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Published: July 29th 2010
Driving through Idaho
On the way to Grand Teton/YellowstoneTime to head back home. It's been a great trip. From Reno, I rented a Uhaul and got an oil change/checkup for the truck and embarked on the long cross country drive east. The trip took me through northern Nevada and then up to Idaho.
I stop in Grand Teton National Park and d a nice day hike up to Amphitheater Lake (~14 miles) at almost 10K feet. I try to get higher, but one one side am stopped by a pretty difficult climb (ran into climbers using equipment to ascend) and on another side by steep slopes and snow patches (with some other group of people also not able to break through). Got some nice pictures though, so I head back down at a quick (often running) pace. There's enough time in the day left to head over to Yellowstone. I questioned actually heading into that park, but a family's recommendation at a nearby scenic view pulloff pushed me over the fence. Yellowstone is probably one of the most crowded parks in the park system. It's easy to see why though, with its abundant wildlife and endless forested wilderness. I arrive at Old Faithful to get some much needed
The Grand Tetons
The Grand Teton Range at dusk. food, and catch the end of the geyser eruption, which happens every 40 minutes or so. Tons of people everywhere. After eating at the cafeteria, I leave and go to the Chromatic Pool, a geothermal place of interest recommended to me. This, I thought, was better than the Old Faithful geyser. It's basically a pool of hot, sulfurous water that continually steams, making the entire area steamy, humid, and smelly. Doesn't sound very enticing, but it is pretty cool to be here. There is also a ton of people here.
Done with Yellowstone, I continue east out of that huge park and out of the mountains into Wyoming, into a large basin, up another mountain range (Bighorns) and then into South Dakota. The landscape gets less and less mountainous, and the mountains you do see get smaller and smaller. After passing the Black Hills (where Mt Rushmore is) and Badlands, I've pretty much passed the last area that resembles "Western" topography, and the landscape slowly gets flatter and less dry. Yes indeed, the West is behind me now and the next mountains to traverse will be the Pennsylvania Appalachians, far to the east.
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