo Gallery

Click image to enlarge.

Yellowstone Video Gallery

Travel with us:

Travel Diary

Travel

This is a daily log and photos of what we’re up to.

Day 42: Key West, FL

Dec 8, 2020

Tuesday, December 8, 2020Key West, FLODOMETER: 80,549 | MILES TRAVELED: 2,604 by GrantWe’re starting to get a little cabin fever with the lack of trails for run/riding and the wind hampering paddling options. We decide to explore Fort Zachary Taylor trail, which...

Day 41: Higgs Beach, Key West, FL

Dec 7, 2020

Monday, December 7, 2020Higgs Beach, Key West, FLODOMETER: 80,549 | MILES TRAVELED: 2,604 by GrantA big storm dumped about 3” rain on us overnight. Thankfully, we’re now water tight (not the case when we procured Thelma). It’s also blustery and blowing over 20...

Day 40: Fort Zachary Taylor Park, Key West, FL

Dec 6, 2020

Sunday, December 6, 2020Fort Zachary Taylor Park, Key West, FLODOMETER: 80,549 | MILES TRAVELED: 2,604 by GrantThe wind remains calm and it's overcast. Jana and I catch up on some work, she’s still working hard on the blog. It is a massive project, but we feel...