What Do You Want to See or Do?

I have posed that question to my family over and over again. What do you want to see? What do you want to do? 

This is not just ~my~ vacation; this is the family vacation. I don't want to be making all the decisions. 

One son wants to bathe in the hot springs in Yellowstone? Can we do that? Banff has natural hot springs. That the main reason the town is there.The railroad workers would bathe in the hot springs after their day was complete. The town and national park sprung up around the hot springs. In the town, one commercial area is available for "taking of the waters," the Upper Hot Springs. The Cave and Basin National Historic Site shows the history of the hot springs. In the plans is time for soaking in the hot springs. 

But what about Yellowstone? Hot springs abound in the park. Is there anywhere to bathe in the springs? Most books warned about staying on the paths so you don't get burned. Legend has it that fisherman use one hot spring to cook their fish. However, diligent reading has produced paydirt.

On the road from the north entrance of Yellowstone to the our lodging at Mammoth Hot Springs, a sign markes the Forty-fifth Parallel, the line of latitude midway between the equator and the North Pole.  If we take the trail that leads upstream a quarter mile to the Boiling River, a stream empties into the Gardner. Although the tributary itself is off-limits, people can soak in man-made pools surrounding the confluence. 

A natural hot tub... what could be better!