Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

Two more days in Yellowstone National Park.  The weather has been freaky.  Rain, sunshine, sleet, sun, snow, rain, sunshine.  The temperature has fluctuated between 35 - 50 degrees (depending on the elevation).  Snow really covered the peaks inside the park today (Thursday).  Our preparation in buying various jackets has really made the weather a non issue. 

We have toured the entire park.  Some sections of road has been driven 4 times.  We have put somewhere over 500 miles on our Chevy HHR within the borders of the park. On a side note, we purchased a Senior Pass for $20.00 a few years ago.  We have probably saved $300 or more by not having to pay entrance fees into national parks, national monuments and memorials, national parks, etc.  The Senior Pass is good until we die.  The National Park Service has since eliminated the availability of the Senior Pass.  It will now make an  annual pass available for seniors costing $10.00 per person.

We sure can tell that schools are still in session.  Very few kids are here that don't speak a foreign language.

We saw on TV that Glacier National Park has received a lot more snow and the "Road to the Sun" will not be open for weeks.  We have decided to bypass Glacier and go on to Seattle.  We will see more sites there than we originally intended seeing.

Time for breakfast!

Rapids below Firehole Falls

Firehole Falls

Rapids above the Firehole Falls

Fountain Geyser

Grand Prismatic Spring at Midway Geyser Basin - pouring basin water into the river at 3 places

 New water proof jacket was tested here - warm and dry

Old Faithful

Old Faithful

Old Faithful Video

Animals use the trees to rub their antlers

We were in Yellowstone 1 week prior to the big fire that destroyed 33% of the vegetation in 1988 - it has grown back very well - new pines are 25-30 feet tall

Mountains near the Jackson Lake Dam in Grand Teton National Park

Does anyone know what kind of bird this is?

Mountains in the northern part of Grand Teton park

Mountains in the northern part of Grand Teton park

Flowers and Sagebrush

Grand Teton and glacier in the clouds! We have been here 3 times and have never seen the top of the this mountain.  Elevation is over 13,000 feet.

Grand Teton and glacier

Our campsite at Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park - West Yellowstone, MT

Travels and Yellowstone National Park

We have finally reached our first destination, Yellowstone National Park.  YNP is located in the extreme northwest area of Wyoming.  The park is huge, well organized, and downright gorgeous.  Words and pictures do not and can not do justice to the splendor of this national treasure.

We are staying in West Yellowstone, Montana.  It's about a half mile away from the western entrance of Yellowstone National Park.  We entered the park Monday the 27th at around 3:00 p.m. and drove to Canyon Village.  Today we toured the northern part of the park.  We've driven around 240 miles in the park on these two days (in our car).  We will reenter the park tomorrow and Thursday. 

Most of our pictures are self explanatory (aided by a short description above most pictures).  We'll just post most of the pictures and videos with little further explanations.

Mary Ann driving through Minnesota while Steve continues to recuperate from surgery.

 2 1/2 days of this is not exciting to write about.

Eastern Montana



 



 Gallatin River between Bozeman and West Yellowstone, MT

 Bison and her calf

 Gibbon Falls

 Virginia Cascade

 

 Elk

 Tree growing out of a rock

Bison own the road - fear doesn't exist

Mammoth Hot Springs

Mammoth Hot Springs

Big Horn Sheep

Pronghorn Antelope

Upper Falls of the Yellowstone River

 



Video of the Upper Falls of the Yellowstone River

 

Video of the Brink of the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River

Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River & Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
(look at the top right of photo for the falls) taken at Inspiration Point

We have been on the road (I74 to Bloomington, IL, I39 thru Madison, WI, I90/I94 north until they split, I94 thru St. Paul and followed to just east of Billings , I90 to our present location in Billings) for three long days to catch up on our original trip schedule. We've seen some of this territory before and some parts don't look much different from  the last part.   Have traveled approximately 1480 miles and now are sitting in a campground (CG) in Billings, MT.

Everything has gone very well.  Three fill-ups have averaged ???? mpg, 10.05mpg, and 11.64 mpg. Prices per gallon were $3.749 (pre-trip in Indy) $3.869 (St. Cloud, MN),  and $3.929 (Miles City, MT).   Have set the cruise control on 63-64 mph.  We are stopping briefly quite often so. . . .  if I'm driving, when we stop I can get up and go to the back of the motor home (MH) to do my exercises (doctor's orders).  If MAW is driving, I just get up and do the exercises.

We plan on a short drive tomorrow (230 + miles) to West Yellowstone, MT so we can start our 3 - 4 day visit of Yellowstone National Park.

No pictures with this post.  You've seen interstate highways with lots of cars on them before.  I think we might have some worth looking at when we get to Yellowstone.

Well, we were delayed in our departure but we will leave our Indiana home early tomorrow morning.  We have the motor home all set to go except filling the refrigerator/freezer and hooking up the toad.

A week ago today, I was in emergency surgery due to a hernia/strangulated intestine/resection of the intestine.  Recovery has been tolerable, no make that remarkable.  We leaving only 3 days later than originally planned.  I (Steve) have a few orders and restrictions for the next 4-6 weeks, but the doctor has even said I can drive the coach.

We are thrilled to be starting our Alaskan adventure and invite you to follow along and make comments as you wish.  If this trip meets only half of my expectations, it will be something to remember for a lifetime.