With only 8 days left on our US visa we got Fred back, complete with new gear box. We set off straight to Yellowstone knowing it would be busy with Independence Day only two days away. At West Thumb Mud Pots the parking was chocca but we eventually got a space and saw some cool hot springs and mud pots on the shore of the huge Yellowstone Lake.
As we drove along the main highway we saw the traffic up ahead stopped for a herd of bison with the calves to cross the road. We snapped some photos and started to drive off.
The next minute we braked suddenly as the herd had decided to cross back over again, right in front of us!
Next was the Old Faithful geyser which was scheduled to blow imminently.
After a timely eruption and some dinner cooked in the car park, we got out the bikes and cycled around the upper basin with all the other geysers. Lovely and quiet at sunset.
With no campsites available in the park we headed to West Yellowstone and into the Gallatin National Forest land. We thought we’d passed through the day use area but at 10pm a policeman kindly pointed out that we had 4 more miles to go. Ooops!
So off we set again. The road narrowed, got more bumpy and rocky, then torrential rain started. After about 3 miles suddenly we found ourselves stuck in a gloopy puddle the size of a lake. After a few attempts at forward and back, Pete asked me to move into the back of the van over the rear wheels and suddenly we got enough traction to get out – phew! We decided to turn around and get the other side of the lake before the rain made the situation worse, so holding our breaths we want back in the lake once more. With a bit of slipping and sliding we made it out and just slept in the next layby. Phew!
The next morning, Independence Day, we headed straight back into Yellowstone National Park in the slight hope of getting a “first come first serve” campsite. After driving to a couple of sites and finding them full we decided to just enjoy our sightseeing and worry about where we’d sleep later.
Mammoth Hot Springs was truly amazing with all its travertine terraces. Some of the flows looked like coral and the different colours were amazing.
We took a six mile diversion down a dirt track that felt like a safari drive but all we saw was an animal carcass and a female elk.
Back on the main road we saw a young black bear in the long grass – too far away to photograph – sorry!
Next we visited Mount Washburn and decided to cycle the three miles up to the peak. Wow! We’ll do anything to earn an ice cream 😉
The altitude made it a pretty tough climb as the peak was 10,219ft but seeing some long horn sheep and the view at the top was great. The ride down was pretty exhilarating too on rough rocks, especially when Pete nearly squashed a yellow bellied marmot!
The evenings meant less crowds so we headed to Yellowstone Lower Falls which are impressive themselves, but the surrounding canyon is even more impressive.
Shame a camera just can’t capture the hugeness of it all.
A quick stop at The Artist’s Paintpots where there was only us, a couple of other families and a gazillion mosquitoes. The bubbling mud was pretty hypnotic but the constant swatting required was too much.
As we left, we saw a male bison having a mad half hour as he jumped out into the road just in front of the car ahead of us. With some quick reactions and a skid, the bison was missed and he leapt into the prarie, jumping and bucking. Wow!
And then we headed back out of the park as the sun set giving us a beautiful farewell.
The town of West Yellowstone was pumping with an Independence Day party in the park with free music. We got a takeaway pizza and just got back in time for the fireworks at 10.15pm. They were a spectacle and afterwards followed everyone else’s fireworks.
And they went on, and on, and on. Eventually we fell into bed, put earplugs in and slept like babies, right outside a motel in the town centre. We figured the police would have too much to worry about than moving us on late at night – and we were right.
