Yellowstone Excursions

Since we were here almost two weeks, we had time to explore areas other than Yellowstone. One day was a short trip to Livingstone, MT for dinner and along the way we were in the heart of large black angus cattle ranches some of which were what is called “free range” meaning that you have to be on the lookout for some cows that want to see what’s on the other side of the road. Also took in a side road to Chico Hot Springs Resort which has fine dining, stables, bar, spa, etc. It is quite secluded attracting the beautiful people, Hollywood celebrities, and what is called a destination resort for upscale wedding parties. On one of our excursions we went to see Old Faithful and West Yellowstone. On the way we visited many of the Geysers that in early years is what made Yellowstone stand out… the extravaganza of geysers and hot springs. There are more than 300 geysers here!! We started in Mammoth Springs where there is Upper Geyser Basin, Midway Geyser Basin, Lower Geyser Basin and then there is Grand Prismatic Spring---Yellowstone’s largest single hot spring which is very colorful as the rising steam reflects colors of the rainbow, depending on the sun and the time of day. Then there is the Mud Volcano area with the even more intense smell of “rotten egg” , a result of the microorganisms eating away at sulfur, which creates sulfuric acid. As it evaporates, the acid becomes hydrogen sulfide gas, which gives off its noxious smell. There are a lot of small ones of these around. Fountain Paint Pot, is one of the many mud pots with some a cauldron of hot reddish pinkish mud. The steam responsible for paint pots colors the clay with shades of white, brown and grey. There are also arrays of Hot Springs with travertine terraces which are created when hot water and gases ascend through the limestone deposits, “sculpting” the rocks along the way. You will see what we mean as you look at the photos of all of the above and you should be able to pick our each of the ones we have described. They are quite interesting. Now, let’s talk about Old Faithful. We drove for hours to see this most famous geyser in the world. With much anticipation we finally saw the sign for the entrance but as we came around the bend we saw hundreds of cars, RVs, tour buses and a large array of buildings housing places to eat, souvenir shops, etc. It was just too commercial for us and we didn’t want to wait the 90 minutes, plus or minus, when there were so many other geysers to see. Afterwards we went to the town of West Yellowstone and the western entrance to the park. West Yellowstone is a town considered by some as the base camp for exploring Yellowstone, Montana and Idaho. We however found it very commercial as well and did not stay there too long either. ….only long enough for Debra to have her first elk burger (which was over-cooked) and me to have some local tacos. The best part was what has become a favorite…wild huckleberry ice-cream!! And yes, at least one of us (Debra) tried a buffalo cheese burger, which afterwards decided she liked better than elk. As for me, I stayed with the tried and true, with the exception of the ice cream….just couldn’t bring myself to eat one of those buffalos after seeing so many of them and their babies. We were oh so glad that we decided to take the day long trip to Cody, WY going through Lamar Valley and over the Chief Joseph Highway going through Montana’s alpine tundra to Wyoming’s high plains desert. The road winds through some of the most beautiful and spectacular varied landscapes of the Yellowstone region. Upon driving through the little village of Silver Gate we saw our first black bear!! Another one of those rare and spectacular moments that you will always remember! We went through the Absaroka Range in a blowing snow storm – we had no cell phone signal and there were no other cars on the road!! We kept thinking about getting stranded without blankets and nothing to eat except some energy bars and water. And just as we thought we ought to turn around the snow slowed to a fine dusting with us breathing a sigh of relief (ok, ME breathing a sigh of relief). We then traversed Beartooth Pass, and at one point we were at over 12,000 ft! What a beautiful sight for miles and miles. The road kept winding around and around and we could always see the next level and wondered when it would ever end. I kept looking over the rim hoping we didn’t careen over the side because it was a very long way down!! Finally, it was down to the valley and on into Cody!! It is very much a cowboy town and we loved it. There are a lot of horse ranches here and some wild herds out towards the mountains. Not too far from Cody is Heart Mountain to which to many is a symbol of power, to some it is a memorial to powerful emotions and terrible upheaval, and a reminder of pain. To the Crow Indians, it is a symbol of power – a sacred place known to the tribe as “Foretops Father” To more than 10,000 Japanese internees it served as a bleak World War II home. If you remember, Roosevelt was convinced by his military leaders that the Japanese here in America posed a threat to our national security. It is a very sad story. Many lost their homes and businesses as they couldn't keep up the mortgages while detained and of course, some died in the camp. Anyway, we lifted our spirits by having some of the best Mexican food in Cody and afterwards visited the Buffalo Bill Museum before starting the trek back via the southern route in which we again experienced some more snow showers. The bed looked so good that night.

All in all this was a great experience and we look forward to more adventures along the way to and at Glacier National Park. Our parks are truly a national treasure and one that all should experience in his or her lifetime. President Lyndon Johnson said at the signing of the Wilderness Act of 1964: “If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them with something more than just technology. We must leave them with a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it “ Amen.