National Parks of the West 2012 Day 3: Yellowstone National Park with Grand Tetons

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Best Park....EVER!

Seriously, what can be said about Yellowstone that hasn't already been said? I tried to see as much of it as I could and drive the whole loop. I started my dreary morning at Geyser Basin. I hope this is what Hell looks like because it is so pretty 😊 They have a boardwalk you can hike. The steam rises through the water as you walk. The sweat smell of sulfur runs rampant through the air. Mmmmmm! Delicious! It started raining that morning much to my delight.

But by the afternoon it was bright and sunny. I drove my Roaring Mountain, a mountain with steam coming out of all of it. Then I came upon the otherworldly landscape that is the Mammoth Springs. At one point one could see the springs, valley, foothills, forest, then mountains layered one on top of the other. It was an amazing sight to behold.

Driving back I encountered my first bear sighting! The black bear just lumbered towards my car as I took a moment to just enjoy the view. Afterwards I stopped by the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The waterfall there is probably one of my favorites ever. I can see why it is named the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

I knew I had to be in Jackson, Wyoming by nightfall so I started heading south but tried stopping at as many of the sights in Yellowstone as possible, from mud pots to geysers to interesting thermal ponds and stuff. I drove by Yellowstone Lake and encountered not one but two Continental Divides. Figures, you go 36 years without seeing one and all of the sudden there are two.

I stopped by to see Old faithful. Seeing as to how its really faithful I planned it precisely so that I could be there 20 minutes before it bubbles up. But Old faithful wasn't very faithful and started blowing 30 minutes late! Still, once it does start blowing it is an experience you wouldn't ever want to miss!

My last official stop was Grand Prismatic Lake but apparently the best view of it is from on high. Still, walking around the trail boardwalk was fun. You could almost really notice the colors as the sun was going down.

On my way out I started thinking of what I had seen. I had gone from valleys to mountain tops, seen forests and plains and swampy lands and geyser basins. This certainly was a great park to visit. On my way out of the park I pondered the fact that I had seen my fair share of Lady Moose but not one single Male Moose. And then on the way out I spotted a wolf! It trotted casually in a clearing between the forest pines. It turned back as I looked at it and made eye contact. I imagined the wolf accepting me as a fellow creature. The wolf then nodded, turned around and continued on its way.

I made it to Grand Teton National Park as the sun was setting behind them. It was an awesome sight! Then while driving around lost I found a nice little marina with camping and a pizza parlor with the lake and mountains in the background.

Also, I apparently like being lost. At one point I was driving towards the biggest peak in the middle of the night watching how the moonlight glowed off the snowy peak. It was beautiful and scary at the same time! Finally after being lost for about an hour I was able to make my way out and reach my hotel safely in Jackson.

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Photos

I'd Hot Tub In This
And have my flesh stewed off!