Steam erupts over the mammoth hot springs limestone terraces in Yellowstone national park in the winter with a visible sunstar.

Winter at Mammoth Hot Springs

Wyoming, USA

Yellowstone National Park is one of the gems in the National Park system of the US. Among the most-visited parks in the summer, winter allows for a limited, but more intimate exploration of the park. One part that remains open in the winter is the area near Mammoth Hot Springs near Gardiner, Montana.

Hydrothermal activity in Yellowstone is extensive and has been present for several thousand years. It is one of the centerpieces of the park. Mammoth Hot Springs contains limestone terraces formed from calcium carbonate. Thermal water rises through these limestone terraces carrying high amounts of dissolved calcium carbonate. At the surface, carbon dioxide is released and calcium carbonate is deposited, creating travertine, the chalky white mineral forming the rock of travertine terraces. Thermophiles (heat-loving organisms), thrive in the area and are responsible for the colorful deposits of the terraces.

Photo © copyright by Dr. Edward Mikol.

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