Geysers, Hot Springs and Mudpots

It's easy to get caught up in the stunning mountain vistas and teeming wildlife, and forget about what makes Yellowstone National Park truly unique. The numerous geothermal features of the area rank it alongside Iceland in sheer number, and half of all the known geysers in the world may be found within this protected section of Wyoming. With the crowds gone, we were able to witness Old Faithful spout with only a handful of other visitors, and the winter landscape lent the hot springs and geysers an even more otherworldly feel. The warm gusts of sulfur-reeking air felt pleasant against the frigid temperature, and the geothermal vents could easily be spotted from far away due to snowmelt and bare ground tracing their paths. Our favorite features, however, were the bubbling oddities known as mudpots, in which the hot spring functions despite an adequate supply of water, turning what might have been a geyser into thick, viscous, gurgling mud. Truly awesome to watch.