Yellowstone: Norris Geysers

I find the geysers and hot spots really fascinating so I was glad the kids were up for a walk around the Norris Geysers. It's amazing to see this vast white-covered earth with hot spots spurting boiling liquid out, steam billowing everywhere, gorgeous greens and golds and blues from minerals in the earth and water, and smell whiffs of stinky sulfur. Our Heavenly Father really gave us a special treat when He created Yellowstone!

 

I was kind of bummed the visitor center wasn't open yet... but then again, going early in the season was a fantastic decision because we didn't have to wait for the crowds anywhere or share the bear, wolf, and bison jams!

We warned the kids that they needed to stay next to us and not go anywhere off the trail because the water was super hot and they could get burned. We didn't realize we had instilled total fear into them - or that Jeff's mom and dad had also had the same talk with them before we started our exploration - because the kids were terrified of this place. Oops. 

Yellowstone: Roosevelt Gate

If you've never driven to the Roosevelt Gate, the original entrance to Yellowstone Park, you really should. It feels like you're in the middle of nowhere but the arch is really beautiful. A grand tribute to the Park itself and all those who have fought to save it over the years.

"For the benefit and enjoyment of the people" 

Yellowstone National park was created by an act of congress on March 1, 1872.

Yellowstone: Must-see Animals

Day two of our Yellowstone adventure was dedicated to finding all the park's must-see animals. We drove all over the park but didn't see a thing. We went to Mammoth, had lunch, and set out hoping to spy some of the mountain goats. 

Nada.

By this point, the kids had lost all interest in exploring. We couldn't even find a few bison to tied them over.

Oh and did I mention that it was freezing? With rain? And a hint of snow?

Not to be deterred, my father-in-law insisted we keep driving to all ends of the park. He just knew the animals had to be somewhere....

Let's just say his instincts were spot on and after hours of driving, we finally got to see all the must-see animals that had eluded us earlier.

Oh, like you know a momma black bear and her cubs.

Big horn sheep. A herd of males and females crossing the same area of the park hours apart from each other. Did you know they stay in herds of the same gender? And that they aren't native to Yellowstone so pending they don't destroy the ecosystem and drive out the mountain goats, they can stay. And blasted camera settings again! Ugh. There are some advantages to shooting in auto but of course I was trying desperately to use manual and use a lens that is really finicky. And it was raining and dark and the light kept changing and animals don't wait for you to take a new white balance reading before darting off behind the trees. Dang! The sheep were amazing.

Moose. Ironically sitting happily next to the momma bear.

Herrons.

Some straggly-looking elk. Fall is definitely the time of year to see elk. And strangely, we didn't see a single elk at Mammoth. Usually that's where you always see a herd of elk.

Bison herds.

Antelope.

And a gray wolf. Actually four wolves. We stopped at this huge meadow and spent about an hour trying to spot a wolf hunkered down in the brush. When it finally moved, we could see it had two pups with it. They were barking just like noisy puppies would and then took off across the meadow. I'm guessing it was a younger female wolf, left to babysit the pups while the pack was out hunting. Words don't even begin to describe how cool the wolves were! Then on the way back out of the park, I saw this head pop up next to the road. In my mind I kept thinking, "Does Yellowstone have coyotes because that couldn't possibly be a wolf?" I made Jeff turn around and sure enough it was a lone gray wolf. Too bad I had my camera settings all screwy! I am still kicking myself about it! My lack of Photoshop skills can only do so much to salvage the awesomeness that we saw!

We were bummed to not see mountain goats though. Or a badger. Or mountain lion. Or the momma grizzly with her cubs that crossed the road just minutes before we got to the bear jam. According to Pearl's "Who Pooped in the Park?" book she got at the Mammoth gift shop, they were somewhere. Maybe next time... although I can't complain. Today was by far my favorite part of the trip. I loved seeing all the wildlife. Yellowstone is a magical place.

Yellowstone: Bison Jam

Cole's favorite part of Yellowstone was watching the herds of bison. He was fascinated by them and screamed at us to find the "buffalo" and then to not drive away from them. Even when they were right next to the truck pooping everywhere! He even came home with a little stuffed animal bison whom we affectionately call "Mr. Bison" and which he never goes anywhere without. It's caused a few "damn duckie" incidents since. 

The first night we got to the Park, we only drove around for a few minutes because we were all sick and tired of sitting in the truck for hours. But we spotted a herd of bison next to the river. There were babies everywhere! If we saw a herd - or just a single, lonely bison - without any babies, we assumed they must be daddy bison and sick of dealing with the kids. 

They are pretty awesome creatures. Massive and quite mesmerizing. Cole and I could have sat and watched them all day. I really wanted to see them rubbing their heads against the trees though because everywhere you looked there were trees along the road with their bark rubbed clean off from their pushing and scratching against them. 

On day two of driving through Yellowstone we got caught up in a bison jam! It was so amazing to watch the herd run across the meadows and then across the road and back up the mountainside... mommas and babies everywhere!

The stupidity of some people never ceases to amaze me though. I couldn't believe there were cars trying to actually weave their way into the bison jam. How could anyone be in that big of a hurry??? You are in Yellowstone! To see animals! Hello! Besides that, those bison weigh as much as your car and I'm sure not real keen on sharing their space with a bunch of impatient tourists. The guards clearly tell you to not approach them... they will charge, gorge, and kill you!