It is often called the “Crown of the Continent,” and for good reason too. With vaulting granite peaks soaring two miles high and ice carved valleys bejeweled by 762 lakes that sparkle like diamonds and sapphires in the mid-day sun, Glacier National Park is every bit a crown fit for a continent.
Yellowstone is anything but ordinary. Diverse may be a better one-word description of this iconic park. Huge is another good contender.
At 3,472 square miles, Yellowstone is more than two times larger than the entire state of Rhode Island. Even the massive volcanic caldera that gives rise to its signature hot springs and geysers still only represents about 40% of the park. The rest is covered by seemingly endless miles of natural beauty that is more typical of what we’ve come to expect from our national parks.
On Friday we asked our readers to identify which U.S. State sports these awesome fall colors. Had we not taken the photograph ourselves we’d have had a hard time choosing among Colorado, Wyoming and Idaho. All three are solid candidates with rugged mountain vistas like the one hinted at in the photo. Perhaps more telling is the dominance of brilliantly golden Aspen leaves that distinguish fall in the Rocky Mountain region from the more varied colors of New England. It’s no wonder our readers overwhelming selected Colorado (44%) as our Fall Foliage spot.
Abyss Pool, West Thumb Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Amazingly vibrant color, more than any other single thing, is what puts Yellowstone in a league all by itself. For some unknown reason, though, the park’s collection of frequently erupting geysers gets most of the attention. Old Faithful, it seems, is as much a national landmark as the overexposed giant heads of Mount Rushmore. But seeing a column of water burst from the ground like an ordinary city fountain is every bit as exciting as it sounds. Having to wait 90 minutes or more to actually see one makes it decidedly less so.
Everywhere Once 