Yellowstone National Park VISIT:   August 30th through September 6th …………

Another Mt. Rainier posting will follow soon.

Don’t forget to click on “Archives” for OTHER JOURNALS with PHOTOS! There are postings dating all the way back to last summer, fall and winter seasons with tons of photos. If you are visiting Mt. Rainier check out the journals for more information before you visit.

This trip to Yellowstone was a trip of a lifetime!  Seven days inside the park filled my eyes with fantastic sights of amazing scenery and geological wonders on every blink. On the seventh day we were both filled to the brim and could not tolerate driving south to the Teton Mountains regardless of how breathtakingly beautiful Teton National Park is according to everyone.

Yellowstone, our first American National Park, is a must see place. Many parts of the park had a quiet beauty that I suspect would not bring excitement to young children. But to my husband and me, Yellowstone presented such a variety of landscapes and terrain which is all part of an active volcano that we couldn’t help but be fascinated with every turn in the road and every new sight.

Our favorite section of the park was the Northeast where the animals roam and the anticipation of a sighting them makes your heart beat fast. We particularly enjoyed being in the park early in the morning. It was thrilling to see Yellowstone wake up to warm rays of sun slowly spreading over the land. Experiencing this early morning phenomena, while watching for wildlife was the highlight of our trip!

We hope to return to this wonderful place for more quiet sightseeing and another fly fishing adventure.

This is the Lamar Valley in the Northeast part of Yellowstone National Park.

It is unusual to see River Otters according to the Ranger that was also viewing this family of Mom and her three young ones. They were playing and fishing along the shore of the Lamar River. After watching them catch and eat at least 5 trout, my husband decided then and there to rent fly fishing gear since he left his at home.

The first bull Elk below is standing majestically at the crowded Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and cabin area on the nice green manicured lawn that he and his harem seem to enjoy in amongst all the visitors. It appeared to us that it is a full time job for 3 to 4 rangers to daily stop traffic allowing this bull’s herd to go wherever they want. There are about 40 elk that spend their time here daily munching and sleeping on the grass by the cabins.

This photo below is a Pronghorn. They can run up to speeds of 30 to 40 miles per hour.

The Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River is beautiful with the canyon walls displaying different colors depending on the light.

The fly fishing was spectacular along with the scenery.

Mammoth Hot Springs was just like the name – HUGE & HOT.

Looking out of the car window and seeing the steam rise from geysers around the Old Faithful area was just plain weird! By the time we got to this southwest section of the park my camera finger was tired so there are very few pictures of geysers, fumaroles and mud pots.

Yellowstone National Park – our trip of a lifetime!