Yellowstone National Park - Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (7-21-20)
Read MoreLower Falls of the Yellowstone River (Lookout Point) -- 7,800'
Lookout Point is located along the North Rim Drive and provides a postcard-classic look at the Lower Falls. The falls, 1/3-mile away at this point, is 308-feet tall and is the highest in Yellowstone National Park. The Yellowstone River itself is 500' below the overlook...
Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River (Lookout Point) -- 7,800'
Lookout Point is located along the North Rim Drive and provides a postcard-classic look at the Lower Falls. The falls, 1/3-mile away at this point, is 308-feet tall and is the highest in Yellowstone National Park. The Yellowstone River itself is 500' below the overlook...
Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River (Lookout Point) -- 7,800'
Lookout Point is located along the North Rim Drive and provides a postcard-classic look at the Lower Falls. The falls, 1/3-mile away at this point, is 308-feet tall and is the highest in Yellowstone National Park. The Yellowstone River itself is 500' below the overlook...
Glacial Boulder (Inspiration Point) -- 7,900'
Inspiration Point is reached via a short spur road off of North Rim Drive. Just before reaching the parking area you'll pass this gigantic boulder sitting all by itself among the pine. It was dropped here as the glaciers retreated at the end of the last Ice Age...
Inspiration Point -- 7,780'
This canyon has been a work in progress for at least the last 12,000 years. After the last caldera forming eruption 640,000 years ago, this are was covered by a series of lava flows. Rising hot magma caused the earth to dome and erosion to occur at a faster rate. This heat also drove superheated water through the hardened lava, altering it to the reds and yellows around you. As the river flowed through this softer rock, a V-shape was eventually carved, forming a canyon. This process may have had a little help though. It is possible that ice dams formed up river near the end of the last glacial period. When these dams melted or broke, a giant torrent of water would have washed downstream, resulting in the immediate and catastrophic erosion of the present canyon. This may have happened more than once. The Yellowstone River continues the process in a slower manner today." -- NPS Interpretive Sign
Inspiration Point (Lower Overlook) -- 7,780'
Inspiration Point actually consists of three overlooks, along a series of boardwalks and stairs, which each provide slightly different views of the canyon to the west. The canyon is between 800-1,000 feet deep here and the colors adorning the cliffs are incredible...
Inspiration Point (Mid Overlook) -- 7,780'
The Mid Overlook is simply an opening in the trees between the Lower and West Overlooks. It offers a similar view as the others with one exception...look carefully between the far cliffs at the upper end of the canyon and you'll just barely make out a portion of Lower Falls peeking through...
Inspiration Point (Mid Overlook) -- 7,780'
The Mid Overlook is simply an opening in the trees between the Lower and West Overlooks. It offers a similar view as the others with one exception...look carefully between the far cliffs at the upper end of the canyon and you'll just barely make out a portion of Lower Falls peeking through...
Yellowstone River @ Brink of the Upper Falls -- 7,640'
A short spur off the Grand Loop Road (between North & South Rim Drives) provides access to a short path leading down to the brink of the Upper Falls on the Yellowstone River. This is a shot of the river, just before arriving at the brink, looking upstream. I cannot adequately express in writing the sheer power exuded by the water flowing by here. It seemed to literally shake the rocks beneath our feet...
Sunset Point -- 7,700'
From Uncle Tom's Point it's a paved 1/3-mile downhill walk to reach Sunset Point, located alongside and just above the Upper Falls. We were a bit underwhelmed by the view here as it was a bit obscured. The Brink of the Upper Falls viewpoint, which was visited a few photos back, is located where you see the crowds atop the falls across the river...
Artist Point -- 7,650'
Artist Point is located at the end of South Rim Drive, and involves a short, paved, downhill walk to one of the most iconic viewpoints at Yellowstone National Park. The trail hugs the very edge of the south rim as it departs the parking area, offering views like this one into the colorful depths of the canyon...
Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River (Artist Point) -- 7,650'
The 308' Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, as seen from Artist Point, is arguably the most photographed in Yellowstone National Park...and is possibly one of the most iconic viewpoints in the entire National Park System. Even from a distance of almost a mile, the power of the river as it erupts into the canyon is palpable...and the multi-colored cliffs rising from the frothing waters below is stunning. Nature's infinite palette is certainly on display in all its glory here...
Artist Point -- 7,650'
The 308' Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, as seen from Artist Point, is arguably the most photographed in Yellowstone National Park...and is possibly one of the most iconic viewpoints in the entire National Park System. Even from a distance of almost a mile, the power of the river as it erupts into the canyon is palpable...and the multi-colored cliffs rising from the frothing waters below is stunning. Nature's infinite palette is certainly on display in all its glory here...