Back through Yellowstone

Tuesday, July 3, 2012 (Day 228)

Rush hour at Yellowstone

We were heading for Belgrade today, and decided to go back through Yellowstone to do it. The west entrance pictured sure had lines to get in!


A herd was grazing away just inside the West entrance

We decided to get out at every available spot, just to get some more walking in. This first stop was at Terrace Springs. Our second was at Gibbon Falls. Unfortunately, other spots were so popular that we couldn’t find a parking spot, and so had to pass them up.

Great view looking out from Terrace Basin

We did see elk again today…and just missed a bear sighting. (By the time we made it through the traffic jam, the bear was gone.)

Gibbon Falls was going full strength

We stopped at a shady picnic spot and enjoyed the peace and quiet and beautiful forest smells.

A magnificent elk

Our last stop was at Mammoth Hot Springs. Harris took this picture of a family all huddled together in the shade. It was hot, but at least the wind was blowing, so it wasn’t too uncomfortable as we walked around the various boardwalks. (Judy had to take off her hat before it blew off…at one spot we counted 10 hats laying on the ground where you couldn’t retrieve them.)


Our shady lunch spot w/o crowds

We left Yellowstone via the North Entrance on highway 89. Three miles before Livingston there was a terrible accident in front of us, so everyone had to pull over and wait for all the authorities to come and do their thing. It was a sobering reminder to always pay attention on the road.

Scooping out the shady spots

We then drove on to Belgrade, and Candy and Rick’s house. How good are these friends? They just returned yesterday from a trip to Peru, and here we are staying at their wonderful home. Rick had a chicken on the barbeque, and served us a delicious dinner when Candy came home from work. We looked at some of their pictures from their trip before hitting the sack, and will look at more tomorrow.

Mammoth hot springs (water flow has fallen)

We were 5 cars behind (and 2 mins after it happened

Total miles driven today=150