Yellowstone National Park is one of those places I always had vague aspirations of visiting. Aspirations: because I’m a nature-lovin’ American who likes a good hike. Vague: because all I knew about Yellowstone involved bears and geysers. Which, it turned out… was pretty accurate.
We decided to take our “big” annual vacation to Yellowstone when Mr. P’s parent expressed a desire to go back after they had visited it last year on a bus tour that didn’t allow them more than 1 hour in the park. Why not go and see three states we’ve never been to (Montana, Wyoming, and briefly Idaho), expose Little Boy to more nature than he ever dreamed or hoped possible, and run a high-altitude trail marathon in the Grand Tetons while we’re at it…
Day 1: Flying to Billings
We left two Thursdays ago for Billings, Montana. The week leading up to that early-morning departure had been a frenzy of work, packing, and cleaning — since Mr. P’s parents would be taking the Yellowstone trip with us and then coming to stay with us in Boston on the very same return plane, I had to make sure the condo would be guest-ready when we returned. So, residual stress stayed with me throughout the plane trip.
We arrived in Billings and I had the feeling to be back in Addis Ababa, what with the mountains, the dry landscape, and the homey airport. After picking up the rental car — a brand-new Cadillac, which I would eventually grow fond of — we hit the local outdoor store to procure bear spray and various other stores to get supplies (snacks, picnic things, wine). Then we found our hotel and Mr. P headed back to the airport to pick up his parents, who were arriving from France. Meanwhile Little Boy enjoyed all the amenities of the Hampton Inn (pool, television, free popcorn) that would not be awaiting in Yellowstone.
Day 2: Driving to Yellowstone on Beartooth Highway
The next morning, before heading out of Billings, Mr. P and I went for a run in Riverside Park along the Yellowstone River… which sounds a ton more picturesque than it wound up being, given the black clouds of gnats that we had to run through. Scores of bugs died in the sweat beads on my neck, and by the end of the run my neck and face looked like Oreo ice cream. Time to leave Billings!
On the roughly three-hour drive to Yellowstone, we took one of the most scenic road in America — the Beartooth Highway. Views and altitude galore!
View from Beartooth Highway
View from Beartooth Highway
Little Boy was a bit surly along the drive, though he livened up when we stopped to picnic at a small pond.
First of many, many picnics
Throwing rocks in the pond
Then, we got caught in a 30-minute traffic stop for construction.
Our ride -- the white Cadillac
Finally, we reached Yellowstone. We paid our $25 park fee at the gate and drive in, promptly seeing a herd of bison along the road. We were excited and joined the cluster of cars that had pulled over to take pictures. Of course, as I correctly predicted, “In 3 days we will be sick of bison.”
First view of bison along the road
Bison
Our first stop in Yellowstone: Mammoth Hot Springs, where we would spend the next three nights in a cabin that flanked the glitzy hotel.
Cabin in Mammoth Hot Springs
I was surprised by how developed the area was, and more surprised by how herds of elk preferred to feast on the grass in the tiny town amid the cars and gawking tourists (special park rangers exist just to keep people from getting to close to the elk) rather than in the wilds.
Elk grazing in Mammoth Hot Springs
Stay tuned for:
Day 3: visiting the Norris Basin and the Artist Paintpots; hiking the Beaver Ponds Trail
Day 4: Exploring Mammoth Hot Springs; visiting Lamar Valley and hiking to Slough Creek
Day 5: Conquering Mount Washburn; visiting the Mud Volcano; arriving at Yellowstone Lake
Day 6: hiking the lower rim of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
Day 7: visiting Old Faithful and the other geysers; leaving Yellowstone for the Grand Tetons
Day 8: hiking to Two Ocean Lake; visiting Signal Mountain
Day 9: hiking to Taggart and Bradley Lake; leaving Colter Bay Village for Grand Targhee
Day 10: running the Grand Tetons trail marathon
Day 11: Leaving Grand Targhee for Bozeman, MT
Day 12: returning to Boston
