We set out for the Cygnet Lakes Trail this morning to access a backcountry hot spring area mentioned on the
http://www.us.national-parks.net/hidden.htm. The site lists quite a few 'secret' Yellowstone locations. I've used it as a starting point for a few of my expeditions. After a little hunting on Google Earth, I was able to get the GPS coordinates. Jeff programed them in to the GPS unit. He's getting pretty good at it, that's how we found Fairyland last year.
After a false start out past a bug-infested lilly pad pond, we found a little drainage and followed a nice game trail out to a finger meadow.
The finger meadow delivered us into a large, beautiful meadow. We crossed through a grove of lodgepole pine at the edge of it and discovered a pile of old tin cans. I wonder if it was once an old poacher's camp.
A family of huge sandhill cranes surprised us as we walked out of the trees.
We followed a tiny creek into a small valley to the north and emerged at the edge of the thermal area.
To the left we found a wide, flat, white area, dotted with hot springs - some milky, some clear...
even a few mud volcanoes sprang from the ground.
I thought this spring looked like Swiss cheese.
In the center, almost like a trophy, lay a sun-bleached bison skull.
All in all, it was a pretty satisfying little adventure. There's nothing quite like stepping off the trail...
And the wildflowers were GORGEOUS!
On our way back we took Firehole Drive and stopped to see the cascades.
After a false start out past a bug-infested lilly pad pond, we found a little drainage and followed a nice game trail out to a finger meadow. 
The finger meadow delivered us into a large, beautiful meadow. We crossed through a grove of lodgepole pine at the edge of it and discovered a pile of old tin cans. I wonder if it was once an old poacher's camp.
A family of huge sandhill cranes surprised us as we walked out of the trees.
We followed a tiny creek into a small valley to the north and emerged at the edge of the thermal area.
To the left we found a wide, flat, white area, dotted with hot springs - some milky, some clear...
even a few mud volcanoes sprang from the ground.
I thought this spring looked like Swiss cheese.
In the center, almost like a trophy, lay a sun-bleached bison skull.
All in all, it was a pretty satisfying little adventure. There's nothing quite like stepping off the trail...
And the wildflowers were GORGEOUS!
On our way back we took Firehole Drive and stopped to see the cascades.
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