CHAPTER XV.

A TOUR OF THE PARK.

_Norris Geyser Basin to Lower Geyser Basin._

Distance, 20 miles. The road follows the Gibbon River to within three miles of its mouth, then crosses a point of land to the Firehole, and ascends the right bank of the latter stream to the Lower Basin.

_Gibbon Meadows_ (3 miles) is a broad open bottom, sometimes called Elk Park, just at the head of Gibbon Cañon.

The _Gibbon Paint Pots_ (4 miles) are on the left of the road, near the head of the cañon, and one-fourth of a mile away.

_Monument Geyser Basin_ (4.5 miles) is on the high hill just west of the upper end of Gibbon Cañon. It is an interesting spot, but rarely visited owing to its inaccessibility. It was discovered and named by Col. Norris.

The _Gibbon Cañon_ (4.5 to 10.5 miles) affords the tourist one of the pleasantest rides in the Park. The mountains rise boldly from the river on either side, and present several particularly fine views. The road lies close to the river's edge, and the stream is an important adjunct to the scenery.

_Beryl Spring_ (5 miles) is close to the road on the side opposite the river. It boils violently and discharges a large amount of water. The steam from it frequently obscures the roadway.

The _Soda and Iron Spring_ (7.5 miles), like Apollinaris Spring already mentioned, is a frequent stopping-place for tourists.

_Gibbon Falls_ (8 miles) is a water-fall of very irregular outline, but withal one of much beauty. The road hangs on the side of the cliff far above it, and affords a lovely view of the forest-covered valley below.

About half way between the point where the road leaves the Gibbon River and that where it touches the Firehole, is the junction of the belt line with the western approach which enters the Park by way of Madison Cañon. A beautiful cascade, some distance from the tourist route, may be found on the Firehole River about a mile above its mouth. Just as the road (the old Norris Road) commences to descend from the high plateau between the Gibbon and the Firehole, a glimpse is had of the _Teton Mountains_. They are among the most striking in the entire Rocky Mountain Region. For half a century after the overland journey of the Astorians, they were the chief landmarks in that trackless wilderness, and long bore the name of Pilot Knobs. They are distinctly visible from every important peak in the Park, although they are themselves outside its limits. As seen from the point, at which we have arrived, they are fifty miles away. They rise precipitously from the west shore of _Jackson Lake_ (also outside of the Park) and with it form a scene of grandeur which ought to be included in the reservation. In 1872, Langford and Stevenson ascended the Grand Teton, being the first white men ever to reach the summit.[BB]

[BB] Some doubt has been expressed in recent years as to the actual accomplishment of this feat. It probably arose from an erroneous statement by Doctor Hayden in his report for 1872 that the granite inclosure was found "on the top of the Grand Teton." As a matter of fact it was found on a point somewhat lower, and is clearly so stated by Mr. Langford both in an official report to Dr. Hayden (Hayden, 1872, p. 89) and in his "Ascent of Mt. Hayden" (Scribner's, June, 1873, p. 145). A subsequent explorer, who ascended the mountain to the site of this principal object of interest, came to the conclusion, doubtless as a result of the erroneous account given by Hayden, that this was what Langford and Stevenson called the summit. But the references above given, and a more detailed and circumstantial account furnished by Mr. Langford at the writer's request, effectually demolish this theory.

They were astonished to find, on a point but little lower than the main summit, a rude shelter of granite slabs evidently put in place by human hands ages ago.

_Nez Percé Creek_ (18 miles) is the largest branch of the Firehole, and is of historic interest from its connection with the Indian campaign of 1877. It forms the north boundary of the _Lower Geyser Basin_. Two miles beyond it is the _Fountain Hotel_.

To attempt any thing like a detailed description of the Firehole Geyser regions would be intolerable alike to reader and author. Of the objects of interest, any one of which in other localities would attract marked attention, there are several thousand. In the present description, therefore, only the more important features will be noticed--those notable objects to see which is an indispensable part of any well ordered tour of the Park.

The _Fountain Geyser_ is a typical example of the first class of geysers described in a previous chapter. Its proximity to the hotel (one-fourth mile) causes it to be much visited.

_The Mammoth Paint Pots_, a little way east of the Fountain, are probably the most prominent example of this class of phenomena in the Park.

The _Great Fountain Geyser_ lies a mile and a half south-east of the Fountain. It is the chief wonder of the Lower Basin, and, in some respects, the most remarkable geyser in the Park. Its formation is quite unlike that of any other. At first sight the visitor is tempted to believe that some one has here placed a vast pedestal upon which to erect a monument. It is a broad, circular table about two feet high, composed entirely of hard siliceous deposit. In its surface are numerous pools molded and ornamented in a manner quite unapproached, at least on so large a scale, in any other part of the Park. In the center of the pedestal, where the monument ought to stand, is a large irregular pool of great depth, full of hot water, forming, to all appearances, a lovely quiescent spring. At times of eruption, the contents of this spring are hurled bodily upward to a height sometimes reaching 100 feet. The torrent of water which follows the prodigious down-pouring upon the face of the pedestal, flows away in all directions over the white geyserite plain. No visitor to the Yellowstone can afford to miss the Great Fountain Geyser.

In this vicinity are several of the handsomest springs in the Park. One in particular lies just across the hot stream which flows a little to the south of the Great Fountain. It is shaped like an egg set endwise in the ground with the upper part of the shell broken off. It is an exquisite trifle.

In a small valley, extending to the north-east from the Great Fountain, are several objects worthy of notice. One of these is an immense hot lake, by far the largest in the Park. _Steady Geyser_ and _Young Hopeful_, near the head of the valley, are not remarkable in this land of geysers.

The principal attraction of the locality is what has come to be called the _Firehole_. It is at the extreme upper end of the valley, difficult to find, and unsatisfactory to visit when the wind agitates the water surface. It is a large hot spring from the bottom of which, to all appearances, a light colored flame is constantly issuing, only to be extinguished in the water before it reaches the surface. At times it has a distinct ruddy tinge and it always flickers back and forth like the lambent flame of a torch. When seen under favorable conditions, the illusion is perfect, and the beholder is sure that he has at last caught a glimpse of the hidden fires which produce the weird phenomena of this region. But it is only illusion. Through a fissure in the rock gas or superheated steam escapes and divides the water, just as bubbles do on a smaller scale. The reflection from the surface thus formed accounts for the appearance, which is intensified by the black background formed by the sides and bottom of the pool.

The Lower Geyser Basin has an area of thirty square miles. Conspicuous among its topographical features are the _Twin Buttes_, two prominent peaks west of the river which dominate the entire basin. A little way south of these is _Fairy Fall_, a pretty cascade 250 feet high.

There will be included in this chapter, as more properly belonging to it than to the next, a description of the _Midway Geyser Basin_. Its principal interest lies in the stupendous character of its phenomena.

_Excelsior Geyser_, as a dynamic agent, has no equal in the Park. It is really a water volcano, and its eruptions have nothing of the characteristic display of a genuine geyser. Its crater is a vast seething cauldron close by the brink of the Firehole River, into which, in non-eruptive periods even, it pours 4,000 gallons of water per minute. The shape of the crater is irregular. Its dimensions are about 330 by 200 feet, and 20 feet deep. It was not known to be a geyser until 1878, and did not really disclose its true character until the winter of 1881. During the remainder of that year and 1882, it gave continuous exhibitions of its power. Its water column was more than 50 feet in diameter, and at times rose to the enormous height of 250 feet. At such times, it doubled the volume of water in the Firehole River. Its eruptions were frequently accompanied by the ejection of large rocks. A second period of activity took place in 1888, since which time it has remained inactive.

_Prismatic Lake_ is the most perfect spring of its kind in the world. It rests on the summit of a self-built mound, sloping very gently in all directions. Down this slope the overflow from the spring descends in tiny rivulets, every-where interlaced with each other. A map of the mound resembles a spider web, with the spider (the spring) in the center. The pool is 250 by 300 feet in size. Over the lake hangs an ever-present cloud of steam, which itself often bears a crimson tinge, reflected from the waters below. The steam unfortunately obscures the surface of the lake, and one involuntarily wishes for a row-boat, in which to explore its unseen portions. Wherever visible, there is a varied and wonderful play of colors, which fully justifies the name.

_Turquoise Spring_ is another large pool, 100 feet in diameter, and rivals Prismatic Lake in the beauty of its coloring.

The Midway Geyser Basin contains hundreds of other springs, some of them very beautiful, but the Basin is mainly noted for the three features just described.