Prima donna of Sylvan Springs: Evening Primrose

            ** We are on a photo hike of Sylvan Springs, Yellowstone. See the new album for all the photos in order. **

I was very glad to see Evening Primrose Spring beautiful again. Again? Yes; I had read T. Scott Bryan's doleful tale from 2008:

"Evening Primrose Spring was once regarded as one of the most beautiful springs in the Park, and it was probably the one reason a maintained trail used to lead here. In shape and color it was comparable to Morning Glory Pool in the Upper Geyser Basin. At some point (just when does not seem to have been recorded) the water changed from alkaline to acid. The surface became covered with a thick froth of elemental sulfur of of brilliant yellow color. Then, during 1972 Evening Primrose was invaded by Sulfolbulus, an Archaea that metabolizes sulfur. Today's pool has become one of Yellowstone's ugliest, with a murky yellowish-green or brown color. The temperature has been recorded as low as 106° F (41° C), and the pH was once measured at 0.95, perhaps the most strongly acid value ever determined in a Yellowstone spring." (The Geysers of Yellowstone, 4th ed 2008, p. 332).

I've seen pictures of it from a few years ago, and he was right: the Evening Primrose had become an ugly brown pit.  If you Google its name, you can find half a dozen photos on the internet of it in yucky brown, drained almost dry or foaming in rancid colors. There's one historic pre-1959 photo of it.

Well, isn't it lovely now? It may not be morning glory blue, but the pale green lime-sherbet water surrounded by a bright yellow rim is stunning in its own right. I think it's time to rebuild the trail out here!  The color resembles Crater Hills Geyser.

Taken on: September 8, 2015

Tags:

wyoming

yellowstonenationalpark

nationalparks

geyserbasin

geothermal

hotspring

eveningprimrose

eveningprimrosespring

geyser

sylvansprings

psa104

Chief Bwana

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Sets appears in: • Yellowstone Secrets • Yellowstone more » • Sylvan Springs, Yellowstone • Rarely Seen « less

Groups appears in: • yellowstone • U.S. National Parks more » • Volcanoes • Geysers • Geology • Geothermal Areas • Geology for all • Geology/EarthScience « less

Camera: Canon EOS REBEL T2i, f/11.0, 1/200 sec, 17mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS REBEL T2i
Lens:	EF17-40mm f/4L USM
Aperture:	f/11.0
Exposure Time:	0.005 sec (1/200)
Focal Length:	17mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	-2/3 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	ACDSee Ultimate 8
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