The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
I've never been to the Grand Canyon. I'd like to go someday. Frankly, I've seen pretty much nothing of the American Southwest and I think it would be a pretty rad place to visit. Matt has been with his family on boyhood summer vacations and we're going to go back together someday. In the meantime, I have to say that The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone was pretty gosh darn impressive in its own right. And so much closer!
The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is:
-more than 1,000 feet (305 m) deep in most places.
-up to 4,000 feet (1,219 m) wide.
-20 miles long.
-carved from old rhyolitic lava flows.
-thermally altered by the heat and gases from the Yellowstone Volcano.
The Lower Falls is:
-308 feet (94 m) high.
-twice as tall as Niagara Falls
-variable in volume of water flow from 63,500 gal/sec during peak run-off to 5,000 gal/sec in the fall.
The Upper Falls is:
-109 feet (33 m) high.
The water is a stunning emerald green and the falls deliver a wafting
spray of mist that floats on the wind in a magical swirl, flying back
into your face with refreshment in a good breeze. The canyon is epic and so colorful in its rusts and yellows and earth tones.
We're hoping that the cliff-side boardwalks on the far side (Uncle Tom's Trail) are open next
time we go. They looked really, really fun (and steep!), but were closed due to snow
still on our last visit.
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| Matt has a dream to take a photo just like this at every national park/monument we visit. So wonderfully cliche, but we just don't care. |
-more than 1,000 feet (305 m) deep in most places.
-up to 4,000 feet (1,219 m) wide.
-20 miles long.
-carved from old rhyolitic lava flows.
-thermally altered by the heat and gases from the Yellowstone Volcano.
-308 feet (94 m) high.
-twice as tall as Niagara Falls
-variable in volume of water flow from 63,500 gal/sec during peak run-off to 5,000 gal/sec in the fall.
The Upper Falls is:
-109 feet (33 m) high.
Those are spectacular views. I have never heard of this place. I like the photo at the sign. Those will give your children something to comment about. It will help define the adventures without your having to explain. Good idea.
ReplyDeleteI thought it would be pretty great so that I don't have to remember "Now were these photos in Yellowstone? Or Grand Teton?" And it sure is spectacular!
DeleteAs someone who has stood in countless family photos around a sign of some sort on family vacations, I say go for it! I haven't been here in years but remember being very impressed. Thanks for the pictures to help jog my memory.
ReplyDeleteWe were just talking about you yesterday. And your family road trips to, specifically how much it must have cost to drive a suburban loaded with kids and gear, pulling a pop up trailer. The wind on the way home from LYME Fest yesterday killed our gas mileage and we saw so many trailers and RVs that we couldn't imagine what sort of mileage they were getting...
DeleteWOW! That must have been amazing to see. Scott and I would LOVE it ! And I think Matt has a FAB idea to get a photo with the National Monuments.
ReplyDeleteYou are folks that appreciate the great scenic wonders so I am sure you would love this. I hope you're having a good day and getting out to see some of your own pretty "backyard."
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