Like a cathedral of stone, the travertine terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs are a product of the interaction between hot water from deep within the Earth, and the cool mountain air of Yellowstone. Each terrace, like a page in a geologic novel, tells a story of deposition and erosion - of minerals carried up from below, then sculpted by nature’s hand. The palette of Mammoth is a painter's dream, with hues ranging from stark white to vibrant orange, depending on the mineral content and temperature of the water, and the steam rising from the pools adds an ethereal quality to the scene, as if the Earth itself were breathing.