Western Trip-YNP

Bison meets Dodge Ram

Our overall goal of our trip was Yellowstone National Park (YNP). We arrived through the south entrance via the Tetons National Park and not with out some near death experiences. Road construction nearly took our lives with poor planning and traffic management by Wyoming DOT. Two rock hauling 18 wheelers nearly took us out on a 7% grade while we were stopped on a blind curve just after a sign said "end construction." 200 feet or so from the sign was a flag man stopping traffic for more construction... no warning of a stop or construction ahead.

In any case, we got there and saw the Tetons in the fading sun and arrived at camp around 930 pm. There was lots of people in the park, lots of traffic, and few areas that were not far from the feeling of being in line for a ride at an amusement park. The traffic was bad due to road construction and wild animals that take up the lane or lens of dumb photographers from cars. Many motorist just parked their cars in the road and got out to photograph what ever they saw. We waited over 2 hours to go a few miles or so due to this.

A Bald Eagle over Big Thumb Creek.

Wildflowers

What a road!

Yellowstone Lake and a reflection of calm waters. I hiked around to this point and fished there... no fish.

Yellowstone Lake after sunrise.

Old Faithful

Old Faithful and all of us who came.

Mammoth Springs

Yellowstone National Park had lots of fishing places, but none were really open for fishing along the lake and Yellowstone River. Many on the book they give you show that fishing is allowed, but when you get there signs are all over the place saying you cannot fish. Puzzling and frustrating for I planned on some trout for dinner, lunch, etc. I would love to go back there again, maybe with four or five days to spend there and with less people / traffic. But for now, I think all of us had fun, even if it did sleet, snow, rain, and storm most of the days we were there.