From Mammoth Hot Springs to Tower-Roosevelt

The falls at Undine

Undine Falls on Lava Creek

A pretty flower!

Petrified tree

After walking the lower terraces and driving the upper terraces, we decided to take the 18 mile drive from Mammoth Hot Springs to the Tower-Roosevelt area. Along the way we stopped at Undine Falls whose water source is Lava Creek and is 60 feet high with a 15 foot crest. From the roadside pulloff, you can see the creek as well as about 4 tiers of falls!
Next we stopped at the petrified redwood tree which is only one at this site, but there is an area called Specimen Ridge (which we did not see)that has 27 layers of petrified forests. Evolutionists estimate that the forest took about 40,000 years to petrify, but after the eruption of Mt. St. Helens, in 1980, other theories have been hypothesized as to how quickly the petrified forest formed because many trees that were displaced at the time give scientists "real time" process of petrification of these trees. Complicated but interesting!
We then ventured on and found a great picnic area for lunch. But after that, Austin fell on a rock while playing and took a quarter-sized chunk of flesh out of his knee. Since it cut through his pants leg and had dirt in it, we took a quick trip by the Yellowstone ER to have it cleaned and bandaged. So $400 later (thank goodness for insurance) we were back to the hotel for a rest, a walk around Gardiner, and a good dinner at a local cafe.