Canary Springs at Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park Hot Spring Terraces in Mammoth

Mammoth Terraces © 2010 Bo Mackison

The terraces in the Mammoth area of Yellowstone National Park descend like huge stair steps. Even the site of the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and the other town buildings are sitting on the top of a travertine terrace, one that is several thousand years old.

Located on the Main Terrace is Canary Springs, a part of which you see in the photograph. The brownish areas of the springs have microorganisms growing in the hot water and that causes the colors, often yellow, green, or reddish brown.

Mineralized Pine Needles in Mammoth Hot Springs

Mineralized Pine Branches © 2010 Bo Mackison

These pine needles were washed into the Mammoth Hot Springs and are lying in several inches of heated spring water. They will eventually be coated with mineral deposits. When the water stops flowing, they will turn into white travertine rock.

I love these close-ups of the hot springs. I took quite a few working on different compositions. Some have twigs, some branches, some a mixture of both. A few have white tips showing where they are exposed to air.

Scalloped Edges in Minreal Hot Springs © 2010 Bo Mackison

These were photographed at Canary Spring on the Main Terrace of Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park in early October.