Day 4: Yellowstone - What do you do if a bear attacks?

Map of Yellowstone

The correct answer is to lie down on your stomach with your legs spread apart and your hands clasped behind your neck. DO NOT drop your backpack, it can serve as additional protection. DO NOT run away, as this can cause the bear to chase you and they are three times faster than a human. DO NOT try to climb a tree. Bears can also climb trees. And my personal favorite, bear mace is NOT bear repellent. DO NOT spray it on your clothes, backpack or person (I think this goes without saying, but obviously someone has made this mistake before.)
-Adapted excerpt from a Yellowstone "Guide to Wildlife"

This was not the only lesson we learned during our first full day in Yellowstone. It was a jam-packed day. We traveled from our campsite at Norris south to Old Faithful, stopping at several locales on the way including Artist Paint Pots, the Gibbon area, and the lower geyser basin. All of these areas had amazing geothermal areas and gorgeous scenery. Then we headed back up north to Canyon village to see the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, which really did look like the Grand Canyon or so I hear, (I'll be the judge later in the trip!) and had two gorgeous waterfalls.

Other lessons learned during our Yellowstone adventure:

• Yellowstone sits on top of a volcanic hotspot, called the Yellowstone caldera, which accounts for the many geothermal vents and unique rock formations across the park including Old Faithful. Good trivia question!

• There are bison everywhere in Yellowstone, and they just don't give a hoot. They will walk right in the street obstructing traffic as they go. Several people are gored to death by bison every year, so keep your distance (75 ft to be exact). Clearly, we followed that guideline in the picture above- note the thinly veiled terror on Katie's face. Also, Parm really likes Bison.

• It's cold in June! Yellowstone is at an elevation of approximately 6,000 to 9000 feet across various regions of the park. On June 2, post spring snowfall, this meant that some areas of the park had A LOT of snow resulting in the following conversation with a ranger at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone:

Emmie: Hi, we're looking to hike around the canyon. Are there trails you would recommend?
Ranger: No.
Emmie: Oh...(internal monologue what is your deal buddy, least helpful ranger EVER)
Ranger: There are 3 to 10 feet of snow on all trails.
Emmie: (sadface)

• There are french people everywhere and Katie parle bien le francais! We first met them at Artist Paint Pots (which is a section of hot springs and mudpots, not a place to paint pots)

• The tomato and smoked gouda soup at the Old Faithful Inn right next to Old Faithful is BOMB, and there are bleachers and bleachers of people waiting to watch Old Faithful go off approximately every 93 minutes.

Before

After

• Inspiration Point at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, is NOT very inspirational, relatively speaking. But the main lookout is absolutely breathtaking.

• Yellowstone is the most beautiful and environmentally diverse place I've ever been...FOR NOW. The trip continues :)