Friday, July 5, 2013

Home from Yellowstone!

Finally!

Two years late, but we finally made it to Yellowstone.  Yellowstone was to be the last stop on our whirlwind cross country RV trip back in the spring of 2011.  Rain and issues with the RV forced us home early and we, sadly, drove past Yellowstone and went home. 

Due to us deciding to head to Yellowstone in June, I made reservations way back in January for an RV park. We stayed in West Yellowstone, MT.  The RV park had beautiful grounds, lots to do, it’s right in town and only four blocks from the west entrance to Yellowstone.  I highly recommend Grizzly Yellowstone RV park if you decide to visit Yellowstone through the west entrance.  The park also has tent camping and cabins. 

This was our first trip to a major destination in high season.  Oh my.  The RV park was full and there were lines to get into Yellowstone every day. 

The upside to going in summer is that the park was full of KIDS.  The two kids that came with us were able to make some friends that didn’t have an AARP card.  The downside, of course, is all the people. 

We didn’t notice the crowds too much once in the park except for when we were at Old Faithful and near Mammoth, the North entrance.

It was a wonderful trip. 

I took hundreds of pictures and because I’m home and not on the road, I’m going to post all of the ones I really like. Be prepared to wade through close to 70 pictures.

We spent four full days in the park.  We explored the Norris basin, the Old Faithful area, West Thumb, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and Yellowstone Lake with a short drive up to Mammoth, close to the north entrance and home to Park Headquarters.

We saw elk, moose and bison.  No bear sightings though.

One last note—I DID bring Slippery Soap with us, however, I completely FORGOT about him.  He spent the entire trip locked away in his Ziploc bag in the RV.  Oops.  




Norris Basin (NB)

NB-area- Artist's paint pots

Artist's paint pots area near Norris Basin

Bubbling mud pot

More mud

NB

NB

Keely did not want her picture taken..... 
And neither did Keith.....

Jake, however, always has a smile for the camera. 

The Upper/Middle/Lower Geyer (UML) area near Old Faithful

UML

The bubbling mud pits were fascinating

Got her

Keely was NOT impressed with the smell

UML

UML

UML

UML

Gorgeous view at the geyser area

UML

Porcelain basin

Porcelain basin and Jake 

UML

UML

Just neat--UML

LOVE all the different colors

Oops. 

UML-Love the color and this picture shows the unknown depth.  

Bubbling spring

Waiting for Old Faithful

Old Faithful!

Old Faithful

Elk

West Thumb area-neat to see hot springs at the shore of the lake

West Thumb

West Thumb

She was walking through the geyser area

West Thumb

West Thumb

West Thumb

Gorgeous

A geyser 

I love this picture

Hot spring

A bison directing traffic

Yellowstone River

Falls in the distance

Upper Falls

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

GC

GC

Oh my.  Just a beautiful place.  
GC

GC

A lone bison


The herd on the hill

Yellowstone Lake

This picture is NOT x large because doing so makes my eye wrinkles stand out.  :)

The Lake

Lake

Moose!

On the way to Mammoth

To Mammoth

Strange formation near Mammoth

Obsidian cliff