11 replies to this topic

[Ted]

This was our first trip to Yellowstone. Thank you kcowyo for advice during our planning stages. It was a fantastic trip and we hope to do it again as soon as possible. From Sacramento area, it took us two days to get there, arriving on Memorial Day. Came through the West entrance and spent first two nights at Madison campground. Large, paved campground with lots of RV's and generator noise. Not our preference but close to Old Faithful area. Madison River runs near the camp, and there were Elk and Bison in and around the campground. Kind of neat to hear the Elk call during the night.

At Old Faithful we hiked up to the overlook for a good view of the Inn and geyser basin. You can see the walkways around the basin. You can also see a lot of the burned out tree trunks from the fires of '89.

Tried to get a shot of us at Old Faithful but need to work on the taking photos of ourselves skills. Kind of cut our heads off. This one just might be the Christmas photo this year!

The Old Faithful Inn is very impressive. The logs used as timbers are interesting. Hard to believe the architect for this Inn also did the Lake Yellowstone Inn.

Next we went north to Mammoth Hot Springs. The travertine terraces from this area cover the whole hillside. The town has the old army fort from when the army was in charge of the national park. The campground here is a little less developed but has some road noise.

More later.

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[Ted]

One thing you learn quickly in Yellowstone is you can't drive quickly. Everyone is driving slowly looking for wildlife or stopped because they found some. They are called critter jams. Sometimes the animals are alongside the road and people are stopping to take photos. Sometimes they are on the road and you just have to wait until they move on. I bought a camera with mega-zoom features for this trip but the best wildlife shots I got were animals along the roadway.

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[Ted]

From Mammoth Hot Springs, we headed to Lamar Valley. This is where the wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone. The thing to do here is get up early and find a parking space at a turnout overlooking the valley (first photo). Everyone has spotting scopes or binoculars and spend the morning looking for wildlife. It is an amazing area. We saw wolves, grizzly bears, bison, elk, antelope, coyotes, bald eagles, golden eagles, cranes, and swans. I'm probably forgetting a few other animals. This is the spot we plan on returning to.
the campgrounds here are more to our liking. The second and third photos are our campsite at Slough Creek campground and that of a couple we met from Washington with a FWC, Don and Mary. They have a '99 Grandby shell model that Don has done some amazing work on. Don has a nautical background and used much it in outfitting their camper.

There was still more to see so reluctantly we moved on from Lamar Valley. Heading south we went through the canyon area. It is impressive, especially the lower Yellowstone Falls. That night we stayed at the campground in Bridge Bay. This another large campground with lots of RV's. But there were nearby laundromat and showers which we were in definite need of. The next day we drove around Hayden Valley, similar to Lamar Valley for viewing wildlife but with less chance of seeing wolves. That night we stayed at the Lake Yellowstone Inn as we try to get a hotel at least once in a two week trip.

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[Ted]

Having spent a week in Yellowstone, we headed south to Grand Tetons NP. It is easy to see why this is probably the most photographed National Park. With beautiful Lakes and mountain peaks jutting up, the scenery is rather dramatic. We stayed at the Signal Mountain campground on Jackson Lake. Supposedly this camp can fill by 10:00 am, but it did not fill the two nights we were there. We planned on spending the next night at Gros Ventre (pronounced grow vont) but the weather was starting to turn for the worse. We drove through Mormon Row, taking a photo of the famous barn, and then headed south again. Usually views of this barn have the Tetons in the background, but there was a winter storm warning for the next day and the clouds were moving in. We made down to Montpelier, Idaho that night, but still got snowed on. Thank goodness we had went with the optional furnace. Finally made it to Great Basin N P where we got some good weather and another good campsite right on a stream.

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[Ted]

Finally, two weeks, 2400 miles, and three National parks later, we drove Highway 50, the "Loneliest Road" across Nevada and back home. We highly recommend Yellowstone. The geological aspects of the park are worth seeing, but for us, it was all the wildlife that has us planning a return trip. In all of our road trips, we have never encountered anything quite like Lamar valley. Its reputation as the Sarengeti of America is appropriate.

Kcowyo, sorry we missed you. Maybe we can get together next year.

Don and Mary, hope you two join this forum and share your camper modifications with everyone. There is a lot of interest in that kind of information here.

Ted

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[marc]

Ted,
Thanks for the write up and great photos. Looks like you had a great time. Yellowstone has been on my list of must visit places for awhile.

Cheers, Marc

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Wonderful! Thank you both!

This is what it is all about-- to Wander the West!

[kcowyo]

Wow Ted!!

Lamar Valley, Slough Creek, the Old Faithful Lodge, Hayden Valley.... even Montpelier and Great Basin NP. I think you saw all of my favorite spots in the park and a couple of others on your way home.

Fantastic photos, especially the self portrait at Old Faithful. Your shots of the bear and moose are great. I'm glad to hear you had such a great trip.

I'll take a raincheck on the coldie and hopefully I'll see you and Mrs. Ted down the road somewhere.

Great stuff!

[erod]

great post, awesome pics, bear/moose jams gotta love it. well done, camper looks sweet, nuff said. cheers!

[Brian]

Nice photos and trip. Thanks for sharing them. Hard weekend to avoid the crowds....Brian