Our Trip to Yellowstone National Park – Day 1

 

We recently returned from an amazing visit to Yellowstone National Park. The weather forecast called for rain and even snow during our stay, but luckily it only rained overnight and the snow only capped the mountain tops. By afternoon we usually experienced blue skies, white clouds, and pleasant temperatures.

The drive from Bozeman Airport through the Gallatin Valley to West Yellowstone was delightful and the golden aspens provided a beautiful contrast to the evergreens.

 

 

The next morning we headed into the park early in the morning. It didn’t take us long to spot our first bisons along the Madison River. By the Lower Geyser Basin we had our first up-close encounter with bison and saw hundreds of them before we reached Old Faithful. Naturally, we also stopped at several hot springs on the way. After eating lunch at Old Faithful, we drove on toward West Thumb Geyser Basin, but not before taking a break at a picnic area where we watched birds we had never seen before.

 

 

At West Thumb we walked the boardwalk around the hot spring area and marveled at formations near and even in the lake. We drove on to our home for the next four nights, a cabin at the Lake Lodge. Our wildlife total for the day, not counting birds: hundreds of bison, two elk, a mule deer, and a black bear!