Here, we take a look at Slough Creek from a different vantage point - high on Specimen Ridge, south of Slough Creek. In the top photo, Paul walks the side of the steep ridge, high above the valley floor. The lazy meanders of Slough Creek can be seen on the other side of Lamar Valley. Slough Creek campground is located at the point where the Creek disappears into the heavily timbered canyon above the campground. Snow-capped Buffalo Plateau rises in the distance.

The red cliffs in the bottom photo are full of petrified tree stumps. Over a period of millions of years, successive eruptions of volcanos buried one forest after another. Today, it's estimated that as many as 17 different layers of petrified forest exist on Specimen Ridge. Jim Bridger once told tales of "peetrified birds singing peetrified songs in peetrified trees..." after an early visit to Yellowstone.

If you hike Specimen Ridge, bear in mind that it is illegal to remove any of the pretrified wood, crystals, or animal remains from Yellowstone. Also, bear in mind the bears - there are a lot of them, especially in the broad meadows on the south side of the ridge. High wind makes it difficult for the hiker to warn the bears of their approach and renders pepper spray useless.