Visiting with my parents in Montana always means being tempted with a trip to Yellowstone. Each time, Yellowstone wins. How could it not? Its such a beautiful place and even though the winter keeps all but one road through the park closed, it still holds something magical to all of us.
This trip found us taking a day trip to Yellowstone. Once again we couldn’t resist. Luckily my dad was able to rent a car large enough for all us. This meant that we didn’t have to travel separately and we could enjoy the time together. The one perk for Abby and Ellie is that the rental had DVD players and screens in the backs of the seats. They could enjoy movies when boredom struck and as much as they love Yellowstone, boredom strikes fast with them. So, with DVD’s playing and the car all packed up, we took off early in the morning for Yellowstone. Luckily for us the weather was gorgeous and perfect for a drive through the park.
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| On the road and almost there. As you can tell the DVD player is keeping Ellie so happy. |
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| Overlook from Upper Mammoth Terrace looking down at the Gardner River |
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| Steam and frost along Mammoth Terrace. Picture courtesy of Jerry Taylor |
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| Its amazing what the steam from the nearby geysers and hot springs can create when its so cold out. |
When we arrived we headed up to Mammoth and the upper terraces. From there we had a beautiful view over Mammoth Hot Springs and out towards the Gardner River. We couldn’t go to far so we turned around and headed out the only way we could go, to Lamar Valley. We kept our eyes peeled for animals. People were stopped along the way looking with spotting scopes. The wolves were out but off in the distance and too far for us to see. We did see bison along the way, mostly the big males who were out sunning alone. We did see a lone coyote hunting mice and voles in the snow. We watched as he patiently listened but kept a sharp eye on us. Eventually he jumped into the air, pounced and pulled a tasty snack out of the snow. Once he had it, he continued on his way trying to find a place to stop and eat.
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| Relaxing and sunning in the snow. |
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| Carefully watching us as he or she hunts for a snack. |
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| Afternoon Sun on the Snow |
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| A long day in the fresh mountain air means sleepy children. |
We continued through Lamar Valley, enjoying the snowy landscape and taking in as much as possible. We stopped for a bit of a lunch break and then made our way back to Mammoth. In Mammoth we did a bit of shopping at the General Store (a few snacks and little souvenirs for the girls) and then said goodbye to Yellowstone.
That night on the way home, Grandma and Grandpa treated us to dinner at the Rib and Chop House. I was in heaven. I love the food there, especially the stuffing! We each enjoyed a yummy dinner after a gorgeous day in Yellowstone. That night we all slept well and maybe even had a few dreams about our next visit to Yellowstone, whenever that might be.
The Wharton Adventures 