Swimming in Yellowstone
.Swimming is allowed in rivers throughout Yellowstone (according to the brochure they gave us) but we found two places that are especially popular. On the right is the best swimming hole I have ever found. The small water falls on the left side of the photo are fed by the outflow of the Mammoth Springs and are HOT. The creek is COLD and fast. We spent hours rolling back and forth from one extreme to the other until we were prunes. Getting directly under the hot water was best of all. This is at the northern edge of the park (near Gardiner) and is now supported by a parking lot and bathrooms. It is a little bit of a hike but well worth it.
On the left is a swimming hole near the Sheep Eater's cliffs. A side road brings you to a narrow canyon with a swift-flowing stream. The water is warm but not hot. You are not supposed to jump from the cliffs but we saw people doing it. The area was much prettier the previous time we were there because it was surrounded by dense woods. The charred remains are evident in the photo.
Below is another view of the devastation from the Great Fires. Celeste and I camped in Yellowstone that summer and remember the grey haze each evening. The southern entrance to the park had been closed for weeks, and when they finally opened it, we took a drive to see the damage. A few miles in and they shooed us out - wildfires had reignited all around us. Very exciting.
The renewal of the forest is happening quickly, but will take a long time to return to what we saw in the 1980's since the growing season is short in the high country.
