Yellowstone Canyon

Our next stop was yellowstone canyon.  With the children sleeping, we drove the North rim first to get our first views.  Sean woke up and wanted to see - he was really fascinated by the Osprey nests that were very close to the overlooks.  He took a video and you can see a link here.

 

We split up for a bit to have the kids one on one.  Robbie and Ben hiked the South rim trail, including Uncle Tom's point, which goes down nearly to the base of the lower falls.  The view from the south rim is spectacular along the entire stretch.

Ben and Robbie caught up with Erin and Sean at Artists point - where you can look all the down thte canyon to the lower falls.  To escape the crowds, we hike back up the south rim trail a little.

The colors of the canyon are incredible and this area was a definite highlight of the visit.  There are even hot springs still sending water into the canyon and adding to the palette of colors plastered on the canyon walls.

The visitor's centers here are a highlight as well - each one goes over different aspects of the park.  The Yellowstone Canyon visitor's center highlights the caldera and just how massive it is, and how the North America as moved over the hotspot over time.  It even tracks earthquakes in the park in real time - there are several a day!