We will start our tour at the historic North Entrance, as you will if you stay at Yellowstone's Edge RV Park. This arch dedicates our country's first National Park, which was created by an Act of Congress on March 1, 1872. No visit is complete without having your picture taken in front of this famous landmark.

Our first stop is Mammoth Hot Springs, the only formation of its kind in the world! You really can't appreciate the size of this natural phenomenon until you have seen it "up close and personal." This picture only shows a "small" portion of this truly "mammoth" geologic structure.

The rain and snow that fall on the mountains above Mammoth seep through the rocks and eventually emerge as mineral-laden springs and flows that build incredible formations like these found at Canary Springs.

Golden Gate Falls is not very large, but it is quite captivating. The Gardiner River flows from the high mountain meadows through a small pass creating this waterfall. This river joins the Yellowstone River in Gardiner, Montana just beyond the North Entrance to the park.

Norris Geyser Basin will be our next stop on this tour. You could easily spend a full day here since this area has the largest number of fumeroles, mud pots, paint pots, springs, pools and geysers in the park.

The beautiful Firehole Canyon Cascades are a great sight, so be watchful and don't miss the turnoff. The road through Firehole Canyon is narrow so this is a one-way drive.

Our next stop is Black Sand Basin where you will see this huge pool which is called Sunrise Beach because the boiling eruptions that occur on a continuous basis actually produce waves that break on the shore! The wind here is constantly gusty, so there is often a hat or two laying around on the "beach."

No tour of Yellowstone is complete without seeing the Old Faithful geyser do its thing. It is not the most spectacular geyser in the Park, but its regularity and accessibility make it the most popular. As long as you are in the area, be sure to visit the Old Faithful Inn which is the largest log structure in the world and over 100 years old!

West Thumb Geyser Basin is located on the edge of Lake Yellowstone and is the site of pools, springs and geysers. The features here are near and IN the lake. Around the turn of the century, guides would bring visitors here to catch fish and then cook them immediately, still on the line, in one of the hot springs!

The source of the Yellowstone River is Lake Yellowstone which is the largest lake at this altitude in North America. The Yellowstone River runs a few miles and then plunges over the Upper Falls. There is a short easy walk to the brink of the Upper Falls where the view is breathtaking.

About one-half mile past the Upper Falls the Yellowstone River drops 300 feet over the Lower Falls and crashes into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. There is a steep downhill trail from the top of the canyon to the brink of the falls that is well worth the hike, but the return trip is not for the faint of heart or lungs! It feels like it is STRAIGHT UP, but just remember the altitude and take it slow with lots of rest stops!

After you've gazed at the Lower Falls, turn around! You'd be amazed how many people don't stop long enough to see the beauty of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, from which Yellowstone Park gets its name.

As we head north we cross Dunraven Pass at an elevation of over 8,000 feet and arrive at the parking lot for Tower Falls. It seems perpetually full, but don't give up, the short walk to the falls viewing area is well worth the trouble. If you're up to it, take the hike to the base of the falls, but don't forget you are hiking at an altitude of about 1 mile! Rainbows are a common sight at Tower Falls.

The wildflowers in Yellowstone Park are beautiful and plentiful. These blue beauties are very similar to the Texas Bluebonnet, but without the distinctive white cap.