Beryl Spring
by Sharon Elliott
Title
Beryl Spring
Artist
Sharon Elliott
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
My second trip to Yellowstone was in April, when more of the Park is open and roads are clear enough for the public to travel. There are many beautiful and interesting sites and learning points along the way from the West to the North via the Gibbon Canyon route. Beryl Springs was one of these cites. As you drive along the road approaching this Spring you notice a large amount of steam rising up as often happens near the road and out in vast fields. Beryl Springs in beautiful in color, and I am always amazed at the heat just under foot which bubbles up. If you close your eyes, you can imagine yourself in a kitchen listening to a pot boil on the stove.
Beryl Springs is located in the Gibbon Geyser Basin area along the road from North Yellowstone Park to the road that leads either to West Yellowstone or the Old Faithful area. This is one of the hottest springs in Yellowstone, averaging 196 degrees. It was named in 1883 for the blue-green color which is the color of the gemstone beryl.
Hot Springs are similar to geysers, but they have no constrictions in their plumbing. Superheated water cools and circulates as it reaches the surface and is replaced by hotter water from below. This circulation, called convection, prevents water from reaching the temperature needed to set off the chain reaction leading to an eruption. The many beautiful colors you see in hot springs are caused by light refraction, suspended mineral particles, and heat-loving microorganisms.
Uploaded
February 10th, 2013
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