Yellowstone: A majestic place

We've settled for the night at Rock Springs, Wyoming, and we have about the only hotel room in the city. No town between Jackson and here had a place to stay. Jackson was too early in the evening to stop; and this was almost too late.

But the Holiday Inn in Rock Springs had a nice room with our name on it.

Sure beats the overnight facilities in the park.

But first, the park. Yellowstone. Amazing.

The photos I'm going to post below just don't do it justice; its grandeur is just difficult to note on a spot like this. But I'll try.

We reached Yellowstone through Cody, Wyoming. Washed the car and enjoyed the ode to Buffalo Bill.

The park is about 6,000 feet up on average. Much of it reaches farther up than that. Our hotel, the Lake Yellowstone Hotel, was on, duh, Lake Yellowstone.

The lake is the crown of a caldera (see graphic) that resulted from a massive volcanic explosion (ala Mount St. Helens) about 600,000 years ago. It is about 25,000 years overdue to erupt again. But that's another story. So the lake is a jewel of the park, not as famous as Old Faithful but clearly more pleasant an environment.

The hotel is very cool. It's one of the oldest spots in the park and at night buffalo just come up into the parking lot or the field outside. You can watch the beasts during breakfast or dinner.

Our first night out we did a boat tour of the lake and it is just amazing. At times about 150 feet deep, it is about 45 degrees during the summer, colder during the winter.

We hunted for buffalo that night and spotted other wildlife, as you'll see below.

The following day we did the tour of the upper park near the lake. We saw the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and its upper and lower falls, Mammoth Hot Springs, lunched at Roosevelt Lodge and the canyon area.

The sulphur eruptions there and at Norris really do smell. Peew!



That night we switched rooms to stay at the Lake Lodge near the hotel and had a cabin for the night. We figured if the beds were going to be just as uncomfortable (and they both were equal in this category) why spend an extra $150 for the hotel? It was a good decision. No waits for the rickety elevator and no need for bell service.

Our final day at the park, yesterday, Tuesday, took us to the Norris Basin, where the bulk of the geysers and hot spots of the park are located. They even warn you to stay on the trails or else. The signs should be in "Yellowstone For Dummies."



Then further down to Old Faithful and then south to the exit. We didn't leave the park until about 6 p.m. local time, and that's when we entered Grand Tetons National Park.



Again the Tetons are amazing. Beautiful mountains and the beautiful valley known as Jackson Hole. Which took us to Jackson, Wyoming, and our situation here today.

Enjoy this brief set of photos.

Cody


Day 1 at the Park