6
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.
greatly diminished as of itself to furnish a conclusive
argument in favor of including the park within the boundaries of Montana.
For further information upon this subject I respectfully refer to Washington
Irving's "Astoria" and "Bonneville's Adventures," and to Captain Raynold's
official report.
The park can be visited any
time between the last of April and the first of November, but it appears
to the best advantage during the months of July, August, and September.
Then the weather is warm and pleasant, storms rarely occur, and the forests,
plains, and foot-hills are in full verdure. Tourists desirous of reaching
the park by the most picturesque route will proceed by railroad to Corinne,
Utah, where they can purchase their outfits for the cheaper and to better
advantage than at any advanced point. The difference between a long and
tedious stage-ride to Helena, and ride on horseback from Corinne to Taylor's
Bridge, is decidedly in favor of the latter, both as regards to comfort
and opportunities for observation. So much of the outfit as relates to
food, groceries, and cooking-utensils, can be advantageously purchased
at the stores in the vicinity of Taylor's Bridge, to which point, and on
to Market Lake, the route lies over the main route to Montana.
From Market Lake to the park
the country is wild and unsettled, and all provisions must necessarily
be transported by pack-trains. Following the road from Market Lake to the
ford on Henry's Fork of Snake River, a distance of thirty miles, the traveler
from that point has nothing to guide him buy a faint bridle-path. While
passing over this part of the route, he will have many fine views of the
Tetons, the great mountain landmarks of the region. Ascending Henry's Fork
a distance of seventy miles, he will arrive at the frontier cabin of Gilman
Sautelle and Levi Wurtz, on the shore of Henry's Lake, in which the fork
takes its rise. In Messrs. Sautelle and Wurtz he will find men who, with
all the better qualities of sagacious and expert mountaineers, unite fine
more natures and rare culture. Perfectly familiar with the entire region,
these gentlemen will give the traveler all needful information as to his
future journey of thirty-five miles to the Lower Geyser Basin, the first
of the interesting localities in the park. In this basin there are many
objects of rare interest. The geysers, though comparatively small, are
very wonderful in the eyes of the visitor who first beholds them. So, also,
are the hot springs; but they are merely a foreshadowing of the greater
wonders of the Upper Geyser Basin, which is ten miles farther up the Fire
Hole River.
The ride between the two basins
is full of interest. The Upper Basin is the location of all the great geysers
of the park yet discovered. No one has ever remained long enough in it
to be able to detail with accuracy the number and size of all these wonderful
water-spouts.
There are at least two thousand
hot springs, large and small, in this basin, and of this number probably
two hundred are geysers. The whole basin is enveloped in steam, and seen
at a distance, is like the approach to a cluster of manufactories. The
geysers project water with terrific force, and in fabulous quantities,
and in every conceivable form, to heights varying from 20 to 250 feet.
These, seen in the rays of a midday sun, or in the beams of a full moon,
are inexpressibly grand. Unlike any other scenery in the world, they amaze
the beholder by their magnitude and novelty.
It is fifteen miles from this
basin to Yellowstone Lake, over a path running through a pine forest, greatly
obstructed the entire distance by fallen timber. Several beautiful cascades
in the Fire Hole River may be visited on this part of the route. The lake
is nearly 8,000 feet Go
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