Steel Bridge Pool, Yellowstone National Park Postcard

"Steel Bridge Pool, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming" by Catherine Sherman. Steel Bridge Pool, a steaming blue hot spring, is nestled in a grassy meadow, surrounded by a hill covered in dense evergreen trees. The clear blue water and the rising vapours create a mesmerising natural landscape. There are many beautiful hot springs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. So many, in fact, that some of these pools don't get any attention and aren't on any must-see lists. The Steel Bridge Pool is one of these overlooked pools. It's next to the parking lot for the trail to Fairy Falls and the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook. By the time visitors find a parking spot in the tiny parking lot, many are too eager to get on the trail to take notice of this lovely azure pool. I didn't take the time to appreciate the beauty this pool until I returned from my hike to the overlook. I didn't make it to Fairy Falls. The pool is named for the old steel bridge that crosses the Firehole River at the beginning of the trail to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook and to Fairy Falls. The hike to the overlook is fairly easy, especially the first half which is flat and paved. This trail is in a Bear Management Area, and is closed from March to Memorial Day to prevent bear encounters. I also saw bison sitting by the side of the trail, but there are bison everywhere in the park, so nothing unusual about that. They look benign and disinterested in passing hikers, but don't approach them. They can jump and run very quickly if they feel threatened or annoyed, and they are very dangerous.