Health & Fitness

Question

After visiting Mud Volcano and Sulfur Caldren in Yellowstone, I was left with a metalic taste in my mouth for days. Can you explain why?

Answer 1

When in the vicinity of the thermal features in Yellowstone, you are breathing in more than just steam. Many of the features give off a sulfuric smell, and in your case perhaps a taste as well! There is no direct health risk of being near the thermal features, even for extended lengths of time. Many scientists have spent long periods of their lives around these locations and never has there been anything reported of that nature that I discovered.

If you are still feeling this way, talk to your doctor!

I hope that your taste returns to normal soon!

6 weeks ago

Answer 2

You're getting in just under the wire to have your own campfire in the park (at designated locations) as the last day permitted is October 15th. In terms of hosted NPS campfires and Ranger campfire talks, you'll have to check with the park itself for an updated schedule. The best number to call is: (209) 372-0200; press 3 then 5.

Have a great trip!

8 weeks ago

Answer 3

im not sure of the exact number but if you in decent shape the last part of the mist trail to vernal falls should take you no more than 30 minutes to summit. if your in good shape 10-15 min

8 weeks ago

Answer 4

This is actually not an easy question to answer as there are a lot of wonderful things to do. It really depends on how much time you have. The first thing you should do is just take a look. The canyon is magnificent and all the pictures you have seen don't do it justice. Take a walk around the canyon. I assume you will be visiting the south rim and around the rim there is a nice easy trail you can walk on to get different views of the canyon. If you are up for a more rigorous hike, go down into the canyon. Either the Bright Angel Trail or the South Kaibab Trail will provide you different perspectives of the canyon and you can hike as little or as much as you want. Get up early to watch the sunrise or find a spot to watch the sunset. At the beginning and the end of the day you can watch the colors of the canyon change and get the most dramatic views. And stop at one of the visitor centers and talk to the park rangers. There is a daily schedule of ranger led talks and walks where you can learn about Grand Canyon history, geology, animal and plant life, etc.

We were just there in May and had a wonderful time. I hope you do too.

13 weeks ago

Answer 5

According to Weather Underground, the average high temperature is 73 F (with a historical range of 42 F to 86 F) and the average low temperature is 44 F (with a historical range of 32 F to 72 F) for West Yellowstone Aug 25-30. There is an 89% chance of a warm day (temperature over 60°F / 16°C).

If you'd like to research more about the weather in Yellowstone or any other park or destination, check out Weather Underground's Trip Planner.

I hope you have a fun trip to Yellowstone. Please come back to OhRanger.com after your trip to share your park experiences with us!

14 weeks ago

Answer 6

Yes, bike riding is allowed within the park. If you are interested there is also a Badlands bike tour coming up in September. Check it out. Enjoy you trip and be sure to stop back at OhRanger.com and let us know how it went.

14 weeks ago

Answer 7

As of now, firearms are not allowed in national parks.

Although a new law permitting concealed loaded firearms at national parks was passed in May, it will not take effect until February. The Interior Department will continue to enforce current restrictions until then.

Under the current regulation, firearms are generally prohibited in national parks, but citizens may transport unloaded and dismantled or cased firearms and carry firearms while participating in approved hunting programs and under certain other circumstances, according to a Department of Interior spokesperson.

Please remember that firearms regulations may vary by park. Check with the National Park Service or the park you plan to visit before your trip for most up-to-date information.

For more information, see the NPS Great Smoky Laws & Policies website.

15 weeks ago

Answer 8

There are several good resources to help you find local hikes near Portland. OhRanger.com will soon have the ability to search for trails and other points of interest, as we're in the process of relaunching our site with a new database of information and many new features. Right now, you can go to our Where To Go page (http://www.ohranger.com/where-to-go), click on Maine and you'll see all the parks and public lands within the state (i.e. all federal and state managed parks). For example, Wolfe's Neck Woods and Bradbury Mountain State Parks are near to Portland and worth checking out. Since our trail information isn't yet live, please also check out the following link to localhikes.com for suggestions:

http://www.localhikes.com/MSA/MSA_6403.asp

Also, trails.com has lots of good information. Check out this link to hiking in Maine for further ideas:

http://www.trails.com/activity.aspx?area=10428#trailid=MTU068-054&lat=43.70994&lon=-70.23628&zoom=9&m=terrain&a=HK

I hope this helps you have a great hiking experience. Be sure to come back often to OhRanger.com to share your experiences, ask more question and, hopefully, apply your own knowledge to answer questions posed by other park-loving members of our community. Have fun in Maine!

15 weeks ago