Rocks

There really are a lot of pictures of scenery and large mammals here…but today all the pictures will be of Yellowstone’s unappreciated inhabitants. Amphibians are certainly one, and rocks are also often overlooked but rather neat. These rocks near a thermally active part of the lake had bizarre purple swirly patterns.

Lots of rocks are volcanic, and the ones with ash formed around smaller rocks look like big concrete blocks in the middle of the backcountry.

Hot springs spew out sinter deposits, making these bleak landscapes. The first trappers to explore Yellowstone called the area Colter’s Hell. Altogether, I think that would be a better name for the park, as maybe less tourists would come to Hell National Park.

Sometimes the mineral deposits build up fast enough to kill trees.