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.