The cascading terraces of Canary Spring
Mammoth Hot Springs is a very large old, but still active geothermal area at the northern border of Yellowstone National Park. While it doesn't sport any geysers, the hot springs form beautiful pools and rivulets spilling over terraces formed by travertine dissolved in the source water and gradually deposited above ground.
It's one of the best places in Yellowstone to observe the ever-changing character of geothermal activity. One of the biggest, most active areas called "Canary Spring" seems to be experiencing partial blockage of its underground water sources, and the size of the pool at its origin has been reduced significantly. Nonetheless it's still beautiful and a lot of hot, mineralized water still tumbles down the terraces, leaving the tell-tale stains - orange in this case - of the "extremophile" organisms, including highly specialized algaes, bacteria, archea, and even viruses that thrive in the spring's waters.
The cascading terraces of Canary Spring
Mammoth Hot Springs is a very large old, but still active geothermal area at the northern border of Yellowstone National Park. While it doesn't sport any geysers, the hot springs form beautiful pools and rivulets spilling over terraces formed by travertine dissolved in the source water and gradually deposited above ground.
It's one of the best places in Yellowstone to observe the ever-changing character of geothermal activity. One of the biggest, most active areas called "Canary Spring" seems to be experiencing partial blockage of its underground water sources, and the size of the pool at its origin has been reduced significantly. Nonetheless it's still beautiful and a lot of hot, mineralized water still tumbles down the terraces, leaving the tell-tale stains - orange in this case - of the "extremophile" organisms, including highly specialized algaes, bacteria, archea, and even viruses that thrive in the spring's waters.