I just read a flier that said that Yellowstone was the world’s oldest national park. I’m not 100% sure if that’s true, but it certainly is the United States’ oldest national park. If my tax monies go to preserving this amazing land, then bring it on. It is gorgeous….
I left Bozeman this morning and headed for Yellowstone. On the main route, a doe and fawn crossed the road in front of me. I was really excited — wildlife! Yeah, about that,…since then I’ve seen elk, bighorn sheep, countless birds, bison, and even a bear! At one point two bison were talking a stroll down the road, I put on my blinker and passed them.
My theme for today’s adventure at the park was “hot and wet.” I started at the Mammoth Hot Springs — not much water, but definitely a solid introduction to thermal springs. I found a Petrified Redwood Tree….very different than the redwoods under which I slept in California. Then to Tower Falls (stopping, with everyone else, to watch the bears). Tower Falls are the first ones I’ve seen that I wasn’t able to hike to the bottom/top of them — a significant portion of Yellowstone is still closed due to poor road conditions (there is still snow up here). [Insert lots and lots of pulling the car over and hiing up/down paths to find neat things...a National Park is heavenly for a wanderer] Then the last major stop of the day was at the Norris Geyser Basin….I made personal visits to see Minute Geyser, Fearless Geyser, Veteran Geyser, Steamboat Geyser. I think I’d like to meet the official geyser-namer.
Now I’m in West Yellowstone near the west entrance to the park. I am at, quite possible, the most adorable youth hostel ever. It is positioned above a general kitschy store and a hotel in an old historic lodge (built in early 1900s). The people are kind, the city is small, food is ridiculously expensive (I paid $17 for spaghetti, good thing it’ll make a great lunch) and I’m exhausted and will save town exploring until the morning…
