Part 4 of a dream journey--days 2-4 in Yellowstone

On day two, Mary from the hotel advised me to go to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, and it was my favorite place that I visited in the park.

On the way to the canyon, I stopped to hike at the Paint Pots--and to watch those bubbling hot springs sprew their bright colors.

But it was the canyon that really mystified me! I could see immediately how Yellowstone Park got its name, and the waterfalls--both the upper and lower falls--were magnificent. And it was there that I first saw the Yellowstone River, which creates the waterfall below.

Stopping at a 1950's style cafe near the Canyon Lodge (which was not yet open), once again I had worked up a healthy appetite and appreciated a traditional lunch of delicious cheeseburger and fries. Thus ended another good day at YNP.

The next day back in West Montana, I decided to take a break from driving into the park. Instead I sayed in town and went to a bear (grizzly) and wolf sanctuary there in town. It was amazing to see those creatures so close up. They are truly beautiful wild animals.

Also I toured the historic Union Pacific train station, where in 1907 and thereafter, tourists used to come in on the train and then take stagecoaches through the park to the hotels. Until then visitation to the part was minimal because of its remote location, difficult access, and primitive accommodations. I took a step back in time as I toured the museum and the famous Union Pacific dining hall.

In my stay at West Yellowstone, Montana, I met so many people from all over the US and from other countries, such as the Netherlands and Australia. There were a lot of Asian tourists. One morning at breakfast when I asked an Asian woman where she was from, she answered, "LA! That's in California." West Yellowstone is a small town, but because of its gateway into Yellowstone, it's very cosmopolitan.

My last day in Yellowstone Park, once again I entered through the West Gate, but this time I drove 100 miles through the park to the South Gate, stopping at Mud Pots to hike to the mysterious Dragon's Mouth and other bubbling geothermal mud hot springs, where bufallo like to hang out to get warm in the winter. You'll see one fellow napping near a hot springs in the third picture below!

The number of geothermal features in Yellowstone--from geysers to hot springs to mud pots--is estimated at 10,000. YNP sits in a huge volcanic basin (caldera), which was the site of several massive volcanic eruptions, the last of which occurred about 600,000 years ago. These springs and geysers are caused by the build up of hot water and steam trapped below the surface.

Having seen enough geothermal features for this trip into Yellowstone, I was heading out, but it seemed that the antelope and bufallo did not want me to leave.

But by then, I was on my merry way to the Grand Tetons and famous Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to find out what made the Tetons grand and Jackson Hole famous, and nothing could stop me now--not even a few dozen bufallo!

Part 3 of a dream journey--Yellowstone!

Arriving in West Yellowstone, Montana, I settled into my hotel and made my nest for the next five nights. So this was Montana! Little did I know that this small town was the only part of Montana that I would visit. As in Boise, the town was surrounded by mountains, but these were higher and snow covered. These were the Rockies!

Though it was May 16, snow still lay on the ground in places from the unseasonable snowfall the week before my trip. I had packed two wool sweaters, two fleese vests, a light barn coat, wool socks, and my hiking boots. These proved to be plenty of clothes to keep me plenty warm for the next eleven days. Except for one day of rain, I found the weather to be cool, sunny, and perfect for my whole trip. There was no more snow!

Except to know that it was named the first national park in 1872, I had not done much research on Yellowstone because I wanted to wait until I got there. So the next morning, I met Mary, who worked there in the hotel, and asked her where I should go for my first foray into the park. She suggested that I may want to go about thirty miles into the park to Old Faithful--which had the most famous geyser as well as a famous old hotel. Though I knew that I probably couldn't afford to stay in them, old hotels were on my bucket lists of places that I wanted to visit and perhaps have a meal there.

The picture above is from my first entering Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Immediately in the park, I passed into the great state of Wyoming! The park was magical. Lots of moutains and swift rivers (This one is the Madison River.) and wild life--especially buffalo. Lots of close encounters with buffalo and their newly born calves. Also lots water falls (over 200 in the park) and lots of geothermal hot springs of many different colors from green to soothing turquoise to yellows and bright oranges. As I drove slowly (speed limit 45 mph) through the park, I might see steam rising from an area and came to realize that these were hiking areas (usually on raised wooden paths) to see hot springs.

Once I reached Old Faithful Inn, I had taken several hikes and built up a healthy appetite for lunch in the restaurant at the inn. I even got to enjoy huckleberry bread pudding--a real treat! After lunch, I was just in time to watch the Old Faithful Geyser, which erupts about every 90 minutes like clockwork! It was discovered in 1870, usually erupts for 90 seconds to five minutes, and rises from 100 to 200 feet.

After Old Faithful erupted, I scouted and hiked several acres in front of the inn and found many geothermal hot springs and one stream that allowed me to begin to see how Yellowstone got its name.

I said my farewells to Old Faithful Inn and geyser and headed back through the park, stopping often to hike and view other hot springs and Firehole River, which is a favorite river for fly fishing but in some places it is definitely a white water raging river on the edge of the park, created by the volcanic eruptions that created the whole park and that still apparently bubble below its surfice. (More on that later.) Firehole River contains three of the park's major waterfalls.

Thus ended my first day in Yellowstone.Who would have thought that going about 60 miles would have taken me all day? But besides the slow speed limit, there was just so much to see! And tomorrow I would view the famous Grand Canyon of Yellowstone Park National Park! 

A dream journey--part 2

As is obvious from my last post, it was those Grand Tetons that most impressed me on my trip out to the grand North West! (And more about the Tetons on another post.) Actually, all of my trip was filled with mountains, and I love mountains!

As you may recall, I flew in to Boise, Idaho, which was a way cool city to be in on the first night of the trip, and it was actually my first time in the state of Idaho. The city appears to be surrounded by lovely mountains--those kind of mountains that I had seen out in New Mexico and Arizona--the ones that are beautiful and all shades of brown.

The next morning I travelled east in Idaho toward Yellowstone in my small rented Toyota Yaris. Once I hit Highway 20, I was startled and swerved to avoid what appeared to be something coming my way from the prairie on the right. It was moving into the road and looked as if it could cause me to wreck, but I later discovered that it was only a double tumbleweed that had hooked itself together. None of the other cars on the road seemed to be paying any attention to them, so I quickly figured out that the tumble weeds may strike your car, but they were harmless; in fact, they could not even be felt. But oh my, they could be rather large and scarey at first--even bigger than giant beach balls!

As I continued to travel through Idaho, the brown mountains and hills gave way to green. Then on these mountains, there began to be pockets of evergreen trees. When the brown turned to green, I was in the Idaho's famous Sawtooth Mountains range.  After that, snow capped mountains begn to appear.

As I got closer and closer to the snow-covered mountains, lakes began to appear. Then all of a sudden, something changed!

Besides the lovely mountains and occasional lake, the most spetacular geographic display that I encountered that day was toward the end of my drive when I arrived in northwest Idaho at Craters of the Moon. For miles and miles, you drive through these amazing black lava fields and craters. You intuitively know that there must have been vocanos here at some time in the past. My research tells me that these other-worldly features are the result of basaltic volcanic activity between 15,000 and 2,100 years ago. Like so many places, no picture does them justice; you have to see them in person!

I stopped near and devoured my picnic lunch (chicken left over from dinner the night before) and stared into those dark earth crater and scruptures.

Little did I know that these craters were only a taste of what I was in for at Yellowstone National Park! If you tune in for the next installment in this blog, you may find out more than you ever wanted to know about that park. But really whether you have already been to Yellowstone (YNP) or are planning on going, I believe that you will appreciate what I have to share about it.

A dream journey

It had been years, perhaps even decades, that I had been dreaming of going to the GrandTetons, going to the Rocky Mountains! I had never been to Montana or Wyoming. I loved mountains and rivers. So earlier this year, I began the saving and the planning for this adventure.

Already I had learned that just seeing pictures of places was definitely not the same as going to those places!

Short outline of my trip: it was a solo journey. I flew into Boise, Idaho, staying one night there, rented a car and drove to West Yellowstone, Montana, for five nights, driving into Yellowstone National Park for three days. On the last of those days, I drove 100 miles through the park and exited the South Gate to drive to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where I stayed for five nights, going into Grand Teons National Park for three days. Then I drove to Salt Lake City, Utah, stayed one night there and flew home the next day. All total, it was a twelve-day trip, and I was in four beautiful North Western states.

I am so completely happy that I did not miss seeing the Grand Tetons and the Rocky Mountains in person. As I traveled to Jackson Hole on the sixth day of my trip and rounded a bend in the road, they appeared to my right. They were magically lovely in all their rocky snow-covered heights against the bluest skies. They literally took my breath away! I had only experienced this kind of natural beauty three times before: in the Tennessee southern Smoky Mountains (near Byyson City), in the Grand Canyon, and at Yosemite.And now in the Tetons!

Still and all, as nice as the photos are, they do not do justice to the actual viewing expereince! I loved the Tetons immediately when I saw them.

I believe the photos above may be Turquoise Lake or Jackson Lake, but I'm not sure. More to come about the Tetons and Jackson Hole. And of course, about my dream journey!

to be continued