Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, 2012
We left on Friday, August 31. Denise, Gary's Sister, took us to the airport. She was in town for the annual picnic in Pilot Grove, Mo. We flew into Bozeman, Montana and arrived about 10:30 a.m. MST. There were lots of bow cases unloaded during the baggage pickup. Gary was excited to think it might be elk season. Our car rental lady advised us that there were fires along the northern entrance of Yellowstone. That immediately canned our itinerary plan. We had to change routes to enter Yellowstone from the West Yellowstone entrance. Before we left Bozeman we ate lunch, picked up a cooler and water, sodas, beer and wine. We learned that in Montana liquor stores could only sell liquor and some wines. We knew immediately that we weren't in Kansas any more.
The trip south was along the Gallatin River. This is a famous trout stream. There were many fishermen along the route. West Yellowstone turned out to be an interesting tourist town. We did not stop here but thought we might later if we had time. The entrance to the park is right outside the city. With our old-fogie lifelong national park passes, we got in without any charge.
We stopped at a Madison River overlook as soon as we entered the park to look at the first vista of Yellowstone. We then drove about thirty miles into the park when Susan thought she saw two bears that were being photographed by tourists. We stopped and walked near the site. It turned out to be a single bull bison. He was lying beside the river near Gibbon Falls.
A little further down the road there were many tourists stopped and photographing something. That turned out to be a black wolf. He was feeding on an elk carcass and trying to drag it out of the river. It was amazing that on the first day we saw Gary's 'First on the List' animals to see.
We stopped several more times on the way to Lake Yellowstone Hotel to photo mostly steam vents and bison. Here are the videos of the Artists' Paintpots and bison.
We checked into the Lake Yellowstone Hotel, which is the oldest in Yellowstone. It opened in 1891. Lake Yellowstone is the largest lake in North America above 7000 feet elevation. We had dinner at the hotel. Gary had trout and Susan had salmon. We crashed early.
Saturday, September 1;
The next morning we had an oatmeal breakfast at the hotel. We then drove to Old Faithful. We arrived twenty minutes before she blew so we mustered to the viewing area and watched. The spew was impressive, but it was hard to imagine this event going on schedule for years and years without fail! We browsed the area and then set off on a trail to the 'Morning Glory Pool'. It was one and a half miles away and was well worth the walk. The 'Morning Glory Pool' colors were just beautiful. Pictures don't do it justice.
The next morning we had an oatmeal breakfast at the hotel. We then drove to Old Faithful. We arrived twenty minutes before she blew so we mustered to the viewing area and watched. The spew was impressive, but it was hard to imagine this event going on schedule for years and years without fail! We browsed the area and then set off on a trail to the 'Morning Glory Pool'. It was one and a half miles away and was well worth the walk. The 'Morning Glory Pool' colors were just beautiful. Pictures don't do it justice.
Along the way to Morning Glory Pool we were never more than one hundred yards from a hot pool, a vent or a geyser. The beautiful 'Riverside Geyser' blew for thirty minutes.
We split routes on the return walk. We were in contact with our walkie-talkies. (We found we couldn't count on cell tower coverage in the park.) Gary took the uphill route to 'Observation Point'. Here is another video from 'Observation Point' that is a different view of 'Old Faithful' spewing. Gary's route along the Firehole River was indescribable. Here are his videos of 'Crystal Pool', 'Giant Geyser', 'Chromatic Pool' and 'Beauty Pool'. Gary also saw one
old bull bison on the way up to the point. Gary hot footed it back down quickly to meet Susan at the Old Faithful Inn for lunch. Old Faithful Inn is the largest log structure in the world. It has seven stories underneath an eighty foot ceiling. It opened in 1904. It was a very impressive structure.
We drove through Madison. This route took us back to the road we drove the day before. Along the way we stopped at several hot spots, hot pools, steam pots, etc. Here are videos of the 'Firehole River' vista, 'Black Opal Spring', 'Sapphire Pool', 'Grand Prismatic Spring', and 'Excelsior Geyser Spring'. We also saw an osprey that was scouting the river for fish.
We stopped again at the location where the black wolf was the day before. Again, there were many tourists trying to get photos. Gary walked down the ravine to the river along with some other tourists. From his vantage point he could see a brownish wolf and an almost white-grey one. They had moved the carcass away from the river. They were large impressive animals.
We stopped at Fishing Bridge and Susan spotted elk in the distance. There were about five including a bull. We tried to get closer but the only animals near the road were more bison.
old bull bison on the way up to the point. Gary hot footed it back down quickly to meet Susan at the Old Faithful Inn for lunch. Old Faithful Inn is the largest log structure in the world. It has seven stories underneath an eighty foot ceiling. It opened in 1904. It was a very impressive structure.
We drove through Madison. This route took us back to the road we drove the day before. Along the way we stopped at several hot spots, hot pools, steam pots, etc. Here are videos of the 'Firehole River' vista, 'Black Opal Spring', 'Sapphire Pool', 'Grand Prismatic Spring', and 'Excelsior Geyser Spring'. We also saw an osprey that was scouting the river for fish.
We stopped again at the location where the black wolf was the day before. Again, there were many tourists trying to get photos. Gary walked down the ravine to the river along with some other tourists. From his vantage point he could see a brownish wolf and an almost white-grey one. They had moved the carcass away from the river. They were large impressive animals.
We stopped at Fishing Bridge and Susan spotted elk in the distance. There were about five including a bull. We tried to get closer but the only animals near the road were more bison.
We returned to Lake Yellowstone Hotel for our second night there. Here is a photo of the hotel and our rental car. We tried to eat in the restaurant but we did not make reservations so the wait was too long. We ate in the hotel grill, which was great.
Sunday, September 2;
We loaded up our SUV (a Toyota Forerunner) and then were on a wait list to eat breakfast in the hotel. While we were waiting a herd of bison strolled across the front lawn of the hotel. The bison were oblivious to all the tourists taking pictures of them. We then had breakfast and took off for the northeastern parts of the park.
Sunday, September 2;
We loaded up our SUV (a Toyota Forerunner) and then were on a wait list to eat breakfast in the hotel. While we were waiting a herd of bison strolled across the front lawn of the hotel. The bison were oblivious to all the tourists taking pictures of them. We then had breakfast and took off for the northeastern parts of the park.
We first drove the South Rim Drive along the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. At our first stop we saw the Upper Falls and there was a trail to 'Uncle Tom's Point'. The description of the trail made it clear that it was too much for Susan, but Gary took off down the trail. The trail consists of more than 300 steps that lead you 500 feet down into the canyon. At the bottom is a platform where you can see, hear, and feel the power of the Lower Yellowstone Falls. When Gary returned he accused Susan of trying to kill him! (Like he didn't read the description too!)
We continued driving along the South Rim Drive to the 'Artist's Point'. It is the most photographed view in Yellowstone. The Yellowstone River thunders more than 300 feet down framed by canyon walls. From this overlook you can view the canyon in both directions.
We continued driving along the South Rim Drive to the 'Artist's Point'. It is the most photographed view in Yellowstone. The Yellowstone River thunders more than 300 feet down framed by canyon walls. From this overlook you can view the canyon in both directions.
We then drove to the North Rim Drive along the canyon. We stopped at the overlook to the 'Brink of the Lower Falls'. After viewing the lower falls, we drove on to 'Lookout Point'. We walked from there to 'Grand View Lookout'. All views were spectacular. We then drove to 'Inspiration Point'. We were again inspired. We then drove the rest of the North Rim Drive into Canyon Village. Susan shopped. Gary smoked his cigar and then we checked into our cabin. It was described as 'rustic'. Susan believed that was an overstatement. There was a bathroom, but the sink was next to the bed area. Susan was proved correct when looking out the window we saw a bison that was not 30 yards away. Susan was worried that if he decided to charge, our cabin was just on shaky stilts and could crumble with one head butt. (Also, no ceiling--just the inside of the roof.) Gary was so happy to be so close to "roughing it". We also saw an elk very near our cabin.
We rested and then took off for an early evening seventy-mile wildlife scouting drive. Our expectations were met. A bison was ambling in the middle of the road. While we were stopped, we did spot five mule deer about thirty yards into the woods. If we weren't stopped, we would never have seen them.
There was an elk herd in Mammoth. The herd included a bugling bull guarding his harem. Park rangers directed traffic and tried to get people to stay clear. On the way out of Mammoth we saw a very large bull elk rubbing his antlers on a tree. He didn't bugle, but he made for a good video.
There was an elk herd in Mammoth. The herd included a bugling bull guarding his harem. Park rangers directed traffic and tried to get people to stay clear. On the way out of Mammoth we saw a very large bull elk rubbing his antlers on a tree. He didn't bugle, but he made for a good video.
We had a late dinner at the Canyon Lodge restaurant. Gary had moose and elk jalapeno brats. We then made our way to our remote, rustic cabin for our first night there.
Monday, September 3;
Today was our trip through the Lamar Valley to view wildlife. The Chittenden Road took us to the northeast entrance of the park. The views were of huge vistas filled with bison. We saw several herds of five hundred at a time. We believe we saw about five thousand bison over our whole trip.
We also saw pronghorn antelope and a bald eagle. We toured along some of the remote roads that took us far into the vistas. We spotted several fishermen and reached some very remote campgrounds. In Yellowstone, cutthroat trout are native, so you must release any caught. Brown trout, rainbow and lake trout were introduced, so you must keep any of those caught. Susan spotted a marmot. This was really in the wild. Gary loved it. Susan locked the car door.
Monday, September 3;
Today was our trip through the Lamar Valley to view wildlife. The Chittenden Road took us to the northeast entrance of the park. The views were of huge vistas filled with bison. We saw several herds of five hundred at a time. We believe we saw about five thousand bison over our whole trip.
We also saw pronghorn antelope and a bald eagle. We toured along some of the remote roads that took us far into the vistas. We spotted several fishermen and reached some very remote campgrounds. In Yellowstone, cutthroat trout are native, so you must release any caught. Brown trout, rainbow and lake trout were introduced, so you must keep any of those caught. Susan spotted a marmot. This was really in the wild. Gary loved it. Susan locked the car door.
We turned around at the northeast entrance to the park. We then drove back to Mammoth Hot Springs to revisit the elk herd there. There was a trail around a spring, pools, geysers that Gary walked around. Susan shopped and found a nice picnic area to read. Later we ate at the local grill and it was still early in the afternoon when we finished. We decided not to wait for the evening appearance of the elk herd. We did spot more elk on the way out of Mammoth. We stopped again where the wolves were seen eating on the elk carcass but the carcass was gone. We returned to our remote, rustic cabin for our second night there.
We really enjoyed our tour of Yellowstone. The caldera explosion 640,000 years ago created a lava flow that is responsible for the general topography of the area. Congress set Yellowstone aside as the first National Park in 1872. Gary had been here once before. Susan was so glad to have this vacation in Yellowstone for the first time.
Tuesday, September 4;
We checked out of our remote, rustic cabin and had breakfast in the lodge. This was our day scheduled to go the Grand Teton National Park. While driving to the south, we saw a coyote hunting. A little further down the road there was a bison jam. Further down the road we stopped again, along with other tourists. All were watching a wolf pack eating on a kill. It was 400 yards off the road. There were three wolves, two greys and a black. We watched the black and a grey move off and they eventually crossed the road one half mile down. The Ranger said there were going to feed their young at their den. This was a canyon pack. It was the same pack that killed the elk at Gibbon Falls, and could have been the same black wolf seen there. The Ranger said the black wolf was two years old. As the crow flies, the mileage between the two kill locations was over twelve miles. No one knew what the kill was. As soon as the wolves left about thirty ravens descended on it.
Tuesday, September 4;
We checked out of our remote, rustic cabin and had breakfast in the lodge. This was our day scheduled to go the Grand Teton National Park. While driving to the south, we saw a coyote hunting. A little further down the road there was a bison jam. Further down the road we stopped again, along with other tourists. All were watching a wolf pack eating on a kill. It was 400 yards off the road. There were three wolves, two greys and a black. We watched the black and a grey move off and they eventually crossed the road one half mile down. The Ranger said there were going to feed their young at their den. This was a canyon pack. It was the same pack that killed the elk at Gibbon Falls, and could have been the same black wolf seen there. The Ranger said the black wolf was two years old. As the crow flies, the mileage between the two kill locations was over twelve miles. No one knew what the kill was. As soon as the wolves left about thirty ravens descended on it.
We reached the Grand Teton National Park about 12:30 p.m. We stopped at the Jackson Lake Overview for our first look of the park. We stopped at the Flagg Ranch to pick up park information. We then drove to the Coulter Bay Visitor Center at Jackson Lake. We watched an educational movie there. We learned that Jackson Hole is the whole valley below the mountains. There is a seven-reictor scale earthquake every eight years that drops the valley and raises the Tetons. We drove to Jenny Lake and checked out the Ranger Station and Visitor Center. We then checked into Jackson Lake Lodge. Our cabin there was very nice and civilized. We had dinner at the lodge and then went to the Oxbow Bend area to look for wildlife. We saw osprey, eagles, and one elk at one thousand yards, but no moose. We were there quite a while and then returned to our cabin for the evening.
Wednesday, September 5;
We drove to the city of Jackson, Wyoming. It's about thirty-five miles south of our cabin. We stopped at the scenic overlook at Snake River. This river feeds Jackson Lake and comes out and meets the Columbia River about eleven thousand miles away. We also stopped at the Glacier View Turnout for more looks at the vista.
We drove to the city of Jackson, Wyoming. It's about thirty-five miles south of our cabin. We stopped at the scenic overlook at Snake River. This river feeds Jackson Lake and comes out and meets the Columbia River about eleven thousand miles away. We also stopped at the Glacier View Turnout for more looks at the vista.
We stopped at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center near Moose Junction. It's a beautiful and very educational center. Susan found her favorite moose there.
Driving further south we saw another one thousand size or so herd of bison with pronghorn antelope sprinkled in. We drove by the National Elk Refuge, which is the only place in the country that feeds elk. The elk were due to return to this area in three months.
The city of Jackson (population about 8,000) was a nice tourist city. We took pictures of the antler arch in the city center square. We had lunch at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Beautiful wildlife and cowboy memorabilia displays were in the bar. They have silver dollar coins overlaid all along the bars. They also have beautiful saddles for bar stools. Susan too several phone pics of Gary sitting at the bar. (After receiving requests to quit sending phone pics of Gary at the bar, Susan quit sending those pics. Feedback was that they can see Gary at the bar anytime!)
Driving further south we saw another one thousand size or so herd of bison with pronghorn antelope sprinkled in. We drove by the National Elk Refuge, which is the only place in the country that feeds elk. The elk were due to return to this area in three months.
The city of Jackson (population about 8,000) was a nice tourist city. We took pictures of the antler arch in the city center square. We had lunch at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Beautiful wildlife and cowboy memorabilia displays were in the bar. They have silver dollar coins overlaid all along the bars. They also have beautiful saddles for bar stools. Susan too several phone pics of Gary sitting at the bar. (After receiving requests to quit sending phone pics of Gary at the bar, Susan quit sending those pics. Feedback was that they can see Gary at the bar anytime!)
We found a sub shop and picked up subs to take back to our cabin for dinner. We saw the bison and antelope still grazing along our return trip to the cabin. We also saw smoke from fires burning in the Buffalo National Forest. We later found out that fire burned over thirteen thousand acres. We also did some four wheeling on the Antelope Flats Road and through Mormon Row. This was very remote country with rocky and muddy roads.
We returned to our cabin. After we finished our subs, Gary walked near the cabin on the Christian Lake Trail. It was supposed to be a three and a half mile trail, but that had to be the distance as the crow flies. It took Gary one and a half hours to walk it. He saw two loons (or cranes) the size of Great Blue Herons. They had very distinctive calls made from deep in their throat. (Gary later learned from a Ranger that these were Sandhill Cranes.)
We returned to Oxbow Bend again in the evening to look for moose. No moose, but Gary spotted a coyote hunting along the water edge. A beaver came out of the river about twenty feet from the coyote. In a National Geographic moment, the coyote grabbed at the beaver but the beaver made it back to the water and slapped its tail loudly. The coyote still lurked around for a while and then left the area. The beaver then came back on shore to browse around.
Thursday, September 6;
Gary left the cabin early to return to Jenny Lake for a Ranger led tour of the area. He learned how to identify lodge poles, the difference between the pine tree species of Douglas Fir and Spruce. He learned there is a lake in Yellowstone where waters flow on both sides of the continental divide. One side ends up in the Atlantic and the other in the Pacific. He climbed a moran of a glacier that created Jenny Lake. He walked on both sides of a fractured plate that lifted the Tetons. The Tetons are not part of the Rockies. The Rockies are two plates colliding and are sixty to eighty million years old. The Tetons are only ten million years old and are caused by a fractured plate that earthquakes have made one side rise and the other fall. There are no foothills in the Tetons because there are no plates colliding.
About the time Gary was returning, it started raining. We ate lunch in the lodge grill. We just relaxed during the afternoon rain. After the rain quit we went out in the later afternoon to tour more of Jackson Lake. We saw one mule deer doe. At the Jackson Lake dam we watched fishermen and camelback ducks. Susan was impressed with the different coloring and fishing method of these ducks. We returned to Oxbow bend to look for moose. We saw four bald eagles and four mule deer. No moose. We did find out from a Ranger that moose are usually in the backyard (Willow Flats) of our lodge lobby. We had a lovely dinner in the lodge restaurant. We returned to our cabin for our last night there.
We returned to our cabin. After we finished our subs, Gary walked near the cabin on the Christian Lake Trail. It was supposed to be a three and a half mile trail, but that had to be the distance as the crow flies. It took Gary one and a half hours to walk it. He saw two loons (or cranes) the size of Great Blue Herons. They had very distinctive calls made from deep in their throat. (Gary later learned from a Ranger that these were Sandhill Cranes.)
We returned to Oxbow Bend again in the evening to look for moose. No moose, but Gary spotted a coyote hunting along the water edge. A beaver came out of the river about twenty feet from the coyote. In a National Geographic moment, the coyote grabbed at the beaver but the beaver made it back to the water and slapped its tail loudly. The coyote still lurked around for a while and then left the area. The beaver then came back on shore to browse around.
Thursday, September 6;
Gary left the cabin early to return to Jenny Lake for a Ranger led tour of the area. He learned how to identify lodge poles, the difference between the pine tree species of Douglas Fir and Spruce. He learned there is a lake in Yellowstone where waters flow on both sides of the continental divide. One side ends up in the Atlantic and the other in the Pacific. He climbed a moran of a glacier that created Jenny Lake. He walked on both sides of a fractured plate that lifted the Tetons. The Tetons are not part of the Rockies. The Rockies are two plates colliding and are sixty to eighty million years old. The Tetons are only ten million years old and are caused by a fractured plate that earthquakes have made one side rise and the other fall. There are no foothills in the Tetons because there are no plates colliding.
About the time Gary was returning, it started raining. We ate lunch in the lodge grill. We just relaxed during the afternoon rain. After the rain quit we went out in the later afternoon to tour more of Jackson Lake. We saw one mule deer doe. At the Jackson Lake dam we watched fishermen and camelback ducks. Susan was impressed with the different coloring and fishing method of these ducks. We returned to Oxbow bend to look for moose. We saw four bald eagles and four mule deer. No moose. We did find out from a Ranger that moose are usually in the backyard (Willow Flats) of our lodge lobby. We had a lovely dinner in the lodge restaurant. We returned to our cabin for our last night there.
Friday, September 7;
Gary checked out of Jackson Lake Lodge. This upstairs lobby overlooks a beautiful vista of Jackson Lake and the Grand Tetons. Susan went to their business center to get boarding passes printed for the next day.
Gary checked out of Jackson Lake Lodge. This upstairs lobby overlooks a beautiful vista of Jackson Lake and the Grand Tetons. Susan went to their business center to get boarding passes printed for the next day.
We went to the upper lobby to look out over the back vista of the lodge. Sure enough, there was a
mother moose with her baby very close to the lodge. There were also several groups of elk including one bull. He was not bugling. We watched the animals for a while and then went to the grill for breakfast. We loaded up the SUV and headed north back through Yellowstone toward Bozeman, Montana.
mother moose with her baby very close to the lodge. There were also several groups of elk including one bull. He was not bugling. We watched the animals for a while and then went to the grill for breakfast. We loaded up the SUV and headed north back through Yellowstone toward Bozeman, Montana.
We returned by way of Old Faithful. We saw the geyser exploding again as we were driving in the area. After a short stop we continued on and drive through the single lane Firehole Lake Drive. We took more pictures of geysers there. We then drove on to the single lane Firehole Canyon Drive. Both of these drives were narrow one-way roads with very scenic views.
We continued north and then west out of Yellowstone Park. We stopped in the city of West Yellowstone. We toured the historic train station. They had the most educational videos of the Yellowstone fires of 1988. These fires were extremely destructive. The effects of that fire were evident still during our viewing of Yellowstone. We then went through some of the local shops and then stopped at a restaurant for lunch. We continued on to our hotel near the airport.
Saturday, September 8;
We got up at 5:20 a.m. and left our hotel for the airport. We turned in our very muddy SUV. We got checked in for our 6:45 a.m. flight out of Bozeman. We had a three-hour layover in Salt Lake City. We had breakfast there and read and relaxed. We got back home around two in the afternoon, our time. We picked up our car in the long term parking just where Denise left it when she returned to Miami.
We had a great vacation. We still want to pursue visiting more of our national parks. Each one we've seen is beautiful and we want to see more.
Gary and Susan
Saturday, September 8;
We got up at 5:20 a.m. and left our hotel for the airport. We turned in our very muddy SUV. We got checked in for our 6:45 a.m. flight out of Bozeman. We had a three-hour layover in Salt Lake City. We had breakfast there and read and relaxed. We got back home around two in the afternoon, our time. We picked up our car in the long term parking just where Denise left it when she returned to Miami.
We had a great vacation. We still want to pursue visiting more of our national parks. Each one we've seen is beautiful and we want to see more.
Gary and Susan