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 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