Postcards of the West: Yellowstone
Hot water flows over rocks stained by bacteria, microbes and minerals into the river in the Midway Geyser Basin, where the Excelsior Geyser, Grand Prismatic Spring and Turquoise Pool are the star attractions in Yellowstone National Park.
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Visitors view the Yellowstone River from an observation deck above Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone National Park.
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Visitors to the Lower Geyser Basin stop to shoot pictures of the geysers, visible from the protective wooden boardwalk.
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A few of the visitors on the wooden walkways around the Midway Geyser Basin go in for a closer look at the colorful bacteria and microbial mats surrounding the Grand Prismatic Spring.
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Visitors to the Lower Geyser Basin stay on the wooden boardwalks while they cross over hot pools of water.
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Crowds of visitors on the wooden walkways at the Midway Geyser Basin walk through the steam clouds around the colorful Grand Prismatic Spring.
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Different bacteria living in the hot water of the Grand Prismatic Spring have stained the surrounding basin with varying colors.
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The sun rises behind a plume of smoke and steam from the Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park during the first eruption of the day on July 22, 2015.
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The sun rises behind a plume of smoke and steam from the Old Faithful geyser, which erupts every 90 minutes or so, spewing 4,000-8,000 gallons of water 130 feet into the air.
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Visitors witness the strength of the Yellowstone River from an observation deck above Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone National Park.
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Tower Fall presents a long cascade of water falling from pinnacles and towers.
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Fireweed grows along the banks of the Yellowstone River in the Hayden Valley area.
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Fishermen Cameron Martin, 14, and his grandfather Victor Martin, 64, try their luck in the evening along the steamy Madison River.
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A bear family takes a walk in a meadow near the Petrified Tree in the northern area of Yellowstone National Park.
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Signs are posted around Yellowstone National Park that drones are prohibited; this one was found on the rim trail at the Grand Canyon.
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Elk graze next to the moving traffic in the Mammoth Hot Springs area.
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A bison lumbering down the highway near Madison Junction stalls traffic in Yellowstone National Park, where the giant animals have the right-of-way.
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A horse-drawn wagon ride departs from the Roosevelt Lodge in Yellowstone National Park. The vintage coaches and wagons remind visitors of how transportation in the park has evolved, yet stayed the same.
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Guests are picked up in front of the Old Faithful Inn for sightseeing tours of Yellowstone in a vintage 13-passenger bus.
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The Old Faithful Inn, built from local logs and stone in 1904, is still the largest log structure in the world. It has 327 rooms and treats visitors to a perfect view of the famous Old Faithful geyser, adjacent to the hotel.
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A towering fireplace and a handmade clock are a few of the features found in the lobby of the Old Faithful Inn.
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The lunch counter at the Old Faithful Inn is located in the visitor center in a separate building next to the historic hotel.
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The dining room at the Old Faithful Inn is part of the original structure built from local logs and stone in 1904.
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The Dude, one of the motels in West Yellowstone, Mont., is just outside the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park.
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New lodges are being built by Xanterra in the Canyon Village area of Yellowstone National Park that will add beds and new space for visitors, replacing many of the outdated old cabins.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)