Field Trip

A one-day field trip to Yellowstone National Park is planned for Sunday, September 8 to explore the biologic potential of hydrothermal systems in volcanic settings and to spark discussion of a similar potential in impact-generated hydrothermal systems that may have existed during the dawn of life nearly 4 billion years ago.

An additional cost of $55 is required to participate in the optional field trip to Yellowstone National Park. To take part, be sure to indicate this selection on your registration form. Field trip attendance is limited to 45. Participants will be required to sign a Field Trip Waiver of Liability.

The field trip bus will depart Buck’s T-4 at 7:30 a.m. for the park entrance through West Yellowstone. The return drive to Buck’s T-4 is approximately two hours, with an estimated arrival of 7:00 p.m.

All stops are at tourist localities and accessible along boardwalks. Comfortable casual clothes for outdoor walking are recommended. The elevation is high, so protection from the sun is recommended. Weather conditions in Yellowstone National Park can change abruptly, so having layers that allow for both warm and cold conditions will be prudent. Typical daytime temperatures in September may begin at freezing (32°F) and rise to the mid-60s — conditions can be hotter or colder, and snow is always possible.

Because this is a National Park, no sampling of flora, fauna, water, rock, or any other natural component of the Park is permitted. Nor are measurements (e.g., temperature and pH) allowed by field trip participants.

A box lunch with bottled water will be provided. It is recommended that participants bring additional snacks because total drive time on the field trip will be at least seven hours with a late return to Buck’s T-4. The last seating for dinner at Buck’s T-4 is 9:00 p.m.

Field Trip Leads

David Kring: USRA/Lunar and Planetary Institute
Kennda Lynch: USRA/Lunar and Planetary Institute
David Des Marais: NASA Ames Research Center

Submit field trip photos and videos!

Take photos and videos to document your field trip experience at Yellowstone National Park. As you explore, capture videos or images of natural features of astrobiological significance (landscapes and close-ups), terrestrial analogs that may represent existing features, or features that may have once existed elsewhere in the solar system.

We will use the media you submit to create online resources (e.g., image galleries, slideshows, videos) for researchers, educators, students, and the public.

Guidelines and Terms

You may submit multiple photos and videos.
Do not upload photos and/or videos of tourists.
Photo submissions may be in horizontal or portrait format.
Photos must be submitted in JPEG, GIF, PNG, or TIFF format. Non-digital formats are not accepted.
Videos must be submitted as MOV or MP4 files.
USRA/LPI reserves the right to crop photos and trim videos.
All photos must be original, meaning you may only submit photos and videos that you took and for which you own the copyright.
By submitting photos and/or videos, you give USRA/LPI permanent, non-exclusive, royalty-free permission to display your submitted photo on USRA/LPI websites, on USRA/LPI social media accounts, and in any content associated with USRA/LPI.

A submission link will be emailed to participants.

Note: All electronic submission forms are part of the Meeting Portal, which requires users to set up a personal profile to access our electronic forms (setting up a profile is quick and easy, requiring only a few minutes of your time).