Trip Report: Return to Wonderland! or maybe "Wyoming 5-O"?
Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, Wyoming; July 14 through 24, 2014
Part II: Yellowstone National Park (Days 5 through 9)
After four days hiking and enjoying the amazing wildlife and wildflowers in Grand Teton National Park, Lynn and I continued our Wyoming adventure by heading north into Yellowstone…
Day 5 - Friday, July 18 – Heading to Yellowstone: We were up early-ish to another hazy morning. Looks like a nice day, but the big vistas of the Tetons are again very muted due to the smoke and haze. That sort of sealed our plan for the day. We decided to skip the local photo stops and make our way directly toward Yellowstone. We had fueled up the POS and bought supplies for a light breakfast at the Signal Mountain General Store last night, so we were well on our way to being ready to roll. By the time we enjoyed the morning views over the lake, packed, ate, wandered up to the registration building for coffee and an internet connection then checked-out, it was 8:30, so basically right on time.
Day 5 - Friday, July 18 – Heading to Yellowstone: We were up early-ish to another hazy morning. Looks like a nice day, but the big vistas of the Tetons are again very muted due to the smoke and haze. That sort of sealed our plan for the day. We decided to skip the local photo stops and make our way directly toward Yellowstone. We had fueled up the POS and bought supplies for a light breakfast at the Signal Mountain General Store last night, so we were well on our way to being ready to roll. By the time we enjoyed the morning views over the lake, packed, ate, wandered up to the registration building for coffee and an internet connection then checked-out, it was 8:30, so basically right on time.
We had a lovely drive north, but the views of the mountains heading out of Grand Teton were not crisp due to the smoke, although the haze did seem to be less then yesterday. The drive was easy as there was not a lot of traffic. We made a few stops along the way, but not until we got to Yellowstone. Of course we had to get our “passport stamp” with a photo at the Yellowstone sign. We swapped being portrait photographer with a family from back home (I’m guessing southern WV or eastern TN). Nice folks but I had to get after them a bit to get to fit in the frame…”move in closer…act like you like each other!”
Once back on the road the traffic increased dramatically. I’m not sure where the cars came from as there was basically no one on the roads in Grand Teton. We made a quick stop at the Grant Village Visitor Center and again at Old Faithful Visitor Center. Not much going on at Grant, the most interesting thing being the squadron of Corvettes we saw out cruising the park. It was a mob scene at Old Faithful at 10:30, so we made a quick rest stop and moved along to our primary destination for today, Grand Prismatic Spring.
Once back on the road the traffic increased dramatically. I’m not sure where the cars came from as there was basically no one on the roads in Grand Teton. We made a quick stop at the Grant Village Visitor Center and again at Old Faithful Visitor Center. Not much going on at Grant, the most interesting thing being the squadron of Corvettes we saw out cruising the park. It was a mob scene at Old Faithful at 10:30, so we made a quick rest stop and moved along to our primary destination for today, Grand Prismatic Spring.
We pulled into the Fairy Falls trail parking lot a little before 11:00. As expected, the lot was jammed, so we went back up the road about a 1/8-mile to the first pullout to park. That was apparently the usual overflow parking as there was a well worn foot path from that pullout back to the trailhead parking lot. It is a short, flat walk right around a quarter mile back to the trailhead and we were walking past the hot spring next to the lot right at 11:00 AM, so ideal timing for viewing the thermal features from the elevated overlook.
The Fairy Falls trail is wide and level, a very easy walk and also runs through some pretty and somewhat surreal scenery along the Firehole River as well as past a couple small thermal features right along the trail including. We spotted a Great Blue Heron coming in for a landing upstream of the bridge plus a few tree swallows darting about the river surface at the bridge; looks like some were nesting in the bridge structure. It is an exposed trail, so the normal precautions were in order (sunscreen, hat, water…you know the drill). Overall, it is just a pretty stroll.
The Fairy Falls trail is wide and level, a very easy walk and also runs through some pretty and somewhat surreal scenery along the Firehole River as well as past a couple small thermal features right along the trail including. We spotted a Great Blue Heron coming in for a landing upstream of the bridge plus a few tree swallows darting about the river surface at the bridge; looks like some were nesting in the bridge structure. It is an exposed trail, so the normal precautions were in order (sunscreen, hat, water…you know the drill). Overall, it is just a pretty stroll.
From the trailhead to the point where the social trails turn up the hills is about two-thirds of a mile. You can’t miss the social trails as there are several little access trails sort of clustered together. We passed the first group of trails and tried the second batch as I had read that this was the better way to access the hill. After just a very sort climb I realized that this was the hill we went up in 2011 and while it affords a great view of Grand Prismatic, it was not the really high-ground overlook that I wanted. So back down to the main trail and over to the first cluster of trails to get up the higher hill. Now comes the climb to what I hope is “the view.”
OK, while it is a short distance to the viewing area, perhaps a hundred yards as the crow flies, the climb up the hill is actually pretty tough. The hillside is strewn with downed trees and has a lot of loose dirt and gravel to negotiate. The route up the hill is along a sort of meandering path via a few switchbacks and over, under and around dozens of logs. It may not be a long haul, but it ain’t for the faint of heart either. There are plenty of opportunities for scrapes and cuts while making this climb and even more severe injuries are possible. A tourist was killed on the slope earlier in the summer when he was struck by a falling tree. I’ve heard rumors that the Park Service may install a trail up to the view points; I think that would be a great thing to do. All us tourists are making a mess of the hillside with the myriad of trails, plus I've seen several folks making the climb who really have no business on this hillside.
OK, while it is a short distance to the viewing area, perhaps a hundred yards as the crow flies, the climb up the hill is actually pretty tough. The hillside is strewn with downed trees and has a lot of loose dirt and gravel to negotiate. The route up the hill is along a sort of meandering path via a few switchbacks and over, under and around dozens of logs. It may not be a long haul, but it ain’t for the faint of heart either. There are plenty of opportunities for scrapes and cuts while making this climb and even more severe injuries are possible. A tourist was killed on the slope earlier in the summer when he was struck by a falling tree. I’ve heard rumors that the Park Service may install a trail up to the view points; I think that would be a great thing to do. All us tourists are making a mess of the hillside with the myriad of trails, plus I've seen several folks making the climb who really have no business on this hillside.
As we made our way of the hill, we checked the view over the Midway Geyser Basin, looking for that ideal shot of Grand Prismatic Spring. The higher we went the better the view and it does not take a very long climb to get enough elevation to view the entire spring in its rainbow glory. About halfway up the slope Lynn declared that she had gone far enough (remember, this is a tough go up the hill). I kept at it until I reached the open area where several folks were hanging out having lunch and enjoying the view. This was the spot, I think, but I still had to maneuver about a bit to get a more or less clear shot of Grand Prismatic (the downed trees are the hazard while climbing; the standing trees are the issue with getting a clear view).
I just stood for a bit and took it all in. This is truly a magnificent view. One of my favorites in all of the National Parks. The folks on the boardwalk right next to the spring provide excellent scale to the scene; without them, you would miss the overall size of the spring, I think. I tried to get a even higher view, but going further up the hill provided no joy, as the vista is blocked by trees. No worries, I had found the view and it was breathtaking.
I just stood for a bit and took it all in. This is truly a magnificent view. One of my favorites in all of the National Parks. The folks on the boardwalk right next to the spring provide excellent scale to the scene; without them, you would miss the overall size of the spring, I think. I tried to get a even higher view, but going further up the hill provided no joy, as the vista is blocked by trees. No worries, I had found the view and it was breathtaking.
We had perfect viewing conditions over the Midway Geyser Basin today, just like we had in 2011, as the warm temperatures (it was actually hot today!) did not result in a lot of steam over Grand Prismatic and being here at noon provided excellent lighting down into the spring. I probably could have stayed up there for hours just enjoying the view, but Lynn was waiting down the hill and we had more natural wonders to seek out yet today, so I snapped a couple more pics then started picking my way back down the treacherous slope. The traffic up the slope was increasing, so maybe it was a good time to leave. I found Lynn near where I had left her. She also had been working the area to find the best view and came away with some nice images of the spring as well. We made our way back down to the Fairy Falls trail and had a leisurely walk back to the car. We added to the critter list with a Mountain Bluebird flitting amongst the dead snags out to the east of the trail as we approached Rabbit Creek.
We took a little break when we reached the car and thought about our next move as we munched on trail mix. It was about 12:30 and we could not check-in at Mammoth until 3:00, so we had plenty of time to explore. We decided to just head north and see what we might find. I’m sure there will be something good! We basically just had a nice easy drive from Midway Geyser basin to Mammoth. The traffic was very light and the road construction was not an issue. We passed two or three places where there was road work, but nothing was really happening today. Just lucky I guess. The only detour that we had was for sightseeing when we took the little loop to see Firehole Falls. So this is where everyone talks about swimming in the river. Wow, the throngs or tourists; no wonder there was no traffic on the main road, everyone seems to be here to stick their toes in the water. We only stopped at the falls for a quick photo then kept rolling north. The only other stop we made was at the Museum of the Park Ranger. Now this is sort of a hidden gem. Pretty simple and plain in appearance and not a lot very large, but the artifacts and information in the exhibits is very interesting. Not a lot in terms of wildlife on the drive, but it was mid afternoon, so most of the critters were probably napping somewhere. Eagle-eye Lynn did spot a Bald Eagle soaring over the road and we spotted three solitary bison, I think all bulls scattered along our route. One of the big dudes was right along the road side near Beryl Spring, I think, and was starting to cause a bit of an animal jam (there was already one tour bus in the mix). We just slowly rolled on through. Another lone bull was napping on the grounds of the Museum of the Park Ranger. That just seemed appropriate somehow. |
The entire drive is beautiful and so varied in terms of landscape and scenery. First along the Firehole River then the Gibbon River, past Gibbon Falls and then by the various cliffs and peaks and through the Golden Gate and finally down into Mammoth. So much so see.
Our timing for arrival was nearly perfect as we got to the hotel just before 3:00 and checked in for the night. We dumped our stuff in the cabin (A10) then headed out to explore. We made a quick stop in the Visitor Center, which was in a temporary structure as the permanent building was undergoing major renovations. There was a sign posted here about the forest fires in Idaho, Oregon and Washington showing how track of the smoke into Wyoming. That gave us our explanation for the smoke and haze over the Tetons and did not bode well for star gazing in Roosevelt. The temporary structure was a little spartan, but it had the essentials, particularly a few Rangers and Volunteers to answer questions about the park.
Our timing for arrival was nearly perfect as we got to the hotel just before 3:00 and checked in for the night. We dumped our stuff in the cabin (A10) then headed out to explore. We made a quick stop in the Visitor Center, which was in a temporary structure as the permanent building was undergoing major renovations. There was a sign posted here about the forest fires in Idaho, Oregon and Washington showing how track of the smoke into Wyoming. That gave us our explanation for the smoke and haze over the Tetons and did not bode well for star gazing in Roosevelt. The temporary structure was a little spartan, but it had the essentials, particularly a few Rangers and Volunteers to answer questions about the park.
We next walked around the historic military post area. Spotted two bull snakes along the road near the chapel; one was a 6-footer! There are plenty of Unita ground squirrels in the area as well, so no wonder the snake got so big! We looped around behind the houses that used to make up the officers quarters. Part of the area was roped-off due to all the Elk lounging in the area. Just scores of cows and calves hanging out. We chatted briefly with a Ranger who was keeping an eye on the elk and the tourists (probably more so the tourists); he identified the bull snakes for us from our photos.
We decided to take advantage of the long daylight hours and head up to the hot springs for a look around. Since we had only brought our cameras with us we made a quick stop at the General Store for something to drink as it was still pretty warm and the terraces are completely exposed (it was pleasant walking through Old Fort Yellowstone with all the shade trees, but the hot springs will be a completely different story). |
We walked the boardwalks through the terraces this back in 2011, but it was rather chilly that day, so we rushed a bit. Lynn wanted to have a return to spend more time on the trails, thus the one-night stay in Mammoth. While there were not a lot of folks around the fort (well, except around the elk) the hot springs were very crowded, much more so than our previous visit (like I said, it was much cooler last time). We started at the lower end with Liberty Cap and Palette Spring but the boardwalk was jammed so we bypassed this area for the time being and headed up to the upper terrace. There were still plenty of other folks here as well, but there was more room to maneuver about.
Overall, it seemed that the hot springs were not as active as they were in 2011. A couple of them seemed rater dry compared to what I remember from the last trip. I think Jupiter Terrace in particular seemed to be almost dormant. But other areas were just spectacular. Mound Terrace and Canary Springs were probably the most colorful along the upper boardwalks. The colors and textures of Canary Spring remind me of a lemon meringue pie, the meringue part especially (and I don’t even like lemon meringue pie). The vantage point at the end of the boardwalk overlooking Canary Springs is a great place for trying to capture the colors and contours of the spring; I played around there for a while just enjoying the views and trying to capture some of the details of the springs.
But even the “dead” areas of the terrace have their interesting point and even beauty. Most of the Main Terrace is dry with a constant white surface that is a stark contrast to the orange and yellow of the active springs. The grey skeletons of the dead trees that punctuate the white plain of the upper terrace give it a bit of a macabre aspect. There are just so many angles and perspectives to consider when exploring just about anywhere in Yellowstone.
We worked our way back down the terraces, passing below Cleopatra Terrace and finally Minerva Terrace and finally back down to Palette Spring. The crowd had subsided a bit, but there were still a lot of folks in this area. It is one of the prettiest areas so we had to at least get a quick peek before moving on. I was glad we bought the water before we visited the terraces as it was pretty warm and the sun was shining brightly, so we dried out quickly!
Overall, it seemed that the hot springs were not as active as they were in 2011. A couple of them seemed rater dry compared to what I remember from the last trip. I think Jupiter Terrace in particular seemed to be almost dormant. But other areas were just spectacular. Mound Terrace and Canary Springs were probably the most colorful along the upper boardwalks. The colors and textures of Canary Spring remind me of a lemon meringue pie, the meringue part especially (and I don’t even like lemon meringue pie). The vantage point at the end of the boardwalk overlooking Canary Springs is a great place for trying to capture the colors and contours of the spring; I played around there for a while just enjoying the views and trying to capture some of the details of the springs.
But even the “dead” areas of the terrace have their interesting point and even beauty. Most of the Main Terrace is dry with a constant white surface that is a stark contrast to the orange and yellow of the active springs. The grey skeletons of the dead trees that punctuate the white plain of the upper terrace give it a bit of a macabre aspect. There are just so many angles and perspectives to consider when exploring just about anywhere in Yellowstone.
We worked our way back down the terraces, passing below Cleopatra Terrace and finally Minerva Terrace and finally back down to Palette Spring. The crowd had subsided a bit, but there were still a lot of folks in this area. It is one of the prettiest areas so we had to at least get a quick peek before moving on. I was glad we bought the water before we visited the terraces as it was pretty warm and the sun was shining brightly, so we dried out quickly!
By the time we made it back to our cabin we had covered about 3.5 miles over the past two hours and that little hike sparked our appetites so we cleaned up and walked over to the restaurant for dinner. We were early enough that we were seated right away in the large dining room. This is a very nice setting; very high ceiling with an art deco flare. The service was stellar and the food was pretty good as well. Lynn had the goat cheese salad and I had the bison burger, which was overcooked. I ordered it medium, but it came out well done which was kind of ironic since the recommendation for the bison filet was rare (I was going to try the filet, but rare is not to my liking). But the crème brulee cheesecake was pretty good so all’s well that ends well.
We have covered a fair amount of territory today, albeit mostly by car. But we did get in a couple of short walks between Grand Prismatic Spring and the Mammoth Hot Spring boardwalks. I guess that was enough to do us in as we again crashed early this evening. Here are the photographic highlights from today.
Day 6 – Saturday, July 19 – On to Roosevelt: We were awakened by the sounds of wildlife this morning. First there was the herd of bison living in the adjoining cabin! They were banging around at 0430, I guess getting ready for an early departure. At 0530, we heard an elk bugling; that was much more pleasant than the “bison”! I finally rolled out of bed at 0600 and headed out to enjoy the morning while Lynn was getting ready for the day.
I walked down to the old fort area just to see what might be about. There were elk everywhere! Mostly cows and calves but also a few spike bulls as well. They were mostly just dozing on the lawn areas in and around the fort. I was also on the lookout for owls as friends from work had reported sightings earlier this year in the area (it was a long shot, but what the heck). No joy on the owls, but it was still nice just enjoying the peace of the morning. It was shaping up to be another wonderful weather day here in Yellowstone.
We have covered a fair amount of territory today, albeit mostly by car. But we did get in a couple of short walks between Grand Prismatic Spring and the Mammoth Hot Spring boardwalks. I guess that was enough to do us in as we again crashed early this evening. Here are the photographic highlights from today.
Day 6 – Saturday, July 19 – On to Roosevelt: We were awakened by the sounds of wildlife this morning. First there was the herd of bison living in the adjoining cabin! They were banging around at 0430, I guess getting ready for an early departure. At 0530, we heard an elk bugling; that was much more pleasant than the “bison”! I finally rolled out of bed at 0600 and headed out to enjoy the morning while Lynn was getting ready for the day.
I walked down to the old fort area just to see what might be about. There were elk everywhere! Mostly cows and calves but also a few spike bulls as well. They were mostly just dozing on the lawn areas in and around the fort. I was also on the lookout for owls as friends from work had reported sightings earlier this year in the area (it was a long shot, but what the heck). No joy on the owls, but it was still nice just enjoying the peace of the morning. It was shaping up to be another wonderful weather day here in Yellowstone.
So back to the cabin to collect Lynn and get the day rolling. I did make a short detour along the trail that went up the hill behind the cabins to enjoy the view. Nothing spectacular there but the light on the hills behind Mammoth Lodge just had that nice warmth to it can gave me a good feeling for the day. Back at the cabin, Lynn was chatting with the neighbors in the next cabin (not the “bison herd”). They had been out already this morning looking for critters. Our next move was toward breakfast. We walked down to the Grill to get something quick (I got the Yellowstone version of an egg McMuffin).
On our way to and from breakfast we watched the scores of elk lounging all around the hotel and the ground of the fort. Again mostly cows and calves but there seemed to be a few more spike bulls this morning. They all seemed to be sleeping in a bit this morning, but a few were starting to look for breakfast as well and were nibbling the lawn as well as the trees.
We used the time while eating to discuss our plans for today. Originally we had thought about hiking Bunsen Peak, but we decided to ditch that idea due to the heavy smoke from the forest fires as the views will most likely again be affected. Oh well, nothing to be done for that, so we’ll just save that trail for another visit. Instead, we went with no specific plan; we’ll just go where the spirit takes us as we make our way to Roosevelt for the night. Last trip we just drove the stretch of road between Mammoth and Roosevelt and made a couple quick stops, this time we’ll take our time and see what all we can see. We were on the road toward Roosevelt at 8:40, with the entire day just to scout the area and look for critters.
We did not have to wait long for a critter sighting. As we were driving along a narrow, winding section of the park road just east of Mammoth there was a huge bison bull just chillin’ right on the side of the road. I mean, he was hanging out like he owned the place, and I reckon in his noggin that he did. Fortunately we were going slow as dictated by the road and the potential for wildlife on the thoroughfare, but we were in his space, so we just rolled on through.
Our first stop was the trailhead for Wraith Falls (we had stopped at Undine Falls last trip so opted to skip that vista today). This is a short, easy walk, about a mile round-trip. We saw several small critters including the ever present Uinta ground squirrels and a Northern Flicker. Plus there was a lot of digging along the trail. Badgers perhaps? The falls were pretty, but this was the wrong time of day for photos as looking right into the sun which was just peaking over the crest of the falls. Even though this was a short hike, it was worthwhile as the views from the trail of the rolling prairie terrain were very nice under the mid morning sun and there was again the continuing theme of amazing wildflowers. We were back on the road about 9:30.
We used the time while eating to discuss our plans for today. Originally we had thought about hiking Bunsen Peak, but we decided to ditch that idea due to the heavy smoke from the forest fires as the views will most likely again be affected. Oh well, nothing to be done for that, so we’ll just save that trail for another visit. Instead, we went with no specific plan; we’ll just go where the spirit takes us as we make our way to Roosevelt for the night. Last trip we just drove the stretch of road between Mammoth and Roosevelt and made a couple quick stops, this time we’ll take our time and see what all we can see. We were on the road toward Roosevelt at 8:40, with the entire day just to scout the area and look for critters.
We did not have to wait long for a critter sighting. As we were driving along a narrow, winding section of the park road just east of Mammoth there was a huge bison bull just chillin’ right on the side of the road. I mean, he was hanging out like he owned the place, and I reckon in his noggin that he did. Fortunately we were going slow as dictated by the road and the potential for wildlife on the thoroughfare, but we were in his space, so we just rolled on through.
Our first stop was the trailhead for Wraith Falls (we had stopped at Undine Falls last trip so opted to skip that vista today). This is a short, easy walk, about a mile round-trip. We saw several small critters including the ever present Uinta ground squirrels and a Northern Flicker. Plus there was a lot of digging along the trail. Badgers perhaps? The falls were pretty, but this was the wrong time of day for photos as looking right into the sun which was just peaking over the crest of the falls. Even though this was a short hike, it was worthwhile as the views from the trail of the rolling prairie terrain were very nice under the mid morning sun and there was again the continuing theme of amazing wildflowers. We were back on the road about 9:30.
As we continued east on the park road, we were remembering our drive through this area in 2011. This is where we saw our first pronghorn of that trip with a little family unit that included two youngsters, possibly twins, as well as a few bison scattered around the Blacktail Pond. Given our luck from last trip, we had our eyes open for additional sightings and once again, luck was with us.
Within 10 minutes of leaving the Wraith Falls trailhead, we spotted a few cars pulled off the north side of the road and there were scopes and binoculars aplenty scouring the valley below. There was a wide spot a hundred yards ahead so we ducked in there and walked back toward the animal jam. “Eagle-eye” Lynn figured it out as she saw the two coyotes at the base of the far hills, generally working eastward down the valley, so coming sort of our way.
We watched them for some time. They would walk a bit, sniff about, stop for a scratch, trot over to see what the other was doing…you know, coyote stuff. I guess they were about a quarter-mile away, but between Lynn’s binoculars and my camera (gotta luv the zoom on the SX50!), we had an up close view of their shenanigans. As I was watching the pair going through their morning routine, I thought about the coyotes we have back home and how they are considered a nuisance animal. We hear them all the time at night although we rarely see them, but we have altered our way of doing things due to their presence as we can no longer let the cats outside the house for fear that they will become dinner for the rover canines. Here they are members of the cast of the grand wildlife that is part of the magic of Yellowstone. But it put into perspective the on-going conflicting interests of man and nature.
A few more cars had joined the jam by the time we decided to move along. Some of the new comers seemed disappointed that the sighting was not of wolves. Yeah, wolves would have been cool, but you take what you can get when looking for wildlife. Personally, I thought seeing the coyotes out in the open like this just being coyotes was another of the many treasures we have found in Yellowstone.
This is a lovely stretch of road to drive, like most all of the park road through Yellowstone. I was under the impression that perhaps this was an under appreciated part of the loop, but there was a fair amount of traffic between Mammoth and Roosevelt today. Unfortunately many folks seemed to be in a hurry as they were racing along the road (this became a common theme of our time in Yellowstone. But we were taking our time, and not really holding anyone up so we enjoyed the cruise and continued looking for interesting sights.
We watched them for some time. They would walk a bit, sniff about, stop for a scratch, trot over to see what the other was doing…you know, coyote stuff. I guess they were about a quarter-mile away, but between Lynn’s binoculars and my camera (gotta luv the zoom on the SX50!), we had an up close view of their shenanigans. As I was watching the pair going through their morning routine, I thought about the coyotes we have back home and how they are considered a nuisance animal. We hear them all the time at night although we rarely see them, but we have altered our way of doing things due to their presence as we can no longer let the cats outside the house for fear that they will become dinner for the rover canines. Here they are members of the cast of the grand wildlife that is part of the magic of Yellowstone. But it put into perspective the on-going conflicting interests of man and nature.
A few more cars had joined the jam by the time we decided to move along. Some of the new comers seemed disappointed that the sighting was not of wolves. Yeah, wolves would have been cool, but you take what you can get when looking for wildlife. Personally, I thought seeing the coyotes out in the open like this just being coyotes was another of the many treasures we have found in Yellowstone.
This is a lovely stretch of road to drive, like most all of the park road through Yellowstone. I was under the impression that perhaps this was an under appreciated part of the loop, but there was a fair amount of traffic between Mammoth and Roosevelt today. Unfortunately many folks seemed to be in a hurry as they were racing along the road (this became a common theme of our time in Yellowstone. But we were taking our time, and not really holding anyone up so we enjoyed the cruise and continued looking for interesting sights.
We detoured on to the west-to-east running Blacktail Plateau Drive since I had heard so much about the potential for critter sightings in this area. But it was already pushing 10:00 when we started that part of the drive so we were probably a little late for prime animal activity. We did see a few birds flitting about and several ground squirrels scurrying about the meadows, but the only big critter was a single pronghorn buck that ambled cross the track not far in front of us then walked up the adjacent hillside and off into the meadows beyond. But while there was not too much in terms of animal activity, the star of the drive was again the wildflowers. I think I’ve used this term too often in this journal already, but amazing just keeps coming to mind when thinking about the blanket of yellow laying across the hillsides all along the road.
The Blacktail Plateau Drive is a gravel track, but it was in great shape (it would be a superhighway compared to the dirt roads I learned to drive on back in West Virginia). As mentioned, it is a one-way road running from west to east. The road climbs gradually for most of its distance, eventually providing very nice views of the rolling prairie to the north and east. The last section of the road drops quickly back down to join the park road just west of the petrified tree access road. Maybe due to the time of day, but the road was not crowded at all, as we only saw perhaps four other vehicles on our drive. This is a road to drive slowly on in order to enjoy the views and scout for wildlife. And there are a number of wide spots to pull over in take in the vistas or just let the more impatient tourists pass (their loss).
Once back at the park road, we turned left and headed back to the west to see what we might have missed along this section of the road. Lynn had noted a nature trail on the north side of the road just before we turned onto the Blacktail Plateau Drive, so we headed back there to take a look. This was the North Ridge Nature Trail which was a short little boardwalk loop that wove through several nice interpretive displays on the local flora, fauna and geology. One of the signs provided some details on the eruptions of the Yellowstone super volcano and showed the extent of the ash coverage following an eruption 2 million years ago. Just scary powerful.
There were some nice views in all directions from the trail as well as some more animal encounters. I was admiring some of the wildflowers along the trail as we came around one turn when Lynn nearly dislocated my shoulder when she grabbed my arm to point out another coyote. I bet is was only 40 yards or less from us, sitting up on a little rocky hill just beyond the boardwalk. He was not concerned about us at all and posed for us. Lynn thought it might have been a youngster still hanging out near its den. It sat there for a while, then got up and trotted off to do coyote stuff.
The Blacktail Plateau Drive is a gravel track, but it was in great shape (it would be a superhighway compared to the dirt roads I learned to drive on back in West Virginia). As mentioned, it is a one-way road running from west to east. The road climbs gradually for most of its distance, eventually providing very nice views of the rolling prairie to the north and east. The last section of the road drops quickly back down to join the park road just west of the petrified tree access road. Maybe due to the time of day, but the road was not crowded at all, as we only saw perhaps four other vehicles on our drive. This is a road to drive slowly on in order to enjoy the views and scout for wildlife. And there are a number of wide spots to pull over in take in the vistas or just let the more impatient tourists pass (their loss).
Once back at the park road, we turned left and headed back to the west to see what we might have missed along this section of the road. Lynn had noted a nature trail on the north side of the road just before we turned onto the Blacktail Plateau Drive, so we headed back there to take a look. This was the North Ridge Nature Trail which was a short little boardwalk loop that wove through several nice interpretive displays on the local flora, fauna and geology. One of the signs provided some details on the eruptions of the Yellowstone super volcano and showed the extent of the ash coverage following an eruption 2 million years ago. Just scary powerful.
There were some nice views in all directions from the trail as well as some more animal encounters. I was admiring some of the wildflowers along the trail as we came around one turn when Lynn nearly dislocated my shoulder when she grabbed my arm to point out another coyote. I bet is was only 40 yards or less from us, sitting up on a little rocky hill just beyond the boardwalk. He was not concerned about us at all and posed for us. Lynn thought it might have been a youngster still hanging out near its den. It sat there for a while, then got up and trotted off to do coyote stuff.
We completed our counterclockwise trek around the trail. One of the last markers on the loop was about glacial erratics, the rocks that the glaciers deposit when they recede. There was a nice big example of one right along the trail. I dig these big, randomly placed rocks as they tend to make interesting subjects for photos. One of my favorite shots from our Yosemite trip in 2012 was of an erratic at Olmsted Point [link to photo]. We also got one last animal sighting at this location as we were pulling out of the parking lot, as we saw a hawk hovering off in the meadow looking for a snack. Pretty sure it was a Red-tail but the size and the obvious hue of the tail feathers, but she was moving about too much for a good photo.
Our next stop was at Floating Island Lake. We had noted that there were a lot of birds around the lake when we drive past the heading west, so I wanted to get a closer look on the return trip. Lots of Coots and Ruddy Ducks out on the lake. There was also a Park Service Volunteer that at the overlook and we chatted with her a while. She was telling us that this is a nesting area for Sandhill Cranes and other birds and that the area around the lake is currently closed to reduce the impact on the birds. She was trying to ascertain if the area should remain closed. The problem is that there are photographers who feel it is their right to try and get up close and personal with the birds and can disturb the nesting birds (this ain’t most photographers, I know, but it only takes a couple of knuckleheads to ruin things for the animals and for everyone else). Our suggestion was to keep the area closed as there is plenty to see from the viewing area by the road.
By now it was about noon, and while we knew we were too early for check-in at Roosevelt, as thought we might as well stop by just in case we got lucky. Well, I was able to check-in but our frontier cabin was not yet ready; hey it was worth a shot and now at least the paperwork is out of the way. We grabbed a quick snack at the general store then headed into another of our favorite areas of the park, the Lamar Valley.
Who knows what you might see in the Lamar Valley at any time of day. Granted early morning and dusk are prime time but today high noon worked out pretty well. To start, there were bison everywhere! The bulls seemed to be hanging out by themselves or in pairs and there were several large herds of cows and calves. In the larger open areas, there might be a big herd with several bulls scattered about in the general area. All the bulls had a wallow or two nearby. Interestingly, for the most part, the bison were well off the road today; there were only a few bulls up near the road but none really on the road or the immediate roadside. The views of the big bovines out over the valley made me think of what it must have looked like in the west a couple hundred years ago when the herds were reported to have spread as far as the eye could see, numbering supposedly thousands of animals.
Our next stop was at Floating Island Lake. We had noted that there were a lot of birds around the lake when we drive past the heading west, so I wanted to get a closer look on the return trip. Lots of Coots and Ruddy Ducks out on the lake. There was also a Park Service Volunteer that at the overlook and we chatted with her a while. She was telling us that this is a nesting area for Sandhill Cranes and other birds and that the area around the lake is currently closed to reduce the impact on the birds. She was trying to ascertain if the area should remain closed. The problem is that there are photographers who feel it is their right to try and get up close and personal with the birds and can disturb the nesting birds (this ain’t most photographers, I know, but it only takes a couple of knuckleheads to ruin things for the animals and for everyone else). Our suggestion was to keep the area closed as there is plenty to see from the viewing area by the road.
By now it was about noon, and while we knew we were too early for check-in at Roosevelt, as thought we might as well stop by just in case we got lucky. Well, I was able to check-in but our frontier cabin was not yet ready; hey it was worth a shot and now at least the paperwork is out of the way. We grabbed a quick snack at the general store then headed into another of our favorite areas of the park, the Lamar Valley.
Who knows what you might see in the Lamar Valley at any time of day. Granted early morning and dusk are prime time but today high noon worked out pretty well. To start, there were bison everywhere! The bulls seemed to be hanging out by themselves or in pairs and there were several large herds of cows and calves. In the larger open areas, there might be a big herd with several bulls scattered about in the general area. All the bulls had a wallow or two nearby. Interestingly, for the most part, the bison were well off the road today; there were only a few bulls up near the road but none really on the road or the immediate roadside. The views of the big bovines out over the valley made me think of what it must have looked like in the west a couple hundred years ago when the herds were reported to have spread as far as the eye could see, numbering supposedly thousands of animals.
Early on in our drive, we stopped at a pullout where some folks at set up a spotting scope. The pullout overlooked a wooded area and a deep valley of the Lamar River, so we were not sure what they might have found. Turns out it was an Osprey nest with at least one chick. The nest, while high up in a tree was below the level of the road, so the view into it through the scope was pretty darn good. The folks with the scope were more the happy to share the view with use, and I got a couple of decent images with the SX50 (it was a little far away for hand-help shooting using all the zoom capability of the camera). In just a few minutes the overlook area was packed with folks (we when arrived, it was just the couple with the scope). More than one car just slowed down to ask what we were looking at, and when the answer was not wolves, they just sped away…seems to happens a lot.
We drove the entire length of the valley under lovely blue skies; the smoke and haze that plagued the Tetons and west side of Yellowstone do not seem to be an at present. We made a few quick stops to enjoy the views, including at the pullout below Baronette Mountain. I fellow had a scope set up spotting Mountain Goats up in the crags from the mountain side and like everyone we’ve ever met with a scope he was more than happy to share the view. So we added Mountain Goat to our list of critters for the day. I forget where I read it, probably on the National Parks Service website while researching for this trip, but the Mountain Goat is not native to either Yellowstone or Grand Teton. They were introduced to areas around the park as a sport animal for the hunters and they are now fairly well established in the northern parts of Yellowstone and are now taking up residence in Grand Teton. The Park Service is currently developing plans on management of these critters which could include their eradication from the Grand Teton. The concern is that they are making a severe impact on the native ecosystems including impacting the native Big Horn Sheep populations.
Since we still had plenty of time before our cabin at Roosevelt would be ready we continued our fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants day and cruised beyond the park boundary an up the Beartooth Highway. This was not in the original plan at all as Lynn was not a fan of that road (this all goes back to the guide who drove us down the Schaffer Trail in Canyonlands National Park who was drinking coffee with one hand and pointing out the window with the other while driving down the steep, winding, narrow dirt track…Lynn was not a happy then and has not been happy on roads with steep drop-offs since). But it was her call so one we went (hey, I don’t like steep drops when hiking, so I get her concern, but when in a car, particularly if I’m driving, the roads don’t bother me).
As soon as we were out of the park, we started seeing motorcycles. It is a beautiful day, so seeing folks out for a cruise was not surprising. But what was surprising, shocking actually, was the number of bikes we saw. There were a few in Silver Gate, but not in unusual numbers, but when we hit Cooke City, well, you would have thought we were in Sturgis. There were hundreds of bikes of all makes and models lining both sides of the road practically from one end of town to the other and every parking lot was completely overrun with motorcycles and motorcyclists. I was relieved that we did need to stop for fuel as there was absolutely no way to pull into a gas station. I’ve never seen so many bikes. There seemed to be more bikes here than there were bison in Yellowstone. We continued east out of Cooke City and continued to pass scores of bikes, sometimes in groups of twenty or more riding along together. It was a constant flow of bikes for the entire drive. I later found out that this was the day of the Bone Daddy's Beartooth Rally ride along the Beartooth Highway. The three-day rally was based out of Red Lodge. Well, they picked a good day for a ride as it was just gorgeous weather.
The further east we went, the less impact there seemed to be from the smoke. The skies were blue with a few puffy, white clouds, so good light and good color to go with the big vistas we were getting. We did not go too far up the Beartooth Highway, we turned around just before we reached Beartooth Lake. But I did notice a sign for the road leading up to Clay Butte lookout tower and we decided to try that little detour and check out the views as the air was mostly clear.
The road leading to the old fire lookout tower is dirt and gravel, but it was in very good shape. I guess the drive is about 3 miles to get to the tower, uphill all the way. The tower sits just short of 10,000 feet elevation. The wind was howling here on the ridge. The views from all around the tower are outstanding. The common theme of wildflowers continued, but there were no wildlife sightings. But the views off in all directions are the draw. We made the quick climb into the tower to get a hint at how the fire spotters worked back in the day.
We drove the entire length of the valley under lovely blue skies; the smoke and haze that plagued the Tetons and west side of Yellowstone do not seem to be an at present. We made a few quick stops to enjoy the views, including at the pullout below Baronette Mountain. I fellow had a scope set up spotting Mountain Goats up in the crags from the mountain side and like everyone we’ve ever met with a scope he was more than happy to share the view. So we added Mountain Goat to our list of critters for the day. I forget where I read it, probably on the National Parks Service website while researching for this trip, but the Mountain Goat is not native to either Yellowstone or Grand Teton. They were introduced to areas around the park as a sport animal for the hunters and they are now fairly well established in the northern parts of Yellowstone and are now taking up residence in Grand Teton. The Park Service is currently developing plans on management of these critters which could include their eradication from the Grand Teton. The concern is that they are making a severe impact on the native ecosystems including impacting the native Big Horn Sheep populations.
Since we still had plenty of time before our cabin at Roosevelt would be ready we continued our fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants day and cruised beyond the park boundary an up the Beartooth Highway. This was not in the original plan at all as Lynn was not a fan of that road (this all goes back to the guide who drove us down the Schaffer Trail in Canyonlands National Park who was drinking coffee with one hand and pointing out the window with the other while driving down the steep, winding, narrow dirt track…Lynn was not a happy then and has not been happy on roads with steep drop-offs since). But it was her call so one we went (hey, I don’t like steep drops when hiking, so I get her concern, but when in a car, particularly if I’m driving, the roads don’t bother me).
As soon as we were out of the park, we started seeing motorcycles. It is a beautiful day, so seeing folks out for a cruise was not surprising. But what was surprising, shocking actually, was the number of bikes we saw. There were a few in Silver Gate, but not in unusual numbers, but when we hit Cooke City, well, you would have thought we were in Sturgis. There were hundreds of bikes of all makes and models lining both sides of the road practically from one end of town to the other and every parking lot was completely overrun with motorcycles and motorcyclists. I was relieved that we did need to stop for fuel as there was absolutely no way to pull into a gas station. I’ve never seen so many bikes. There seemed to be more bikes here than there were bison in Yellowstone. We continued east out of Cooke City and continued to pass scores of bikes, sometimes in groups of twenty or more riding along together. It was a constant flow of bikes for the entire drive. I later found out that this was the day of the Bone Daddy's Beartooth Rally ride along the Beartooth Highway. The three-day rally was based out of Red Lodge. Well, they picked a good day for a ride as it was just gorgeous weather.
The further east we went, the less impact there seemed to be from the smoke. The skies were blue with a few puffy, white clouds, so good light and good color to go with the big vistas we were getting. We did not go too far up the Beartooth Highway, we turned around just before we reached Beartooth Lake. But I did notice a sign for the road leading up to Clay Butte lookout tower and we decided to try that little detour and check out the views as the air was mostly clear.
The road leading to the old fire lookout tower is dirt and gravel, but it was in very good shape. I guess the drive is about 3 miles to get to the tower, uphill all the way. The tower sits just short of 10,000 feet elevation. The wind was howling here on the ridge. The views from all around the tower are outstanding. The common theme of wildflowers continued, but there were no wildlife sightings. But the views off in all directions are the draw. We made the quick climb into the tower to get a hint at how the fire spotters worked back in the day.
The drive back to Roosevelt was uneventful but even an uneventful drive through the Lamar Valley is still a beautiful drive. Our only stop on the return drive was at the Roosevelt Ranger Station to get some hiking suggestions. We got lucky and caught Ranger Sara at the station right at 4:00. She was extremely helpful and gave us several ideas for short hikes in the area: Hellroaring Creek to the bridge, Lost Lake and a hike from the Yellowstone Picnic Area Trailhead were her thoughts for hiking tomorrow. But she also gave us some ideas for this evening, specifically looking for bears. She said that there is a carcass at Canyon Junction on the connector road back to the west side where a Grizzly Bear had been feeding in the evenings, plus there have been Black Bear sightings on the way up to Dunraven Pass on the Chittenden Road area.
After dropping our gear in our cabin (Frontier cabin #91). The place was packed with hopefully tourists. The pullouts in the area were jammed and the road side in both directions was lined with cars. To make matters worse, there was road maintenance in progress (painting lines on the road) so the traffic flow was that much further impeded. The Rangers were working feverishly to keep things moving. We just drove through, as there was no way to stop or turn-around. We did finally reverse course at Virginia Cascade, which was not much to see, and went back through the bear site. Without the road work the return trip was quicker, but the tourists were multiplying. One clueless woman in a huge SUV tried unsuccessfully to park on the side of the road but she was still mostly in the road. I watched in the rearview mirror as the Mercedes coach behind me clipped her driver-side mirror.
After dropping our gear in our cabin (Frontier cabin #91). The place was packed with hopefully tourists. The pullouts in the area were jammed and the road side in both directions was lined with cars. To make matters worse, there was road maintenance in progress (painting lines on the road) so the traffic flow was that much further impeded. The Rangers were working feverishly to keep things moving. We just drove through, as there was no way to stop or turn-around. We did finally reverse course at Virginia Cascade, which was not much to see, and went back through the bear site. Without the road work the return trip was quicker, but the tourists were multiplying. One clueless woman in a huge SUV tried unsuccessfully to park on the side of the road but she was still mostly in the road. I watched in the rearview mirror as the Mercedes coach behind me clipped her driver-side mirror.
We did see a black bear jam north of the Chittenden Road turnoff on the return trip, but the bear was not visible from the road and the pull-out was getting very crowded. There was one last spot that I could have swooped into, but there was a truck waiting for it from the opposite lane, so I just kept rolling. He was there first and we had already seen our black bear for the trip. Besides, it was getting to be time for dinner. But first we made one last stop at the overlook for the basalt columns just past Tower Falls. There were several Big Horn Sheep above the columns across the gorge. This is when I realized that is where the Yellowstone picnic area trail traverses. Cool, we’ll be above the columns tomorrow and maybe see the sheep from a closer vantage point.
We had dinner at Roosevelt Lodge as it is the only game in town. But it provides a great dining opportunity and for National Park dining it is stellar. The food is very good and the service is excellent. They have a very good variety on the menu, although it does have a bit of a western flare. Lynn went with the tenderloin and I had the bison tamales. Quite tasty! After dinner as had a couple drinks out on the front porch of the lodge, just enjoying the evening and doing a little people watching. The Bent Nail IPA was pretty darn good. Porch time lasted until about 9:00 then we hit the hay. I did come back out about 11:00 to check the night sky but between the smoke and overcast there was not much to see in terms of stars. Still it was still nice out. Here's the link to the images from toady's ramblings.
Day 7 – Sunday, July 20 – Short Hikes: Lynn and I took a walk around the grounds before breakfast, starting about 6:45. We walked down toward the horse corral and spotted five mule deer in the road. Four of them moved on, but the fifth was just sort of hanging out, so we turned around and called it “good enough.” We headed back up to the lodge building for a sit down breakfast as we were in no great hurry this morning. Lynn was thinking blueberry pancakes…sounds good to me. Lynn asked about the serving size. Turns out that a short stack is three cakes and a tall is five! That’s a lot of pancakes (these days, most restaurants list two for a short stack and three for a tall). We both went with the short stack and were glad that we did. As good as those pancakes were, I was just barely able to clean my plate!
After breakfast, we made another loop down by the corral and back up the driveway. We spotted a few birds along the way, including several of those clever Ravens and a White-crowned Sparrow. Then it was back to the cabin to get our gear in order for our set of short hikes that we were planning for today, based on Ranger Sara’s suggestions. Along the way, we spotted what must be the world’s cleanest active garbage truck. Must be pick-up day here at Roosevelt and the Park Service has simply immaculate equipment to transporting the trash. But I digress. Back to the hiking plans for today.
We decided to start with the hike along Hellroaring Creek Trail down to the suspension bridge. The trailhead is just a short drive along the park road heading west from Roosevelt. Ranger Sara said that we might see pika and black bear, but they must have missed the scheduling email as none were out this morning. There were lots of birds along the trail, however; Western Tanagers, Bluebirds, Robins, Ravens and Chipping Sparrows.
We had dinner at Roosevelt Lodge as it is the only game in town. But it provides a great dining opportunity and for National Park dining it is stellar. The food is very good and the service is excellent. They have a very good variety on the menu, although it does have a bit of a western flare. Lynn went with the tenderloin and I had the bison tamales. Quite tasty! After dinner as had a couple drinks out on the front porch of the lodge, just enjoying the evening and doing a little people watching. The Bent Nail IPA was pretty darn good. Porch time lasted until about 9:00 then we hit the hay. I did come back out about 11:00 to check the night sky but between the smoke and overcast there was not much to see in terms of stars. Still it was still nice out. Here's the link to the images from toady's ramblings.
Day 7 – Sunday, July 20 – Short Hikes: Lynn and I took a walk around the grounds before breakfast, starting about 6:45. We walked down toward the horse corral and spotted five mule deer in the road. Four of them moved on, but the fifth was just sort of hanging out, so we turned around and called it “good enough.” We headed back up to the lodge building for a sit down breakfast as we were in no great hurry this morning. Lynn was thinking blueberry pancakes…sounds good to me. Lynn asked about the serving size. Turns out that a short stack is three cakes and a tall is five! That’s a lot of pancakes (these days, most restaurants list two for a short stack and three for a tall). We both went with the short stack and were glad that we did. As good as those pancakes were, I was just barely able to clean my plate!
After breakfast, we made another loop down by the corral and back up the driveway. We spotted a few birds along the way, including several of those clever Ravens and a White-crowned Sparrow. Then it was back to the cabin to get our gear in order for our set of short hikes that we were planning for today, based on Ranger Sara’s suggestions. Along the way, we spotted what must be the world’s cleanest active garbage truck. Must be pick-up day here at Roosevelt and the Park Service has simply immaculate equipment to transporting the trash. But I digress. Back to the hiking plans for today.
We decided to start with the hike along Hellroaring Creek Trail down to the suspension bridge. The trailhead is just a short drive along the park road heading west from Roosevelt. Ranger Sara said that we might see pika and black bear, but they must have missed the scheduling email as none were out this morning. There were lots of birds along the trail, however; Western Tanagers, Bluebirds, Robins, Ravens and Chipping Sparrows.
This trail is mostly along the hillside from the trailhead leading down toward the river. The first tenth of a mile or so is level and mostly wooded but then the trail just falls down the hill via a few switchbacks to the canyon and bridge. I reckon the elevation drop is about 700 feet to the bridge. Great views all along once the trail hits the open slope. Again, the wildflowers were just amazing along the upper part of the trail, but along the lower portion of the trail, it seems drier and is a bit more wooded, so there was not the explosion of color from the flowers.
The bridge is certainly a marvel, somewhat from an engineering perspective but more so from the fact of where it is located and how difficult it must have been to build, particularly trying to figure out how all the materials were transported to this location. Maybe some of the bigger components were brought in by helicopter? Ever how they did it, my hat is off to the crew that completed this structure.
We could feel the sway in the suspension bridge as we crossed. We opted to stop at the bridge, as we would have a long climb back to the trailhead and we had more that we wanted to see today. Up to this point, we had the trail to ourselves (there was only one other car at the trailhead parking lot when we arrived), but as soon as we recrossed the bridge we met two girls hiking along, and short thereafter two other groups (three young guys and finally a family of four). But that was all, so it was still pretty quiet on the trail for the return hike. The hike back up the hill through the yellow, white and purple wildflowers was great and again we had a few songbirds flitting about. We were back at the trailhead a little after 10:00.
The bridge is certainly a marvel, somewhat from an engineering perspective but more so from the fact of where it is located and how difficult it must have been to build, particularly trying to figure out how all the materials were transported to this location. Maybe some of the bigger components were brought in by helicopter? Ever how they did it, my hat is off to the crew that completed this structure.
We could feel the sway in the suspension bridge as we crossed. We opted to stop at the bridge, as we would have a long climb back to the trailhead and we had more that we wanted to see today. Up to this point, we had the trail to ourselves (there was only one other car at the trailhead parking lot when we arrived), but as soon as we recrossed the bridge we met two girls hiking along, and short thereafter two other groups (three young guys and finally a family of four). But that was all, so it was still pretty quiet on the trail for the return hike. The hike back up the hill through the yellow, white and purple wildflowers was great and again we had a few songbirds flitting about. We were back at the trailhead a little after 10:00.
Next stop was the petrified tree and the Lost Lake trailhead. There were lots of folks checking out the tree, but no one seemed interested in the trailhead, so we decided to hike first and walked to the upper part of the parking area, away from the stone tree. We were struggling with the direction, as all we could see was a very steep trail that went straight up the hill at the end of the parking lot. That won’t be fun at all. But when we reached the end of the pavement, we saw the trailhead sign and the rest of the trail leading down the hill below the level of the lot and back up the adjacent valley. Much better.
This is a lovely little hike through the valley that was just littered with wildflowers and butterflies. Plus lots of signs of where the “buffalo roam” or at least had recently roamed. It is a short walk to the lake along a level but narrow trail. We walked to the far (east) end of the lake, so it was nearly a 3-mile round-trip hike. There were a few ducks on the lake (Mallards and Barrow's Goldeneyes) and a few songbirds. On the return trip I got a couple of decent shots of some of the butterflies. I would have stayed in that area longer, but Lynn wanted to move along.
This is a lovely little hike through the valley that was just littered with wildflowers and butterflies. Plus lots of signs of where the “buffalo roam” or at least had recently roamed. It is a short walk to the lake along a level but narrow trail. We walked to the far (east) end of the lake, so it was nearly a 3-mile round-trip hike. There were a few ducks on the lake (Mallards and Barrow's Goldeneyes) and a few songbirds. On the return trip I got a couple of decent shots of some of the butterflies. I would have stayed in that area longer, but Lynn wanted to move along.
Not a lot of traffic on the Lost Lake trail. We passed four other groups, ranging from a single guy to a family with three kids; Mom was really worried about bears. One group was a father and son on a return trip to the park. First trip was when the kid was 12; he’s now 24. We chatted with them a bit and took their photo for them. They mentioned seeing wolves (#870 alpha female) and grizzly in Lamar Valley this morning. They also mentioned that a bison was killed on the road last evening. Well that would explain the ambulance that we a saw headed up the Lamar Valley last evening when we were leaving for the bear jam. Dad also mentioned that they used a big front-end loader to remove the carcass. I saw that equipment this morning as well; I thought it seemed odd for it to be out on a Sunday morning; mystery solved. Dad asked the operator what would become of the carcass; the operator said it would be deposited someplace where the wolves and bears, etc. could make use of it, but he would give out the location. I reckon that is for the best.
Back at the parking area, we paid our respects to the petrified tree. The signage there indicates that it is the same as the coastal redwoods in California. The tree was buried in ash following a volcanic eruption about 50 million years ago. There’s not much left of it now and it is protected by a wrought iron fence; seems too many tourists back in the early days of the park carried off pieces of the trunk for souvenirs (that would never happen today, right?).
We’ve complete two of our three short hikes. Ranger Sara said that she liked to hike from the Yellowstone Picnic Area in the evening, and we figured we would follow suit, so back to the cabin for lunch and a little downtime. We had lunch in the dining hall at Roosevelt. The special today was bison fajitas and they were quite tasty. I again had a Bent Nail and Lynn had the Ranger IPA. Hey, Roosevelt has some great beer selections.
By 1:00 it was time for some porch sitting; just a great way to spend an afternoon. The sky has cleared; much less smoke this afternoon. I worked a couple puzzles, filled in some details in the journal and reviewed the photos from the past few days. But I also watched the folks coming and going from Roosevelt. There were folks from all over; many different dialects and accents: Russian, German, Japanese, Indians, plus cowboys, bikers and tourists from all over the US. Yellowstone, like all the National Parks, is quite the melting pot. Seems that most folks get along just fine, despite the cultural differences. Perhaps the wonders of nature make those cultural items seem less important. Well, except on the road; the Asian drivers were consistently rude or maybe just clueless about the traffic laws, but they were annoying nonetheless. Of course there were plenty of other annoying drivers out there who were not Asian…you’ll see what I mean.
Back at the parking area, we paid our respects to the petrified tree. The signage there indicates that it is the same as the coastal redwoods in California. The tree was buried in ash following a volcanic eruption about 50 million years ago. There’s not much left of it now and it is protected by a wrought iron fence; seems too many tourists back in the early days of the park carried off pieces of the trunk for souvenirs (that would never happen today, right?).
We’ve complete two of our three short hikes. Ranger Sara said that she liked to hike from the Yellowstone Picnic Area in the evening, and we figured we would follow suit, so back to the cabin for lunch and a little downtime. We had lunch in the dining hall at Roosevelt. The special today was bison fajitas and they were quite tasty. I again had a Bent Nail and Lynn had the Ranger IPA. Hey, Roosevelt has some great beer selections.
By 1:00 it was time for some porch sitting; just a great way to spend an afternoon. The sky has cleared; much less smoke this afternoon. I worked a couple puzzles, filled in some details in the journal and reviewed the photos from the past few days. But I also watched the folks coming and going from Roosevelt. There were folks from all over; many different dialects and accents: Russian, German, Japanese, Indians, plus cowboys, bikers and tourists from all over the US. Yellowstone, like all the National Parks, is quite the melting pot. Seems that most folks get along just fine, despite the cultural differences. Perhaps the wonders of nature make those cultural items seem less important. Well, except on the road; the Asian drivers were consistently rude or maybe just clueless about the traffic laws, but they were annoying nonetheless. Of course there were plenty of other annoying drivers out there who were not Asian…you’ll see what I mean.
We finally started thinking about our afternoon hike about 4:00. After overcoming the inertia of a relaxed afternoon we got on the road to the Yellowstone Picnic Area trailhead, arriving at 4:30. The place was packed with picnickers, but I was able to find a sliver of ground into which to wedge in the POS. There was also a group of kids getting ready to take this hike as well. Turns out there are two routes to get on the trail, the one at the marked trailhead that makes a gradual assent to the ridge and what I’m guessing is more of a social trail that basically goes straight up the hillside to get to the ridge line. The kids went straight up the hill, we did not.
This turned out to be a very nice little hike with views of the Lamar Valley and into Yellowstone River canyon. It is no wonder that Ranger Sara said this was one of her favorites. And other than the group of kids, who by the way did not go far before turning around, we only saw one other couple on the trail. Shoot, we saw more big horn sheep than hikers once we were out on the trail.
After the initial climb up to the ridge, the trail is generally flat, that is there are no major elevation changes just a sort of rolling nature to the terrain. The views along the trail are tremendous in all directions. To the east are the far reaching vistas out toward the Lamar Valley which provide the look of the old west prairie. Directly adjacent to the trail are great views into the canyon and of the river plus close range views of the basalt columns (the trail actually walked runs just above the columns). As usual, I enjoyed the glacial erratics. They were strewn all around the meadow along the ridge line. I suggested to Lynn that it was like they were waiting for the next bus, or in this case glacier, to take them to the next stop.
This turned out to be a very nice little hike with views of the Lamar Valley and into Yellowstone River canyon. It is no wonder that Ranger Sara said this was one of her favorites. And other than the group of kids, who by the way did not go far before turning around, we only saw one other couple on the trail. Shoot, we saw more big horn sheep than hikers once we were out on the trail.
After the initial climb up to the ridge, the trail is generally flat, that is there are no major elevation changes just a sort of rolling nature to the terrain. The views along the trail are tremendous in all directions. To the east are the far reaching vistas out toward the Lamar Valley which provide the look of the old west prairie. Directly adjacent to the trail are great views into the canyon and of the river plus close range views of the basalt columns (the trail actually walked runs just above the columns). As usual, I enjoyed the glacial erratics. They were strewn all around the meadow along the ridge line. I suggested to Lynn that it was like they were waiting for the next bus, or in this case glacier, to take them to the next stop.
There was one section that gave Lynn pause just above the basalt columns. In this area, the trail sort of tips toward the edge and there is a lot of loose gravel. Couple these trail conditions with the high wind we were experiencing and it did make for a bad combination. For once I was not the squeamish one with the edge but this was not a shear drop so not a trigger to my irrational phobias.
We found the sheep near where we expected them and just before the bend in the trail toward Specimen Ridge. There were several on the slope just below the trail, but close enough that we would have been within 25 yards of them had we continued. So we opted to turn back rather than get too close to the sheep (the other couple that we met along the trail did end up proceeding down the trail past the sheep). It would have been nice to take in the view from the high point of the trail at the bend, but the critters come first.
We retraced our steps back to the trailhead, taking in the views going the opposite direction with slightly different lighting. Once back down the hill, we saw a mule deer that was bedded down near the trail. Unfortunately there was no away around here, so we just stopped and talked a bit so that she knew we were there and she slowly moved out of the way and ended up bedding down again once we passed. We were back at the trailhead shortly after the deer delay. We covered about 3.5 miles in about two hours, which made for a very nice way to spend the late afternoon.
The three hikes we completed today made a nice set. Each was about 3 miles (Lost Lake and Hellroaring Creek Trail to the bridge were a little under and the hike from the Yellowstone Picnic Area trailhead was a bit over three). Lost Lake was the easiest of the three and only took an hour. I guess the Hellroaring creek Trail was the toughest due to the elevation change and while not much longer than Lost Lake it took nearly twice and long to complete, but the wildflowers along the upper part of the trail were the most spectacular. Overall however, I will agree with Ranger Sara and say that the hike from Yellowstone Picnic Area was my favorite of the three (a tough choice for sure as all three hikes were enjoyable and offered a lot in terms of scenery and wildlife). The hikes provided a great cross section of the northern part of the park.
We were home at 6:45 and cleaned up for dinner at the lodge. Another great meal. Lynn had the taco salad with chicken and I had the bison brat with the caldera cake for desert. Plus too many Bent Nails! We spent a little time relaxing on the front porch, but the clouds had moved in and ruined the opportunity for a starry night sky. We crashed at 9:30. Photos from today’s smorgasbord of activities are here.
Day 8 – Monday, July 21 – Cowboy Cookout: I was awake about 0500 but let Lynn sleep in. Plan is to drive the Lamar Valley this morning looking for critters, then return to Roosevelt for breakfast at the lodge and chill the rest of the day until our Cowboy Cookout and horseback ride at 3:45 this afternoon. After some negotiation over dinner last night, the plan was to be on the road at 0630. Well, we did ok on that point as we were driving away from the cabins at 6:45, after watching the three young mule deer (two does and a buck) frolic about the cabins for a few minutes. We were heading out into a grey, overcast morning but there were some breaks in the clouds to light-up the landscape.
Once across the Tower Junction intersection, I told Red Two to pick up her visual scanning. The flight plan was to drive out to Soda Butte so that we could see if the wolf-watchers were out and that we would only stop if there was a really excellent photo op. Well it did not take long to deviate from the plan as there was a great photo op before we rounded the first big bend in the road. There was a big bull bison grazing near the road. We got a couple decent pictures from the car.
We saw the first big herd of bison just past the Yellowstone River Bridge and just like our drive on Saturday, the herds continued all the way through the valley almost all the way to Soda Butte. There were bison seemingly everywhere; large herds, small clusters and many single bulls dotting the fields and hillsides ranging from the roadside to as far as the eye could see. I think I read that there are around 6,000 bison in the park and we saw a large chunk of them this morning. I think that this is as close to the “old west’ as you can get; forget cowboys and Indians or the gunfight at the OK corral, seeing these huge beasts roaming the open range with the only sign of the modern world being the ribbon of highway and a few cars, well let’s just say it is a pretty cool scene and just lovely to take it all in.
We retraced our steps back to the trailhead, taking in the views going the opposite direction with slightly different lighting. Once back down the hill, we saw a mule deer that was bedded down near the trail. Unfortunately there was no away around here, so we just stopped and talked a bit so that she knew we were there and she slowly moved out of the way and ended up bedding down again once we passed. We were back at the trailhead shortly after the deer delay. We covered about 3.5 miles in about two hours, which made for a very nice way to spend the late afternoon.
The three hikes we completed today made a nice set. Each was about 3 miles (Lost Lake and Hellroaring Creek Trail to the bridge were a little under and the hike from the Yellowstone Picnic Area trailhead was a bit over three). Lost Lake was the easiest of the three and only took an hour. I guess the Hellroaring creek Trail was the toughest due to the elevation change and while not much longer than Lost Lake it took nearly twice and long to complete, but the wildflowers along the upper part of the trail were the most spectacular. Overall however, I will agree with Ranger Sara and say that the hike from Yellowstone Picnic Area was my favorite of the three (a tough choice for sure as all three hikes were enjoyable and offered a lot in terms of scenery and wildlife). The hikes provided a great cross section of the northern part of the park.
We were home at 6:45 and cleaned up for dinner at the lodge. Another great meal. Lynn had the taco salad with chicken and I had the bison brat with the caldera cake for desert. Plus too many Bent Nails! We spent a little time relaxing on the front porch, but the clouds had moved in and ruined the opportunity for a starry night sky. We crashed at 9:30. Photos from today’s smorgasbord of activities are here.
Day 8 – Monday, July 21 – Cowboy Cookout: I was awake about 0500 but let Lynn sleep in. Plan is to drive the Lamar Valley this morning looking for critters, then return to Roosevelt for breakfast at the lodge and chill the rest of the day until our Cowboy Cookout and horseback ride at 3:45 this afternoon. After some negotiation over dinner last night, the plan was to be on the road at 0630. Well, we did ok on that point as we were driving away from the cabins at 6:45, after watching the three young mule deer (two does and a buck) frolic about the cabins for a few minutes. We were heading out into a grey, overcast morning but there were some breaks in the clouds to light-up the landscape.
Once across the Tower Junction intersection, I told Red Two to pick up her visual scanning. The flight plan was to drive out to Soda Butte so that we could see if the wolf-watchers were out and that we would only stop if there was a really excellent photo op. Well it did not take long to deviate from the plan as there was a great photo op before we rounded the first big bend in the road. There was a big bull bison grazing near the road. We got a couple decent pictures from the car.
We saw the first big herd of bison just past the Yellowstone River Bridge and just like our drive on Saturday, the herds continued all the way through the valley almost all the way to Soda Butte. There were bison seemingly everywhere; large herds, small clusters and many single bulls dotting the fields and hillsides ranging from the roadside to as far as the eye could see. I think I read that there are around 6,000 bison in the park and we saw a large chunk of them this morning. I think that this is as close to the “old west’ as you can get; forget cowboys and Indians or the gunfight at the OK corral, seeing these huge beasts roaming the open range with the only sign of the modern world being the ribbon of highway and a few cars, well let’s just say it is a pretty cool scene and just lovely to take it all in.
I was surprised that there was not more traffic on the road this morning. I figured the really serious folks would have been out long ago – but they would also provide the data on where we should stop. But there were just a few scattered cars and RVs along the road and the pullouts, except for a couple of clusters of fishermen. I was also impressed as the majority of the folks were taking their time and giving the right-of-way to the critters. Hey, bison do not heed the traffic laws. Maybe word got out about the one killed the other night so folks are being more mindful. Or maybe the early crowd is just the more animal-conscious group. Anyway, the only stupid-person trick this morning was by the jackass driving an RV who decided he had been delayed long enough by a small herd of bison crossing the road. He finally figured that since he was bigger that he could just push through the couple of cows still on the road. Nope. One cow just stopped right in his path so he had to wait. Then a young bull came over to hang with her. Hey, Jackass, you can’t beat Mother Nature!
The herds stretched for miles through the valley. The cows and calves made up the big groups, but the solitary bulls were all around. We saw a few young bulls sparing, but no one was messing with the “big daddy” bulls. We were probably stopped four or five times by bison on or near the road. I rolled down the window a couple times to listen to them “talk” – they may be brutes, but they have a lot to say!
The herds stretched for miles through the valley. The cows and calves made up the big groups, but the solitary bulls were all around. We saw a few young bulls sparing, but no one was messing with the “big daddy” bulls. We were probably stopped four or five times by bison on or near the road. I rolled down the window a couple times to listen to them “talk” – they may be brutes, but they have a lot to say!
In addition to the bison, we saw a couple small herds of pronghorn and two or three other single antelope. But alas, no wolves. There were a few cars at the horse trailer park near Soda Butte and a cluster of folks with binoculars out in the field so we stopped to investigate. The folks there claimed to have heard wolves but there were none in sight. No wonder as their kids kept yelling and howling; how you could here anything over that ruckus is beyond me. C’mon folks, teach your youngsters to behave or take them to Disney World. But even though the wolf sighting was a bust, we did see several cliff swallows. The birds had built nests under the eaves of the outhouses an were busy bringing breakfast back to the youngsters.
Next stop was the Osprey nest, just to see what was happening. Mom was on the nest with the chicks and Dad was soaring over head. Just a bit too far for my SX50 HS, even with the tripod, but I think I got an OK image. When we arrived around 7:40, there was no one at the pullout and we had the place to ourselves for a few minutes (good thing as it takes me a while to get the tripod set up), but soon the pull out was crowded with folks wanting to know what we were looking at. The first person just asked were if there were wolves and sped off when Lynn replied “no, an Osprey nest.” But others were interested as they swarmed around my camera setup. At least this time the parents corrected their kids for cutting in front of the view.
At the final bison jam of the morning, we got an up close view of this year’s babies. This was right at 0800 and the Yellow Bus tours had also arrived. The buses were the old style version, and I think they are pretty cool and certainly a part of the park history. We took the “wake up to wildlife” tour during our 2011 visit, cruising through the Lamar Valley in an old bus. The tour provided a great introduction to the Lamar Valley. Our last stop in the Lamar Valley was for a shot of a hawk sitting on a boulder.
Next stop was the Osprey nest, just to see what was happening. Mom was on the nest with the chicks and Dad was soaring over head. Just a bit too far for my SX50 HS, even with the tripod, but I think I got an OK image. When we arrived around 7:40, there was no one at the pullout and we had the place to ourselves for a few minutes (good thing as it takes me a while to get the tripod set up), but soon the pull out was crowded with folks wanting to know what we were looking at. The first person just asked were if there were wolves and sped off when Lynn replied “no, an Osprey nest.” But others were interested as they swarmed around my camera setup. At least this time the parents corrected their kids for cutting in front of the view.
At the final bison jam of the morning, we got an up close view of this year’s babies. This was right at 0800 and the Yellow Bus tours had also arrived. The buses were the old style version, and I think they are pretty cool and certainly a part of the park history. We took the “wake up to wildlife” tour during our 2011 visit, cruising through the Lamar Valley in an old bus. The tour provided a great introduction to the Lamar Valley. Our last stop in the Lamar Valley was for a shot of a hawk sitting on a boulder.
As it was just after 8:00 when we finished our tour we opted to drive the Blacktail Plateau Drive again to see if the earlier hour made a difference. Not really. Still a pretty drive but no big fauna. There were lots of bluebirds hovering over the wild flowers and I spotted a big hawk but otherwise nothing. Just more views of the carpet of yellow, purple and pink flowers on the hillside. We also noted that it was starting to cloud up again. We’ll see what the afternoon brings but now it is time for breakfast.
We ditched out stuff at the cabin and walked back to the lodge building. There was a short wait but we passed the time enjoying the morning out on the front porch. I enjoy this area of the park for the laid-back, country feel. And for being “so remote” the accommodations and the food are great. It astounds me the problems that some parks have with providing good food; here at Roosevelt, I don’t remember having a bad meal. The breakfast burrito I had was outstanding (granted, I spiked the salsa with a little Tabasco sauce). Lynn had the eggs du jour with bacon. That’s another thing about Roosevelt; they are generally generous with the portions, as Lynn had bacon to share. She remarked that it was excellent, as was the blueberry muffin that accompanied her meal.
After breakfast, we wondered down to the horse corral to confirm the details of our 3:45 ride to the cookout; be there at 3:30, check. The young lady at the ticket counter gave us the release form to fill out so we’ll be ahead of the game this afternoon.
No other plans until the ride so we have time to relax. We were going to sit on the lodge porch but Lynn opted for the picnic table next to the cabin. The overcast and light breeze made it a pleasant place to sit. Plus it was quieter than the lodge as most of the folks had left for the day. Just Lynn and me with the squirrels and crows. However, being the man of action that I am, I felt I just could not sit around at the picnic table all afternoon…so I took a nap.
About 3:00 we walked down to the corral to check in and to ask about weather impacts. There was a front approaching; the sky was dark the wind was picking up and the temperature was starting to drop. The hope was that the storm would roll through so that we would still go as planned, but they could trim to a one-hour ride if needed and they would let us know by 3:40. The weather was looking more threatening so after confirming that raincoats were allowed I went back to the cabin for our slickers and fleeces. I got back to the corral just in time for the rain to start and it poured! Another group came in from a ride looking like drowned rats. But the skies were starting to clear so maybe there was hope for us yet. The riders for the cook-out excursion were congregating at the corral while the wranglers dismounted the last group and prepped the horses. The horses from the last ride were sent back to the pasture and then the rest of the mounts were released as well. Sooooo….what are we going to ride? One of the young lady wranglers finally came over to ask if we were there for the 3:45 ride and to tell us that the ride was canceled. Nice of them to remember us, but at least we have an answer. Now what? Lynn and I decided to just do the wagon ride to the cook out which did not depart for another hour, but that also meant that we could take our cameras, so back to the cabin to reload again then over to the front porch to kill some time.
We wandered back down to the corral at the appointed time to get the plan from the wranglers, load-up and head to the cook-out. Lynn and I climbed into the back of wagon number 10. These are heavy duty vehicles, each of which probably carries 40 folks and is drawn by two draft horses, a pair of big, black Percherons named Jed and Jack. Our driver, Greg, looked like he had stepped right out of an 1880 cattle drive. He was dressed the part but you could tell he really lived it as well. He had the big hat, the duster and the mustache and sideburns like Wild Bill Hickcock. If ever there was a modern day cowboy, it was Greg. The last member of the flight crew was our wrangler, Addison, a young lady just out of high school. Her job was to entertain the folks in the wagon with tall tales, fun facts, corny jokes…whatever. She did a nice job for a kid.
There were eight wagons in the trail, and they all seemed full, so I reckon there must have been at least 300 tourists on this little excursion. The ride out to the cook-out grounds is only a couple miles and did not take very long. It poured on us most of the way out, so we were all thankful for the heavy canvas top and side curtains on the wagon as they kept us mostly dry. The route taken by our little train runs through the prairie to the northwest of Roosevelt and roughly parallels the Grand Loop Road (we were never more than a half-mile from the main road, but the trees blocked the sounds from the traffic). Great opportunity for animal sightings in this area, although we only saw a couple marmots in the one rocky area adjacent to the trail. However, there was a black bear in the cook-out area when the first couple wagons pulled in. The wranglers had chased him off by the time we arrived.
The rain had subsided by the time we reached the cook-out grounds, but it was still rather cool and overcast. Most of the folks had scurried over to the outhouses or to gawk at the bear, but we stayed back with the wagons so Lynn could visit with the horses (after checking with Greg that it was OK to do so). Then we meandered over to the cook-out grounds which was a very nice facility. Drinks were set up and waiting for us; on an evening like this the hot chocolate and coffee were greatly appreciated. The facility was quite nice and in a nice wooded setting on the edge of the open meadow and the base of a hill (the bear was on the hill).
We ditched out stuff at the cabin and walked back to the lodge building. There was a short wait but we passed the time enjoying the morning out on the front porch. I enjoy this area of the park for the laid-back, country feel. And for being “so remote” the accommodations and the food are great. It astounds me the problems that some parks have with providing good food; here at Roosevelt, I don’t remember having a bad meal. The breakfast burrito I had was outstanding (granted, I spiked the salsa with a little Tabasco sauce). Lynn had the eggs du jour with bacon. That’s another thing about Roosevelt; they are generally generous with the portions, as Lynn had bacon to share. She remarked that it was excellent, as was the blueberry muffin that accompanied her meal.
After breakfast, we wondered down to the horse corral to confirm the details of our 3:45 ride to the cookout; be there at 3:30, check. The young lady at the ticket counter gave us the release form to fill out so we’ll be ahead of the game this afternoon.
No other plans until the ride so we have time to relax. We were going to sit on the lodge porch but Lynn opted for the picnic table next to the cabin. The overcast and light breeze made it a pleasant place to sit. Plus it was quieter than the lodge as most of the folks had left for the day. Just Lynn and me with the squirrels and crows. However, being the man of action that I am, I felt I just could not sit around at the picnic table all afternoon…so I took a nap.
About 3:00 we walked down to the corral to check in and to ask about weather impacts. There was a front approaching; the sky was dark the wind was picking up and the temperature was starting to drop. The hope was that the storm would roll through so that we would still go as planned, but they could trim to a one-hour ride if needed and they would let us know by 3:40. The weather was looking more threatening so after confirming that raincoats were allowed I went back to the cabin for our slickers and fleeces. I got back to the corral just in time for the rain to start and it poured! Another group came in from a ride looking like drowned rats. But the skies were starting to clear so maybe there was hope for us yet. The riders for the cook-out excursion were congregating at the corral while the wranglers dismounted the last group and prepped the horses. The horses from the last ride were sent back to the pasture and then the rest of the mounts were released as well. Sooooo….what are we going to ride? One of the young lady wranglers finally came over to ask if we were there for the 3:45 ride and to tell us that the ride was canceled. Nice of them to remember us, but at least we have an answer. Now what? Lynn and I decided to just do the wagon ride to the cook out which did not depart for another hour, but that also meant that we could take our cameras, so back to the cabin to reload again then over to the front porch to kill some time.
We wandered back down to the corral at the appointed time to get the plan from the wranglers, load-up and head to the cook-out. Lynn and I climbed into the back of wagon number 10. These are heavy duty vehicles, each of which probably carries 40 folks and is drawn by two draft horses, a pair of big, black Percherons named Jed and Jack. Our driver, Greg, looked like he had stepped right out of an 1880 cattle drive. He was dressed the part but you could tell he really lived it as well. He had the big hat, the duster and the mustache and sideburns like Wild Bill Hickcock. If ever there was a modern day cowboy, it was Greg. The last member of the flight crew was our wrangler, Addison, a young lady just out of high school. Her job was to entertain the folks in the wagon with tall tales, fun facts, corny jokes…whatever. She did a nice job for a kid.
There were eight wagons in the trail, and they all seemed full, so I reckon there must have been at least 300 tourists on this little excursion. The ride out to the cook-out grounds is only a couple miles and did not take very long. It poured on us most of the way out, so we were all thankful for the heavy canvas top and side curtains on the wagon as they kept us mostly dry. The route taken by our little train runs through the prairie to the northwest of Roosevelt and roughly parallels the Grand Loop Road (we were never more than a half-mile from the main road, but the trees blocked the sounds from the traffic). Great opportunity for animal sightings in this area, although we only saw a couple marmots in the one rocky area adjacent to the trail. However, there was a black bear in the cook-out area when the first couple wagons pulled in. The wranglers had chased him off by the time we arrived.
The rain had subsided by the time we reached the cook-out grounds, but it was still rather cool and overcast. Most of the folks had scurried over to the outhouses or to gawk at the bear, but we stayed back with the wagons so Lynn could visit with the horses (after checking with Greg that it was OK to do so). Then we meandered over to the cook-out grounds which was a very nice facility. Drinks were set up and waiting for us; on an evening like this the hot chocolate and coffee were greatly appreciated. The facility was quite nice and in a nice wooded setting on the edge of the open meadow and the base of a hill (the bear was on the hill).
Our timing was perfect as they rang the dinner bell right as we were passing by the serving pavilion, so we were near the front of the herd. Great food; steak and all the fixings and lots of it. No one was going hungry here tonight. We got our grub then found a spot to sit under the main pavilion. While most of the evening is self-service, there were wranglers refilling drinks and really pushing the cowboy coffee. I’m not a coffee drinker, so I did not partake, but Lynn tried it. Her hair did not stand up on end, so it must not have been that strong.
After dinner there were stories and a sing-along around the campfire. The evening ended with a group all singing “Home on the Range.” I never knew there was more than one verse to that song. As part of the “thanks for coming” speech, the head wrangler made a point of talking about how most of the millions of visitors that Yellowstone has each year the vast majority never venture far from the main road and only about five percent actually get into the backcountry. But, she stated that the folks who make this ride out for this cookout have gotten off the beaten path are part of that five percent. Honestly I’m not sure that I would call this backcountry, but it’s her party so she can make the rules.
Once loaded back on Wagon #10, Addison explained the tradition of thanking the cooks as we rode past on our way home. The idea is to come up with a clever way of saying good-bye as we drove by, then the four cooks would rate our salutation by tipping their hats. The goal of course is to get “four hats” and there is a bit of a competition between the wranglers on the wagons to see who can get that top honor. Addison was trolling for ideas and someone in the front of the wagon suggested the chorus from the song “Kiss Him Goodbye” that goes “sha-na-na-hey-hey-hey-goodbye” so we sang that as we rolled by the cooks, basically drowning out the wagon in front of us but receiving a four-hat salute. That tickled Addison as she would have some manner of bragging rights with the wranglers.
After dinner there were stories and a sing-along around the campfire. The evening ended with a group all singing “Home on the Range.” I never knew there was more than one verse to that song. As part of the “thanks for coming” speech, the head wrangler made a point of talking about how most of the millions of visitors that Yellowstone has each year the vast majority never venture far from the main road and only about five percent actually get into the backcountry. But, she stated that the folks who make this ride out for this cookout have gotten off the beaten path are part of that five percent. Honestly I’m not sure that I would call this backcountry, but it’s her party so she can make the rules.
Once loaded back on Wagon #10, Addison explained the tradition of thanking the cooks as we rode past on our way home. The idea is to come up with a clever way of saying good-bye as we drove by, then the four cooks would rate our salutation by tipping their hats. The goal of course is to get “four hats” and there is a bit of a competition between the wranglers on the wagons to see who can get that top honor. Addison was trolling for ideas and someone in the front of the wagon suggested the chorus from the song “Kiss Him Goodbye” that goes “sha-na-na-hey-hey-hey-goodbye” so we sang that as we rolled by the cooks, basically drowning out the wagon in front of us but receiving a four-hat salute. That tickled Addison as she would have some manner of bragging rights with the wranglers.
The ride back to the corral was fairly quiet, but we did see a black bear on the hill side along the park road (we actually spotted the car stopped on the road first, then noticed the reason for the animal jam). Greg and Addison speculated that it was the same bear that was at the picnic grounds, a young male with a black snout that had been hanging out in the area and obviously attracted by the food from the cookout.
While the rain held off while we were at the cook-out, there was another deluge during the drive home, but it had let up by the time we reached the corral. We were back about 8:00. That little event was a lot of fun. Good food and a good time. With the rain, I’m glad we took the wagon as it would have been a major bummer getting caught in that rain on horseback. Maybe next trip we’ll try the horseback ride.
We spent the evening on the front porch of the lodge with a beer. We saw evidence that bad parenting is universal as a young couple from India was letting their toddler be obnoxious but thankfully they did not stay long. After the afternoon of wet weather we were rewarded with a rainbow stretching across the sky above Roosevelt. A fitting end to the day. But the overcast was here to stay so once again there would be no grand starry night sky. I guess we struck out on that score for this trip. No worries, we’ll just have to come back again.
Not a lot of photos from today’s activities, but here’s the link to the highlights.
While the rain held off while we were at the cook-out, there was another deluge during the drive home, but it had let up by the time we reached the corral. We were back about 8:00. That little event was a lot of fun. Good food and a good time. With the rain, I’m glad we took the wagon as it would have been a major bummer getting caught in that rain on horseback. Maybe next trip we’ll try the horseback ride.
We spent the evening on the front porch of the lodge with a beer. We saw evidence that bad parenting is universal as a young couple from India was letting their toddler be obnoxious but thankfully they did not stay long. After the afternoon of wet weather we were rewarded with a rainbow stretching across the sky above Roosevelt. A fitting end to the day. But the overcast was here to stay so once again there would be no grand starry night sky. I guess we struck out on that score for this trip. No worries, we’ll just have to come back again.
Not a lot of photos from today’s activities, but here’s the link to the highlights.
Day 9 – Tuesday, July 22 – Jackpot! Beautiful morning; blue skies and mostly sunny but crisp as the temperature was in the mid-40s F to start the day. We were on the road at 6:20 to the Lamar Valley. The Bison herd was moving west morning and taking advantage of the road. We were again part of the herd. This turned out to be a fruitful excursion. There were Bison everyone throughout the valley, plus we saw two small herds of pronghorn and a black bear at the Yellowstone Picnic Grounds. It might have been the same young male that we spotted last night as he had a black snout.
Surprisingly the valley was not crowded in terms of cars, which made it nice for trying to enjoy the views. Still there were several impatient people on the roads, some trying to push through the bison herds. We were back at Roosevelt around 7:40 as we decided to skip Black Tail Plateau this morning. Breakfast again at the lodge, sort of traditions fare with French toast, eggs and bacon. We then packed-up and checked-out and were on the road at 9:00.
This morning will be our only pass through the Hayden Valley for this trip, so we’re hoping for some good luck. But we still took our time and made a few stops. The first was when we saw a couple varmints crossing the road ahead of us and stopped to see what they were; turned out to be a couple of young marmots. Nearer to the crest, the hillsides were absolutely covered with wildflowers. The predominant color was yellow, but there were splashes of white and purple as well. Of all the trips we have taken over the years, this one has by far been the best in terms of wildflowers. Once off the mountain, we took a quick detour to check out the carcass site at Canyon Junction but no joy.
This morning will be our only pass through the Hayden Valley for this trip, so we’re hoping for some good luck. But we still took our time and made a few stops. The first was when we saw a couple varmints crossing the road ahead of us and stopped to see what they were; turned out to be a couple of young marmots. Nearer to the crest, the hillsides were absolutely covered with wildflowers. The predominant color was yellow, but there were splashes of white and purple as well. Of all the trips we have taken over the years, this one has by far been the best in terms of wildflowers. Once off the mountain, we took a quick detour to check out the carcass site at Canyon Junction but no joy.
As we started our drive through the Hayden valley, there were of course elk and bison scattered all along the route which is always cool to see. Then as we crested a small rise, I spied in the distance a huge mass of cars lining both sides of the road. This had to be a significant animal sighting, either wolves or a grizzly. Turns out that the animal jam was at a large pullout spot, so we were able to find a slot right in the middle of the action. I pulled in next to a pickup, the occupants of which were standing on its roof to get a better view. “What’s out there?” I asked as I got out of the POS; “Wolves!” was the reply. Bingo! The folks on the pickup indicated that there were four wolves in the area, two out in the field in front of us (to the west) and that the other two had just crossed the road and were in the field to the east. Awesome!
The next 20 minutes would become one of the top highlights for the trip. While we saw wolves in the Lamar Valley during our 2011 visit, they were at least a mile away and in cover so you could really only see them through a scope and then just very brief glimpses. Today, they were much closer at about a quarter to half-mile away and generally out in the open so in view the entire time even without scopes or glasses. Lynn had the binoculars and I used the zoom of the SX50, which worked very well as a “poor-man’s” spotting scope. The wolves were too far out for great images, but I got something decent enough for the memory book. But it was just cool to see the wolves. The folks we talked to in the pull-out were very knowledgeable about the wolves. They had numbers for the animals and knew the pack affiliation. I retained none of those details other than the point that the black wolf was the alpha.
We quickly walked across the road to see the two grey wolves to the east, as they were closer to the viewing area. They were about two-tenths of a mile away (I later deduced the distance using my Google maps-based distance app on my phone) at the base of a small knoll, so between the road and the river. Since they were a little closer and slightly up on the hill, we had a great view of these two wolves. As they worked on around the hill then became a bit obscured by the tall grass, so we opted to check the wolves on the west side of the road. These two, the black alpha and another grey, were further away, over a half mile I’d say, but still in full view. There were also a couple bison in the area. In fact, for a while the folks watching the wolves thought there were three on the west side as there was something else out in the field with the black and grey wolves. That was until the something else stood up and we all saw that it was a Bison. It seemed to be a bit annoyed that the wolves had encroached on its wallow. The black wolf tried to push the issue a bit and crowded the big bull, so the bison charged. Nothing major, just a couple strides at the wolf, but more than enough to make the canine stand down. The two wolves kept moving, but a bet they made a little wider circle to get around the bull. We continued watching the wolves as they moved across the valley to the creek and finally disappeared from view.
We quickly walked across the road to see the two grey wolves to the east, as they were closer to the viewing area. They were about two-tenths of a mile away (I later deduced the distance using my Google maps-based distance app on my phone) at the base of a small knoll, so between the road and the river. Since they were a little closer and slightly up on the hill, we had a great view of these two wolves. As they worked on around the hill then became a bit obscured by the tall grass, so we opted to check the wolves on the west side of the road. These two, the black alpha and another grey, were further away, over a half mile I’d say, but still in full view. There were also a couple bison in the area. In fact, for a while the folks watching the wolves thought there were three on the west side as there was something else out in the field with the black and grey wolves. That was until the something else stood up and we all saw that it was a Bison. It seemed to be a bit annoyed that the wolves had encroached on its wallow. The black wolf tried to push the issue a bit and crowded the big bull, so the bison charged. Nothing major, just a couple strides at the wolf, but more than enough to make the canine stand down. The two wolves kept moving, but a bet they made a little wider circle to get around the bull. We continued watching the wolves as they moved across the valley to the creek and finally disappeared from view.
Wow! That was so cool! Not just one, but four wolves and not just glimpses, but 20 minutes of watching them and the bonus of the interaction with the big bull bison. That was simply outstanding. This is what we come to the parks to see, to learn about. It was amazing. Definitely something for the highlight reel.
We finally left the viewing area and headed on south along the Grand Loop Road. Just south of the pull out, we passed a knoll that was bristling with photographers with the big lenses and tripods. I wonder how their images turned out. Better than mine, I’m sure, but the experience we had just can’t be captured by a camera.
We turned left on to the East Entrance Road, heading for Storm Point for a little hike. I have read a lot of good things about this hike so figured now is as good a time as any to check it out. We were also thinking about hiking Avalanche Peak as that just sounds like an outstanding hike, but we would need and earlier start for that one, so it will have to wait for another trip to Yellowstone (and we’ll be back). We made a quick stop at the Fishing Bridge Visitor Center just to make sure there were no hiking restrictions or concerns but there were nothing posted. We saw several interesting birds at Fishing Bridge and along the lake shore, so there will be some photo stops on the return trip.
We finally left the viewing area and headed on south along the Grand Loop Road. Just south of the pull out, we passed a knoll that was bristling with photographers with the big lenses and tripods. I wonder how their images turned out. Better than mine, I’m sure, but the experience we had just can’t be captured by a camera.
We turned left on to the East Entrance Road, heading for Storm Point for a little hike. I have read a lot of good things about this hike so figured now is as good a time as any to check it out. We were also thinking about hiking Avalanche Peak as that just sounds like an outstanding hike, but we would need and earlier start for that one, so it will have to wait for another trip to Yellowstone (and we’ll be back). We made a quick stop at the Fishing Bridge Visitor Center just to make sure there were no hiking restrictions or concerns but there were nothing posted. We saw several interesting birds at Fishing Bridge and along the lake shore, so there will be some photo stops on the return trip.
It was right around 11:30 when we pulled into the parking at the Storm Point trailhead (I think actually sort of the “overflow” parking area which is a little further away from Indian Pond). The weather was considerably warmer than this morning at Roosevelt, but still comfortable for a nice hike. We were hiking under bright blue skies with a few fluffy, white clouds scattered over the mountains. The trail is a lollipop route. Once past Indian Pond, we went clockwise around the loop, so along the lakeshore first to Storm Point than back through the woods. The EveryTrail app on my phone showed our track to be 2.7 miles and it took us right at an hour to complete the hike.
I thought there was going t be a crowd on the trail based on the number of cars at the trailhead parking, but once we got past Indian Pond we had the trail mostly to ourselves (this has been a common theme for our hikes this trip). Perhaps the trail is more crowded earlier in the day with the Ranger-led hike. There were several folks out enjoying the wildflowers in the meadow adjacent to Indian Pond; it was another explosion of color along this stretch of the trail. Purple and blue were the primary hues in this area with highlights of yellow and white.
I thought there was going t be a crowd on the trail based on the number of cars at the trailhead parking, but once we got past Indian Pond we had the trail mostly to ourselves (this has been a common theme for our hikes this trip). Perhaps the trail is more crowded earlier in the day with the Ranger-led hike. There were several folks out enjoying the wildflowers in the meadow adjacent to Indian Pond; it was another explosion of color along this stretch of the trail. Purple and blue were the primary hues in this area with highlights of yellow and white.
When we reached the split in the trail we took the left fork which took us directly to the lake shore along Mary Bay. The midday sun was a little harsh but the views across the lake to the distant mountains were still quite lovely. There was a large flotilla of Barrow’s Goldeneyes bobbing in the water near the shore. The trail mostly stayed along the edge of the bay but well above the water for most of the part of the hike. As I recall, the point where the trail first reaches lake is at water level and there is one stream crossing on a small bridge, but for the most part the trail is 15 feet or so above the lake surface with an abrupt drop to the water. Once across the little creek, the trail turns south through the woods but along the water’s edge. We saw a few chipmunks and squirrels foraging amongst the pine trees.
The trail turns inland for a short stretch before breaking out of the trees into another wildflower filled meadow just short of Storm Point. This was the highlight area of the hike, the part of the trail around this open area and out to Storm Point. Lovely views across the lake to the south and east, more amazing wildflowers and a few marmots out sunning themselves. The only folks we saw out here was an older couple, park volunteers, who were having a picnic at the point and taking a break from their trail maintenance chores. We chatted with this briefly while enjoying the views from Storm Point and then continued on our way around the loop. The return trail through the woods is actually sort of dull, at least at this time of day. It is a nice walk through a stand of lodgepole pines and there were scores of downed trees (that’s why the volunteers back at Storm Point at a chainsaw). There is probably a lot of bird activity here at the right time of day, but at noon not so much.
The trail turns inland for a short stretch before breaking out of the trees into another wildflower filled meadow just short of Storm Point. This was the highlight area of the hike, the part of the trail around this open area and out to Storm Point. Lovely views across the lake to the south and east, more amazing wildflowers and a few marmots out sunning themselves. The only folks we saw out here was an older couple, park volunteers, who were having a picnic at the point and taking a break from their trail maintenance chores. We chatted with this briefly while enjoying the views from Storm Point and then continued on our way around the loop. The return trail through the woods is actually sort of dull, at least at this time of day. It is a nice walk through a stand of lodgepole pines and there were scores of downed trees (that’s why the volunteers back at Storm Point at a chainsaw). There is probably a lot of bird activity here at the right time of day, but at noon not so much.
The trail again emerges back into the wildflower coated meadow next to Indian Pond. There were a couple of folks with an elaborate camera setup taking close-ups of the flora. They were focusing (no pun intended) on an odd looking thistle looking plant. Lynn also thought this was an interesting specimen that we later found out was Elk Thistle. We enjoyed our walk through the field of flowers, snapped a few more photos and headed back to the trailhead. Again there were more folks in this meadow than anywhere else along the trail; why not, it was a beautiful sight with the flowers, the pond, the blue sky and white clouds and the distant backdrop of the mountains. What’s not to like.
There were a fair number of birds flitting about in the flowers. These were more examples of a new species of songbird that we discovered during this trip, the Gonebird. That is to say that they moved about so much that they were “gone” before you had a chance to get a good look at them, much less a photo. We enjoy looking for critters and I particularly like trying to spot the birds, but I am horrible at on the spot identification (hats off to all you birders you can name those birds with just a glance). If I can get a photo, then I’ve got a chance to figure it out later using our bird book, the Internet and BirdForum.net (this is a wonderful resource and a very helpful community on the forums…sort of like TripAdvisor but for birds).
We made a slow drive back toward Fishing Bridge, looking for birds along the lake shore. No luck until we got back to the bridge. We parked in the large lot at the west end of the bridge so that we could walk the historic span. We walked out along the north side and returned on the south. Great views in both directions and plenty of birds: American White Pelicans, several ducks and an eagle soaring off to the south toward the lake. We also spotted scores of little fish below the bridge; no wonder there were so many Pelicans in the area.
There were a fair number of birds flitting about in the flowers. These were more examples of a new species of songbird that we discovered during this trip, the Gonebird. That is to say that they moved about so much that they were “gone” before you had a chance to get a good look at them, much less a photo. We enjoy looking for critters and I particularly like trying to spot the birds, but I am horrible at on the spot identification (hats off to all you birders you can name those birds with just a glance). If I can get a photo, then I’ve got a chance to figure it out later using our bird book, the Internet and BirdForum.net (this is a wonderful resource and a very helpful community on the forums…sort of like TripAdvisor but for birds).
We made a slow drive back toward Fishing Bridge, looking for birds along the lake shore. No luck until we got back to the bridge. We parked in the large lot at the west end of the bridge so that we could walk the historic span. We walked out along the north side and returned on the south. Great views in both directions and plenty of birds: American White Pelicans, several ducks and an eagle soaring off to the south toward the lake. We also spotted scores of little fish below the bridge; no wonder there were so many Pelicans in the area.
We left Fishing Bridge about 1:30. The temperature at gone up 40 degrees since leaving Roosevelt this morning (it was now a very pleasant 84 degrees F). It is time to leave Yellowstone and get to Signal Mountain for our last night in the parks. It was a lovely drive south out of Yellowstone and through the Rockefeller Parkway; we just enjoyed the scenery but kept on rolling. This is a good point to break the journal. Photos from Day 9 of the trip. Here’s the link to Part III of our Return to Wonderland…