Yellowstone National Park

1999/08/09 (Mon)

Drove from Grand Teton N.P on route 89. Park entrance fee was common with Grand Teton. One ticket ($20) was valid for both N.P.s for 7 days.

Southern Yellowstone was covered by burnt mountains. Continuous fire burned the trees, but there were new live trees starting to grow on the ground.

Lake side road was under constructions.
Many one-ways, stops, and road dusts. Not fun.
The Yellowstone lake was 7733 ft/ 2357 m high from sea level.

Took a rest at the fishing bridge and visited the visitor center. Fuel meter was nearly empty.
From Lake to East entrance was the mountain road. It felt like a long long way when we finally reached the East entrance. Then when we thought we were almost to Cody. Gas of the car was almost empty.

Soon, later at the East entrance, there was a gas station otherwise...

Another 85 km drive from the east entrance to the hotel in Cody .

The way to Cody was very interesting. Many monument rocks, red color mountains, and etceteras.

Cody is the main entrance town into the Yellowstone for the people who come from Central and East of US. Cody has a rodeo show every night in the summer season. Kento wanted to see the rodeo, but we took a rest that night.

Hotel : Holiday Inn Buffalo Bill Village Resort,
1701 Sheridan Ave. Cody, WY 82414
Tel : 307-587-5555, Room rate : $90.00

1999/08/10 (Tue)

Cody was a neat cozy town.
We took breakfast at a cafe on the main street. We also visited some galleries.
Then we went to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center just to buy some souvenirs.

Buffalo Bill Historical Center at Cody, WY. by Eri

Buffalo Bill Historical Center at Cody, WY. by Hiroto

Bought some drinks and snacks at Wal-Mart. United States is so easy to travel.
Then, we moved to the Old Trail Town.

Old Trail Town at Cody, WY. by Junko

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Old Trail Town at Cody, WY. by Junko

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Old Trail Town at Cody, WY. by Junko

Old Trail Town at Cody, WY. by Junko

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Old Trail Town at Cody, WY. by Junko

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There were many historic houses which had been built in 1879 to 1901.

We moved to Yellowstone again following the route 120 North, to 296 which is called Chief Joseph Scenic Hwy.

Chief Joseph Scenic Hwy, WY. by Hans

Zoom=80mm, MF=5.6 SS=1/250s, CF=9.5 99/8/10 13:50

Pilot Peak (11699 ft/3566 m) from Chief Joseph Scenic Hwy, WY by Hans.

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Joined to the route 212 West, through Cooke City, then reached to the Northeast park entrance.

unknown flower by Hans.

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On the way from Northeast entrance to Tower-Roosevelt and to Mammoth, we could not find any animals even if we drove slowly and used 10 eyes carefully.

At Mammoth Hot Springs, many Elks were sitting on the yard.
Many visitors were taking photographs, but they seem not care.
They looked like visitors and were staying around the hotel. Are they wild?

Hotel was north of Yellowstone in Montana state.
Many cars were stopping by the road to the North entrance.
This signed some animals are there.
Eri found a family of Big Horn Sheep was on the slope.

After check-in to the hotel and had a pizza dinner, we went to the evening tour for animal hunting (watching).

The Big Horn Sheep were still there, but Elk was not there, they might working (shopping?) in town.
We called Elk for a "red car" which was not very rare anymore.

The way to Norris was flat and the trees were not be burnt, but had a lot of bear marks.
We stopped a car several times. One of them was the Gardiner river side. Hans found a Beaver swimming in the river. There was a huge nest at opposite side of the river. There were several entrances to the nest and a Beaver came out again and swam to the another entrance and disappeared. A fisherman did not notice a Beaver and he screamed when he caught a small fish. That was the Beaver Lake.

At the other stop, guy said "I saw a cub bear hiding behind the trees". That was the Roaring Mountain.

We also saw a Coyote walking near the road.
The sun went down and we returned to the North.

Hotel : Best Western By Mammoth,
S Hwy 89, Gardiner, MT 59030
Tel : 406-848-7311, Room rate : $85.00

1999/08/11 (Wed)

In the morning, it was raining. We knew that Montana was free sales tax. We did some shopping at the town Gardiner.
There is a stone arch / Roosevelt Arch (right) at the North entrance of Yellowstone.

At Mammoth Hot Springs, we walked the terraces of mineral springs.

We wanted to drive the "Blacktail Plateau Drive" which was one way mountain road but gate was closed.

Many cars were turning in and out at the small valley road "Petrifield Tree". We stopped to check the map then a woman told us that "Three Bull Moose are in the valley".
Dad often confuses Moose and Elk so he thought she said "red car".
After a minute Dad says "Moose?" We immediately returned to the "Petrifield Tree road" and joined to the other cars. There were 3 bull Moose sitting in the valley. In the mean time they didn't walk (though they could).

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Drove in the rainy mountains.
At Canyon, we had a lunch in the car and we just saw the Yellowstone river.

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We planned to go to "Hayden Valley" but weather was not good. Western sky was brighter than here at the Canyon, so that we decided to move to west.

Right north of Norris crossing, there was a Parl Ranger Museum. In the heavy rain, children were all sleeping. Mom and Dad visited the museum. Old man and woman guided us. He had retired of Park Ranger and their son was now working for Park Ranger. It was a kind of their private historical museum.
On the Norris Canyon road, there were a lot of springs making smokes. We stopped by.

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Beryl spring was just beside the road. Heavy smokes covered the small bridge and it fogged.

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Soon there was the Gibbon Falls. At the parking, many chipmunks were running around the visitors.

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At Madison, rain was mostly stopped. We hiked the Fountain Flat Drive.

Helianthella

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Roundleaf Harebell

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Now we drove to the west entrance among the Madison River.

There were 3 or 4 Best Western Hotels in the small area of town West Yellowstone. Our room for two nights were the sweet room and Dad didn't need a sleeping bag for these 2 nights.
We ate Chinese dinner and did some shopping at the West Yellowstone.

Hotel : Best Western Executive Inn,
236 Dunraven Street, West Yellowstone, MT 59758
Tel : 406-646-7681, Room rate : $117.00 (Sweet)

1999/08/12 (Thu)

Left the hotel in the early morning to see some animals. We were still missing Black Bear, Grizzly Bear,

Wolf, Mule Dear,

Bald Eagle,

and Bison.

On the drive from Norris to Canyon, we saw 2 female Moose, a lot of Elks running in the field, and 3 Mule Dears jumping across the street.

We took breakfast at "Canyon Lodge". After the "Inspiration Point", "Grand View", and "Lookout Point", we walked down to the Lower Falls.
A long zig-zag road to the top of the "Lower Falls".

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That terrace never be recommend to the heart beaters.

Kento took this picture for us.

 Here is really scarely place.

Now, we must see the Bison. Yes, we found small dots they were a herd of Bison far away in the Hayden Valley.

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We walked more than one hour for one way to see them closer.
They roared terribly wild. When we got closer, they hide in the woods.

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In the valley, many beautiful wild flowers and bull shits can be seen.

Idaho Blue-Eyed Glass

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Fringed Gentian

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Green Gentian

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Also another bull's drop which had Bison's fur we found.

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Junko took a picture of us...

After a big fun time, we drove south in the Hayden Valley to the Yellowstone River View point.
There were Pelicans. Old man pointed us the Bald Eagle in the NAKASU. American symbol Bald Eagle was also too far to saw by our binocular and even by video camera.

After wild watching, we started nature hunting. Norris Geyser was our first large group of active geysers.

First one was "Steamboat" geyser. This was the world's tallest geyser to erupt over 90m high! Last eruption was in 1991 and no major eruption after that.

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Next one was "Echinus" geyser. This erupts every 35-75 minutes to 12-18m high. We waited for the next eruption. Water was getting full and almost ready to go. Dad was taking video but he did not want to wet by the fountain shower. We didn't know how high and strong did the water blow up and which direction was going to be wet. So he stepped back far a way from the geyser. According to the guide map, this was (another) world's largest acid-water geyser (pH 3.3-3.6). Hey it comes!

 Hiroto took these photos. Everybody excited by this Geyser Show.

We still had sun light then went to Firehole Lake Drive which was little south of Firehole River. There were many interesting geysers and we stopped at each ones.

Once, there were two springs each other side of the parking. Dad, Eri and Hiroto went to north spring, Mom and Kento went to south one. At the half way of wood path around the spring, Dad felt rain fall then we moved quicker. At the same time, Mom's party was taking a picture.

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A second after, it became hail. Ice balls fall on the hot springs then make steam, also the sky became darker suddenly. Dad's team run and jumps into the van and waited for the other party to came back. Mom and Kento lost their view and even one step ahead was covered by the steam and darkness. They may drop in the hot spring if they stepped out of the wooden path. So they had to stay in the hail falling until the view recovers. (See our video tape)

So we moved back to West Yellowstone. At the end of the park, Yellowstone showed us a beautiful rainbow.

Zoom=35mm, MF=4.0, SS=1/125s, CF=8.0, 18:25 8/12/99 at West Entrance

We went to the BBQ house for dinner.

Hotel : Best Western Executive Inn, 236 Dunraven Street, West Yellowstone, MT 59758
Tel : 406-646-7681, Room rate : $117.00 (Sweet)

1999/08/13 (Fri)

Today's main event was the Old Faithful.

We were visiting the most famous area in the park at the final day.

Yellowstone National Park has over 300 geysers which is 2/3 of all those found on earth!
The historical Old Faithful Inn (right) was locating just in front of the "Old Faithful" geyser.
Our trail began from the Visitor Center.

"Old Faithful" erupts every 33 to 120 minutes and we had some time for next erupt, so we walked the "Geyser Hill" first.
A squirrel on the pine tree was eating a pine cone.

Now the eruption begins.

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The "Yellow Bellied Marmot" was communicating with its friends, which sounds like "key key".

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Eri's best choice was the "Beauty Pool".

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We walked up to the end of the trail which the "Morning Glory Pool" was located. This was also wonderful spring.

The sky again became dark and we hurried  to return. So we had to skip the Daisy Geyser, Castle Geyser, and so on.
Thunder storms began. The sky was getting darker and we decided to run in the heavy rain rather then waiting for the rain to stop.
Finally we reached to the souvenir shop and the rain was over.
We had lunch at the longest queue of first food then shopped at the center of Old Faithful area.
We either skipped the Black Sand Basin or Biscuit Basin and we visited the Midway Geyser Basin.
Geysers were located another side of the Firehole River. A lot of hot water was running from the hill to the river.

We Japanese must say "wasting hot water". The hot water contains very rich minerals and they grown fishes, then river otters and beavers. The Firehole river never be frozen.
After we went over the river and climbed a hill, the air was occupied by the spring smell and steams. The Grand Prismatic Spring was in next. It was the largest hot spring in the Yellowstone.

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The ground was covered by several different colors which were made by the types of bacteria.

Many animal's foot prints were remained in several springs.

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In the winter, when the Yellowstone was covered by snow, wild animals gathered to the hot springs to got warmth and food.

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Now all the schedule in the Yellowstone was over. We backed to the West Yellowstone and drove to the next state Idaho.

When Mom drove a car to cross over the state border, the thunder storm came again. There was a mountain road at the border. After that the sky became clear and sun started shining, and landscape was wide opened for the potato fields.

Hotel : Best Western Cottontree Inn
450 West 4th South, Rexburg, ID 83440
Room rate : $63.90

After checked-in, we swam in the pool. We were the only swimmer. Dad took a jagzee.

Dinner was taken at "Frontier Pies Restaurant" just in front of the hotel. So cheep! And no tax!

1999/08/14 (Sat)

From Salt Lake City, UT to San Jose, CA
Delta Airline #383, Departure at 10:10 pm, Arrival at 11:00 pm.