Day 2 - GTNP to YNP

Day 2 –

Bright eyed and bushy tailed, the actual realization that we were on vacation set upon us as we crawled off our top bunk perch and out of our sleeping bags. One warm shower and cup of oatmeal later (not at the same time, mind you) we were bouncing North up the inside teton road bound for Yellowstone. The Tetons were just as intimidating as I remembered them being since my last road trip through 5 (!) years ago with my little brother Matt. It was difficult to keep the car on the road pointed in the right direction with such a vista over my left shoulder.

We eventually found ourselves in a mini car jam of people waiting to get into the park. All along the south side of the park you drive through hill upon hill of new growth pines, sprouting from the (literal) ashes of the massive fire that took place here in 1988. It has its own kind of twisted beauty, and also allows for the easier viewing of peaks and passes in the distance without a large pasture of 40’ trees in the way.

We stop on the way to our campsite to take in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, it’s upper and lower falls, and also the mud volcano. I could go into how wacky a place that this park is, but I can pretty much sum it up in a single sentence: the place is downright weird. Boiling mud, geysers, sulfur smell, white calcium landscapes, bison and elk everywhere. We eventually roll into the Mammoth Hot Springs campground hot and sticky, and ready to pitch the tent and walk more than drive. After camp has been made, we did wander up to the aforementioned and aptly named Mammoth Hot Springs for the walk around it’s ridiculous amount of mineral springs and moonscapes. Again, this park is weird. The hot springs feel like walking through one of Salvador Dali’s narcotic fueled nightmares.

The night is soon upon us, and after feasting on beef fajitas we snuggle up and fall asleep to the sound of a nearby herd of elk bugling away.

All of the shots from the day can be seen here, while the whole collection from the trip is over here.