On the outskirts of Cody, Wyoming is what, at one point, was the largest arched concrete dam in the world. It was another initiative of Wild Bill Cody in settling this area. It turned out to be a prototype for the Hoover Dam. This dam holds back the Shoshone River which tumbles out of Yellowstone Park paralleling the east entrance road into the Park. This is a picturesque valley filled with beautiful State campsites.
We entered Yellowstone Park from the east entrance and continued on and up to our ultimate campsite at Fishing Bridge RV Campground. We spent three nights in the Park with each couple finding different ways to explore the magnificent features of this great American Park. It is the first National Park in the world! Essentially, there are two large road loops making a figure eight; the upper loop is more mountainous, climbing over Dunraven Pass at 8,900 ft. and continuing around the loop, counter clockwise, to Mammoth Hot Springs which is the Park Headquarters. En route we were fortunate to see several herds of Bison, some at this time of the year, with newly born calves.
Magnificent beasts and, while docile, can be quite dangerous. The lower loop includes a visit to Old Faithful which displays its ‘spout’ approximately every hour.
This loop has more geysers than the northern loop and as you drive one is continually amazed by the eruptions and the variety of colours in the geyser pools.
The Park has made access to these multiple geysers by constructing walkways to keep the tourists from endangering themselves by falling into the ‘scalding hot pools’. There are several short loops off the main road which allow access to raging rivers, impressive waterfalls and additional geysers. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is most impressive.
At this time year, with the spring runoff at its peak, the Lower Waterfall in the Canyon, falling 308 ft. is a site to behold. One cannot but help be distressed by the amount of forest that has been lost to fires over the years, however, we are assured that Mother Nature prevails and there continues to be new growth. We were given to understand that 40% of the Park was lost due to the fire of 1988. It is recovering!
Each of us took our own routes both days in the Park, Odegaards the first day, went off through the Lamar Valley and onto Cooke city in hopes of checking up on “Froelich’s” (their neighbours in Anthem), past residence!!! The trip was lovely and they did meet people, knowing Froelichs (and they miss them both). Drapers took the Upper Loop the first day and spent a good deal of time at Mammoth Hot Springs, viewing all the geological formations from the hot sulphur water. Ayres did the south loop checking out spots they’d missed in previous visits. We were all looking for animals; the total animal count on our combined visits was: several hundred Bison (including calves), one Grizzly, three Black Bears, and several Elk (including pictures).
The second day, Odegaards had car issues (which were resolved), and managed to get down to see Old Faithful and lunch with Drapers in the Old Faithful Inn….a spectacular lodge built in the in the 1800s. It was most impressive. We all checked out the Bridge near our RV Park to watch and photograph the ice melting, coming down river from Yellowstone Lake…it is difficult to describe the sounds of the ice breaking up and flowing beneath the bridge (rumor had it that there was a bear on the bridge, our second day). Ayres were off the second day still trying to catch spots they’d missed in past years.
Our weather was sunny, however, cold at night. Everyone’s heater went all night. We reluctantly left the Park early on Friday. Drapers will head off to Calgary to visit family and friends, Odegaards and Ayres were heading to Anaconda (in the hopes of getting in some golf), and then onto Glacier National Park. We will regroup in Jasper Alberta in a few days.
