Meeting Old Faithful for the first time at Yellowstone National Park

We’re driving across the USA in a campervan called Dora. In our last photoblog, we went through the Badlands of South Dakota; here’s a closer look into Yellowstone, the oldest national park in the world, and the famous Old Faithful geyser.

I don’t think I’ve experienced so many firsts in one go, ever. First time in actual white fluffy snow, first time seeing a beaver munching grass on a river bank with his powerful tail trailing behind him, first time seeing a huge geothermal spring – a clear blue boiling pool of unfathomable depth with hot steam rupturing upwards from water-filled fissures in the earth’s crust. The water is ambiently heated to boiling point by a large magma chamber deep below, leaving warm mist over your face and sunglasses. Then suddenly it’s clear and cold again as a spring breeze from the snowy caps cools you down and dries you out.

It was my first time seeing geysers spewing steam 30 metres into the sky. First time spying bison, elk and black bear. Pat and I reckon if you’re American and haven’t visited Yellowstone yet, you should have your passport stripped and given to two very nice South Africans.

As Dora (our camper van’s name) neared to top of a pass in Yellowstone we were greeted with the remains of winter snow. Photo by Patrick John O’Doherty.

The grand prismatic spring in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Patrick John O’Doherty.

Steam boils up from the hydrothermal spring, misting your face. Photo by Patrick John O’Doherty.

Blue hydrothermal pools of unfathomable depth. Photo by Patrick John O’Doherty.

Detail of hydrothermal activity. Photo by Patrick John O’Doherty.

Tourists in the mist. Photo by Patrick John O’Doherty.

Old Faithful Geyser erupting and thrilling the tourists at Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Patrick John O’Doherty.

Detail of terraced hot spring pools. Photo by Patrick John O’Doherty.

Steep rocky inclines studded with snow covered pines. Photo by Patrick John O’Doherty.

Follow the journey on our blog, Out the Office, or on Instagram.

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