Mud Pots

The Mud Volcano area of Yellowstone National Park is especially notable for its mud pots, places where the boiling water has mixed with the soil to form pots of hot mud. In this case the mud is marked with animal tracks, probably of a bison that has wandered through the area (it's really hard to get them to stay on the boardwalks). The animals of Yellowstone, especially in cold weather, are often found near the hydrothermal areas where it is warm and grass is growing. They do not always survive their trips through these areas.