A few miles from Norris Basin is Elk Park, a valley surrounded by timbered hills. Across the river from the road is Chocolate Spring, which has built a cone of chocolate color.
Monument Geyser Basin is on the summit of Mt. Schurz. There is not much to justify the tourist in making the ascent, as there are only a dozen or two of crumbling geyser cones, some of which steam and rumble, while others are apparently extinct.
On the east side of the river we entered Gibbon Canyon, and for several miles were shadowed by towering cliffs, in some places a thousand feet high.
Beryl Spring is the largest boiling spring in the canyon. It is fifteen feet across, and about a mile from the entrance. While our touring car was dashing around the mountainside, suddenly we came to Gibbon Fall. Here, from a height of over eighty feet, bubbling and foaming torrents of water tumble down the steep cascades.
At National Park Mountain, our driver announced that we were at the confluence of the Gibbon and Firehole Rivers. It was here that the famous Washburn exploring party, in 1870, decided that the Yellowstone region should be set aside as a National Park, and from that time put forth their efforts to this end. Among the most enthusiastic were Cornelius Hedges, David E. Folsom, Lieut. Doane, and Nathaniel P. Langford. How providential it was that these unselfish, public-spirited men should have taken up the subject at that time!
I did not know that the junction of the Gibbon and Firehole Rivers was an historical place, but was so fascinated with the scenery, I felt that I should like to camp there for a week, and have an opportunity to make notes preparatory to publishing an account of my trip. To me, there was unusual attraction, and something very romantic, about the Firehole River. I had heard how it was fed by the geysers and boiling springs, and this added enchantment to its many charms. At one place I saw a great boulder in the river, from the sides of which were growing two spruce or pine trees.
NATIONAL PARK MOUNTAIN © Haynes, St. Paul
At the Lower and Midway Basins are the Great Fountain and Excelsior Geysers. The Excelsior, better known as "Hell's Half Acre," ceased to play in 1888. Previous to this it was known to throw water to a height of 300 feet, the time of the eruptions varying from one to four hours. Great Fountain expels the water to a height of 100 feet, playing for thirty minutes, and its eruptions are from eight to twelve hours apart. At the present time Excelsior Geyser is a boiling lake, where the steam often prevents one from getting a good view of it.