Yellowstone

 The drive to Yellowstone saw a definite change in the landscape. We left the tall mountains behind and drove into the Caldera. 

Old Faithful was our first stop and she did not disappoint.

So many geysers huffing and puffing steam and a rotten egg smell. The fascination with the geysers outweighs the odor.

How about a mud bath when this one explodes?

Then there's the burned forests that help regenerate life back into the park. The policy is to let a natural fire  burn as long as it does not endanger structions or human life. Most fires are started  by lightning. Lodge pole pines make up the majority of the forests. Fire burn the trees and as they burn their small pine cones open due to the intense heat, spreading thousands of seeds everywhere. These are the new generation of trees.