Original subtitles

(wind whirling)

(upbeat music)

(lively music)

(light music)

- Our journey begins at the east entrance

of Yellowstone National Park, exploring Yellowstone Lake.

We continue tracking the Yellowstone River

and catch our first glimpse of the park's

geothermal features in the Mud Volcano area.

As we look north, we discover why the views

of the Upper and Lower Falls had such a dramatic impact

on the park's creation.

Following the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone,

we head to the open planes of Lamar Valley.

At the northwest corner of Wyoming we understand

why the park is a national treasure,

starting with the Mammoth Hot Springs.

Venturing southward, exploring the geothermal basins

of the Yellowstone crater,

we arrive at its most famous feature, Old Faithful

in time for a spectacular finale to our journey.

(tinkling music)

With five entrances to Yellowstone National Park,

we approach from the east, following

along the Shoshone River in the Wapiti Valley,

about 80 kilometers from Cody, Wyoming.

Because of the weather restrictions,

the east entrance to the Yellowstone Park remains open

only from May to November.

On entering the park, there's a glimpse

of the towering peaks of the Absaroka Range

of the Rocky Mountains.

Yellowstone, which became the world's first national park

in 1872, hosts over three million visitors a year.

(light music)

Access to the park from the east is made possible

by the Sylvan Pass, maintained to allow winter travel

by snowmobile or snow coach.

It was named after Sylvan Lake which rests along the route.

As we continue along the pass, we come to Yellowstone Lake,

the largest body of water in the park.

Its basin is part of the massive Yellowstone crater carved

from the volcanic eruptions over 600,000 years ago.

(birds twittering) (summery music)

Yellowstone offers a splendid habitat

for over 60 species of large mammals.

Here we spot a small herd of elk.

The park hosts an estimated 30,000 in total.

The lake's northern tip is where its fed

and drained by Yellowstone River.

A fishing bridge crosses at this meeting point,

a spawning area for the native cutthroat trout.

And nearby is a popular recreational vehicle park.

Visitors wanting less rustic accommodation stay

at the historic Lake Hotel.

Originally built in the late 19th century,

the hotel was restored to its 1920s grandeur in 1990.

The Yellowstone River is a main tributary

of the Missouri River, and drains nearly

a 1100 kilometer stretch of the Rockies.

Within the park, the river is used recreationally

for flatboat fishing.

The words, "Yellow stone" were recorded

by Lewis and Clark during their famous expedition

after meeting with the Minitari Indians

near the river in 1805.

North along the river we enter the mud volcano area.

These formations are created from a geo-excretion

of iron and hydrogen sulfide, which results

in a dark gray color and rotten egg smell.

(majestic music)

Flowing north out of Hayden Valley,

the first signs of rapids are present

as the Yellowstone River begins its decent

toward the park's Grand Canyon.

(water rushing)

The river first cascades at the Upper Falls,

dropping about 33 meters.

Spectacular viewing points along the trails

on either side of the canyon, makes this one

of the favorite places in the park among visitors.

And it's yet another example

of how Yellowstone's landscape was shaped

from volcanic events 600,000 years ago.

The Upper Falls marks a junction

where a hard lava flow met with a softer altered flow.

In 1871, Dr. Ferdinand Hayden, whose name was given

to the valley, led a US geological survey

into the unexplored Yellowstone region.

Joining the expedition were photographer

William Henry Jackson and artist, Thomas Moran.

Their photographs and paintings of the falls captured

the nation's attention and inspired congress

to establish the national park a year later.

The Yellowstone River continues to flow

another half kilometer before taking a much bigger plunge

that will take it to the mouth of the Grand Canyon.

The Lower Falls drop 94 meters and is the tallest waterfall

in the park, nearly twice the height of Niagara Falls.

It's also the largest volume

of falling water in the Rocky Mountains.

And this is the famous vantage point along the canyon

that was immortalized in the famous painting

by Thomas Moran, which now hangs in the White House.

It was these majestic falls that were the subject

of the almost mythic accounts composed

by prospectors venturing into the Montana territory

in the mid 19th century.

Frontier newspapers printed claims

that the falls were thousands of feet high,

and referred to it as the most sublime spot on earth.

(light music)

Two scenic routes of Grand Loop Road offer breathtaking

views of the canyon such as Point Sublime on the south rim.

The other viewpoints take visitors to the absolute brink

of the Upper and Lower Falls,

offering them a riveting encounter

with the powerful cascades.

Some 10,000 years after the volcanic eruptions

in Yellowstone, lava flow filled the region.

One of these was a canyon lava flow,

leaving a thermal basin shaped from the hot steam

and gasses that altered and weakened the lava.

Other flows blocked lakes and created overflowing lakes

that further molded the Yellowstone canyon.

(light upbeat music)

The park contains several broad, open valleys,

such as the Lamar Valley in the park's northeast corner.

Packhorse treks are very popular for guided camping tours.

Organized trips can last as long as 10 days

as visitors venture into the heart

of Yellowstone's tranquil wilderness.

Lamar Valley and the river stretches

for almost 10 kilometers from its confluence

with the Yellowstone River,

just below the Grand Canyon to its junction

with the Soda Butte Creek tributary.

A true treasure of Yellowstone,

the valley is remarkable in its scenery.

But it was also the stage for one

of the most significant wildlife conservation projects,

the recovery of the American bison.

(somber music)

In 1903, there were less than 50 bison in the park.

A century later, the population was nearly 5,000.

The Yellowstone Park bison herd is one of four

in North America that are free roaming and genetically pure.

27 kilometers north of the canyon,

the small creek shoots off the Yellowstone River

and flows south to the park's third notable cascade,

Tower Fall, which stands 40 meters tall.

Named for the volcanic formations that surround it,

the park offers a breathtaking view

from an overlook that draws visitors in droves.

Flying northwest, we pass

over the Roosevelt Lodge history district.

Originally built in 1919 as an education center,

the lodge offers guests rustic accommodation

and horseback tours, exploring the area's wildlife.

The area was named in honor of President Teddy Roosevelt

who camped near the site prior to its construction.

Here we witness another popular tourist attraction.

Stagecoach rides. (coach rattling)

Once the primary mode of transportation for guests,

who'd traverse the parks for days along dusty roads,

stagecoaches offer a nostalgic adventure

through the sage-covered fields of Pleasant Valley.

We are fortunate to capture a rarely seen resident

of Yellowstone, the black bear.

The park actually has a sizable population

as opposed to the estimated mere 300 grizzlies

that take residence in the park.

Although this bear is seen in the open meadow,

black bears are usually found in timber areas.

In our journey across the northern valleys of Yellowstone,

we observe a playful bison.

These animals are quite nomadic, migrating high

to these grassy plateaus in the summer to mate.

They are vegetarians, grazing on the grasslands

and the meadows and foothills

as well as during the colder seasons.

Bison are the biggest of the park's animals,

and it is believed that the Yellowstone bison habitat is the

only one in America to have existed since prehistoric times.

Elk are high elevation mammals,

and are more often seen in the early morning

or late afternoon in the summers,

grazing on the grasses of the meadows.

In 1988, wildfires damaged 36 percent of the park.

These areas eventually became a habitat

for the elk as lush vegetation developed.

For this reason, they also graze in areas recently logged.

The elk bulls are symbolized by their beautiful antlers.

The rack may have six to eight branches on each side,

and weigh more than 13 kilos.

By March or April of each year the bull

completely sheds its antlers then begins

to regrow them starting in May until August.

And nearby the Gardner River cuts

through the rugged Sheepeater Canyon,

named after the Sheepeater Indians,

who are believed to have used these cliff edges

to herd and trap game.

Today a spectacular trail along the canyon brings hikers

to one of Yellowstone's best kept secrets, the Osprey Falls.

Nestled in the narrow gorge, the spray created

by the waterfall provides a welcome cooling mist

for visitors on a hot summer's day.

(majestic music)

The park sits on a plateau

at an average height of 2400 meters.

Bound by mountains that soar as high as 3300 meters.

Often the plateau fills with clouds,

setting a very enchanting tone for the visitors.

(flowery music)

Nestled between Mount Everts and the Mammoth area,

about eight kilometers from the north entrance,

is Yellowstone Park's headquarters.

A series of red roof buildings constructed

in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

For most of its early existence as a national park,

Yellowstone was operated by the US cavalry,

with this area serving as an Army post for 32 years.

The stone buildings house 400 occupants.

In 1918 the Army turned over control of the park

to civilians who have maintained Fort Yellowstone

as the park's headquarters ever since.

The historic Army buildings now serve

as offices and resident housing.

Additionally, there is a medical clinic,

and the Albright museum which chronicles a history

of the park's residents.

Adjacent to the Fort Yellowstone district lies a magical

white hillside, blanketed in calcium carbonate.

(soothing music)

This geothermal wonder of nature,

the Mammoth Hot Springs, is a large complex

of limestone terraces, appearing in white,

tan and cream colored varieties.

A circuit a boardwalks and stairs allow explorers

to navigate through the impressive displays

of step-like sedimentary rock.

Each of these formations exhibits individual character,

such as the now extinct Liberty Cap,

a 14 meter cone formed from hot water emanating

from a single source.

(water gushing)

As heated water from the Norris Geyser Basin moves

through a fault line and escapes the earth's surface

through cracks and fissures,

dissolved limestone is deposited onto the terraces.

Over 1800 kilos of calcium carbonate flow

into Mammoth each day.

The yellow, orange and brown terraces get their color

from bacteria that are able to grow in the waters.

We exit the northwest region of Yellowstone

and continue our journey moving south,

back towards the crater rim.

It's here that we'll explore a basin

that boasts the park's highest temperatures.

The extreme thermal conditions

of the Norris Geyser Basin result

from the junction of two major fault lines,

and the ring of the fracture zone of the Yellowstone crater.

For this reason, the basin boasts the hottest,

most acidic and most dynamic thermal features in the park.

Clear pools become violently bubbly and muddy,

even temporarily transforming into geysers.

Within this basin, we see a hot spring

with prismatic characteristics,

developed from the pigmentation of the bacteria

that grows in this mineral-rich water.

Near the western entrance is the origin

of the Madison River at the confluence

of Gibbon's and Firehole Rivers,

overlooked by National Park Mountain.

(flowery music)

This place is known as Madison Junction,

and legend has it that this is the site

where leaders of the 1870 Washburn Expedition

first conceived the idea of creating a national park

while sat around a campfire.

Continuing south we examine the Lower Geyser Basin

with thermal features that are scattered in small clusters,

spread out mostly on open meadows along the Firehole River.

We concentrate on the fire lake

and the fountain groups known for its multicolored mud pots.

The basin also delights spectators

with its fumaroles and geysers,

as well as bubbling pools and hot springs.

(lively music)

The white dome ejects water and steam

through a six meter high pinkish-white cone.

The lower basin geyser has many areas of high activity,

such as the Firehole and Hot Lakes

which drain from a tributary of the Firehole River.

The aptly named Steady Geyser is the largest,

constantly erupting geyser in Yellowstone and the world.

The Fountain Paint Pot Group is the most diverse cluster

of thermal features in the lower basin,

with hot springs, mud pots, geysers and fumaroles.

The Clepsydra Geyser, a name derived

from the Greek word for water clock,

has four vents spewing water in two different phases.

Clepsydra's wild phase can last three to six hours.

The other notable feature of

this group is the Fountain Paint Pots

which derive their name from their red,

yellow and brown colors.

In the spring these mut pots are most active

when an abundance source of water

from melted snow creates a dancing effect in the bubbles.

During the warmer summer months

the mud gets drier and thicker.

In between the Upper and Lower Geyser Basins is the

appropriately named Midway Geyser Basin,

nicknamed Hells Half Acre, by the writer, Rudyard Kipling.

This is Excelsior Geyser, once the largest in the world,

which releases 22 million liters

of water per day into Firehole River.

Excelsior is flanked by the Grand Prismatic Spring,

the largest hot spring in the park

and third largest in the world.

The spring discharges over 2,000 liters of water per minute.

The color varies at times depending on the pigment ratio

of the bacteria growing in the water

as well as the water temperature.

The deep blue color is so intense due to the high purity

and depth of the water in the middle.

The Grand Prismatic Spring is yet

another famous Yellowstone subject of artist, Thomas Moran.

Moving along to the Upper Geysers,

we focus on an isolated group called The Black Sand Basin,

highlighted by its colorful hot springs

such as emerald and rainbow pools.

The basin got its name from the black volcanic glass

that covers much of the area.

Another famous feature of the Upper Geysers is the

most unusually shaped Grotto Geyser.

The gusher formed around stumps

of dead pine trees destroyed

by an earthquake thousands of years ago.

With a clear view of the Old Faithful Geyser,

the inn of the same name has operated

as a hotel in the park since 1904.

Constructed of locally grown pine,

it is the largest log hotel in the world.

The foundation and the massive fireplace

inside were made from a volcanic stone

that is dominant in the park.

A short walk from the historic

inn is the Old Faithful Geyser.

Because of its predictability, it is quite possibly the

most calculable geothermal feature on the planet.

Thus, the cone-shaped geyser is also the most visited

and anticipated attraction.

Like most visitors to the park,

the famous US Army expedition that named Yellowstone

in 1870 count Old Faithful

as the first geyser they set eyes on.

Thus, she was also the first in the park

to receive a name.

The best indicator among locals

of the next eruption is to watch

for the benches around Old Faithful to fill and overflow.

(exciting music)

Old Faithful begins each performance

with a prologue of splashing and small-jetting

for a period of up to 20 minutes.

The jetting usually grows over two to three steps

before reaching its maximum height.

Ranging 32 to 56 meters in height,

it shoots out between 14 and 32 thousand liters of water.

Predictions of Old Faithful's next eruption are based

on the duration of its previous blast,

which average two to four minutes.

The intervals between eruptions average about 90 minutes,

and times are estimated one eruption in advance.

Old Faithful is indeed both a symbol of Yellowstone Park

and an American icon.

A perfect place to end this journey.

(upbeat music)

(letters blasting)