Virtual Field Trip: Yellowstone’s Old Faithful Loop Trail

We all want to get back to ‘normal,’ whatever that was. I’m optimistic that soon we all will have confidence to venture out again. For those of us (yes, me too) feeling the urge to get back out, but perhaps aren’t quite ready for crowds and hotel stays, I am bringing you the best experiences from my travels in a new video series, ‘A Photographer’s Journey.’

About a year ago, I published a pilot video, ‘Virtual Field Trip: Bald Eagles in the Wild.‘ In that video, I explain why Bald Eagles migrate hundreds, even thousands of miles each winter and I share the exact location where I travel each winter to photograph hundreds of them congregating in a small area. As I will in all Virtual Field Trip videos, I share some of my favorite pictures from the past 30 years, and basic safety and awareness information, just in case you decide get outside to see Bald Eagles for yourself.

In ‘Virtual Field Trip: Yellowstone’s Old Faithful Loop Trail,’  I share some aerial footage of some of the most awesome places in the national park, like the Yellowstone River flowing toward the Lower Falls, Midway Geyser basin and Grand Prismatic Spring; a slow-motion video of Old Faithful Geyser during an eruption; maps of the overall Yellowstone National Park highway system and a detailed Trail Guide of the Old Faithful Loop Trail. You also get to see some of my favorite videos and pictures, all taken along the trail. As you watch, please understand that the images I show have been taken over a period of years, spending many hours patiently waiting for a geyser to erupt or for weather to improve. Yellowstone is a huge place best enjoyed at a slow pace, over a number of days or weeks.

In each of the videos in the series, I share deep personal experiences that moved me to become an activist for wildlife and environmental conservation. Standard content includes travel information to help you get to each place I travel, some of my favorite videos and photos from there, and I’ll de-mystify each of these places that may seem to be just out of reach for those interested in the experience.

Thanks for stopping by. Please check out the video above by clicking on the goofy image of me in my Tilley hat. Stay safe and healthy until next time.

Best, Larry

Additional Resources

Maps of Yellowstone

GPS Coordinates for the Old Faithful Area
44 27 37.31 (Lat) -110 49 41.59 (Long)
UTM Zone 12: 4923021 N, 513665 E

 

 

 

Virtual Field Trip: Bald Eagles in the Wild

For the past ten years, starting about the first of September I begin to look forward to my annual winter trip to the northern Mississippi River to observe and photograph wild Bald Eagles on their annual migration.

Winter is extremely hard on Bald Eagles that live in the far northern climates, because they are totally dependent upon a good supply small animals or fish as their primary diet. Winter temperatures at home dip so low that snow will completely blanket the land and rivers, lakes and ponds will freeze. There is nothing at all to eat. It is time to begin the long trip southward, in search of a deer kill or better yet, open water.

My trip this past February took me from my home in southwest Ohio to LeClaire, Iowa, a small town on the Mississippi River where it passes between Illinois and Iowa. Upon arriving at one of my favorite places to observe this annual event, I am immediately shocked, reminded once again of their severe hunger as they soar above me, then suddenly stop in in mid air before going into a steep dive that ends with talons outstretched, piercing the fish soon to become one of several meals that day.

In this video, I share the exact location of my favorite place to witness the annual gathering of dozens of Bald Eagles, and the answers to common questions:

“What do Bald Eagles eat?”

“Do some Bald Eagles have brown heads?”

“Do Bald Eagles ever fight?”

Thanks for visiting my blog. Please share my video with friends and family, and leave a comment to let me know if there are other questions you might have about Bald Eagles, or if there are other places for which you would like to see a future Virtual Field Trip video.

My best to one and all!