Day 7: Gardiner, MT

Friday was an exciting day because we were finally going horseback riding at the end of the day. We decided to spend our day on that side of the park so we’d be close to the stables when the time finally arrived.

We started the day by hiking to Wraith Falls, an easy hike near a petrified tree. The trail ended at a beautiful cascade. 

We then headed to Roosevelt Lodge to do the Lost Lake Trail that was going to be far more strenuous than anything we had done yet. We started with a 0.6 mile near vertical climb that opened up into a beautiful valley with a lake. The wind was really starting to pick up so we definitely had to hold onto our hats. The wild flowers on the sides of the hills were vibrant and the water lilies provided pops of yellow along the water’s edge.

Logan's neck got a little sunburned the first day. He purchased a Yellowstone
bandana and itdidn't leave his neck for the duration of the trip. 

As we continued our hike we came upon some bones, a reminder that we are in the wild. There are signs alerting hikers about the importance of bear spray. We, of course, didn’t have any. There was one stand in Canyon that allowed people to rent it. That’s a great idea and we should have done it because as we were getting ready to come out of the valley we came upon a bear!  It was pretty far down the path, maybe four school bus lengths away, but that didn’t matter. We turned around and started walking back the way we came. We encountered a few more hikers and let them know what we encountered. They all had bear spray hanging off of their belts and still made the choice to turn around so I believe we definitely made the right choice.

Once we were safely back in civilization we drove to the Lamar Valley for a late lunch. We stopped at a picnic area that, oddly enough, I encountered a bear in the last time I was in Yellowstone. We were able to use the new grill again and enjoyed some sausages and grilled zucchini. Then, it was back to the Canyon area since horseback riding was in a few hours.

We drove along the Upper Falls loop to view the Yellowstone Grand Canyon and Falls from different angles. There were some paved walkways so we walked as much as we could without straying too far from the car. The boys were very anxious about being late for horseback riding. I understand the anxiety. You really can’t count on being on time anywhere in Yellowstone since you ever know when a buffalo or bear jam might cause delays.

It was finally time for horseback riding. The wind was really strong by now and I was even beginning to think horseback riding was going to be miserable because of the wind. Adults weren’t required to wear helmets but I opted to mainly because I felt that was going to be the best way to keep my hair out of my face. It was too windy for my baseball style hat and even a French braid wasn’t going to keep my hair under control…it was really windy. As we waited, a few more families showed up and by the looks on the adult’s faces we were all thinking the same thing: this is going to be bad. All the kids were excited, that was obvious. Then, one of the wranglers came out and said, “Bad news, we need to cancel the next two trips out. It’s too windy and we’re afraid of trees falling and spooking the horses.”

We had two options, reschedule or get a refund. Logan and Ethan were devastated and we still had time in the park so I went to reschedule. The next day we were planning on driving to the Grand Tetons and Sunday we were going to hike around the Grand Prismatic Springs before leaving for Cody. Either day could be rearranged so I figured we could make it work. The wranglers also said that early morning is the when the wind is the calmest and we would have a good chance of seeing some wildlife. I had a 6:30, 7:45, or 9:30 option for Friday morning. 6:30 would be too early, especially since we were staying about an hour in a half away from the stables. I chose 7:45, we could make it work. The boys were going to be so excited, everyone would be able to move a little bit faster in the morning.

We began our trek back to the hotel with the boys still disappointed and parents quietly happy it was working out this way. Then, on the way back, it occurred to me that we were going to need to go through the gates in the early morning. What time did they open? The park information indicates that YNP is open 24/7 so does that mean that someone is at the gates in the middle of the night waiting to check our park passes?  After digging through all the park literature and not finding anything, Brian made some phone calls and learned that there are two entrances that are open 24/7 and one of the two is the one we used. Disaster averted.

 That night we enjoyed pizza at K-Bar in Gardiner. It was really good pizza and since the “kitchen” was in the same room as the dining room we could see everything that was happening. It was good “research” for our own pizza making. One thing that we noticed in Gardiner was that nearly every worker we encountered seemed to be from a different country. There aren’t enough teenagers/college students around to help during the busy summer months so kids from around the world come to work on their English and experience the American West.

We went to bed as soon as we could that night. Our alarms were going to go off at 5:15 am. We crossed our fingers that there would be no animal jams early in the morning. These prone horn deer caused one on the way out of the park. 

Day 6: Gardiner, MT (Yellowstone)

Our first morning at the hotel in Gardiner we tried to get up early and hit some of the more popular places in the park before it got crowded. However, we were pretty tired at this point and ended up getting a later start than anticipated. Nevertheless, we were able to visit the Mammoth Hot Springs and Minerva Terrace before it got too busy.

When we entered the park at the North Entrance we would pass this sign indicating we were at the 45^th parallel and much to the boys’ dismay, they got a geography/geometry lesson.

One of the unique attributes about Mammoth is the herd of elk that just hang out on the lawns of all the buildings. They are completely oblivious to visitors all around them. Their presence was so predictable that the excitement about seeing them wore off pretty quickly. We spent more time discussing the foolish actions of tourists standing in the middle of the road to take pictures.

photo credit:  Logan, who was amazed by the elk...for a little while

Mammoth Hot Springs is covered in travertine, a white deposit that blankets the area. We learned that for hundreds of years, Native Americans would frequent the area to gather minerals for white paint. The different colors that paint the terraces are caused by heat-loving microorganisms called thermophiles. The areas where it is white or yellow are the hottest and orange, brown and green thermophiles are found in cooler areas.

(insert picture of something from Mammoth when I can download pictures from my camera :)  )

The terraces are formed by the buildup of travertine in the water so with the constant flow of water the landscape is ever changing.

After Mammoth, we headed south towards Norris. Everywhere you drive around Yellowstone is beautiful but there is one section of the drive between Mammoth and Norris that is breathtaking. As you come through the canyon where Gibbons Falls is a beautiful valley, Swan Flat, lays before you. The Gallatin Mountains are to the west and a calm lake lies on one side of the valley. If you're lucky, you'll see some swans in the lake. 

One change that I noticed from my last visit to the park is Obsidian Cliffs. While it’s always been a federal crime to take pieces of obsidian I remember being able to pull off the road and approach the cliffs. Now, there’s nowhere to pull off without blocking traffic. There’s a little informative sign a little ways down the road but the Obsidian Cliffs can only be viewed from vehicles now.

Norris Geyser Basin was the sight of a tourist death at the beginning of June. It was hard to talk to the boys about the tragedy because it was so avoidable on the part of the deceased. As we would try to tell the boys what happened I was interrupted by questions like, “Why did he go off the boardwalk? Didn’t he see all the signs saying that the ground is unstable?” A tourist from Oregon walked 225 yards off the boardwalk and fell through the fragile ground into a pool of boiling acid. The only part of him that was recovered was a flip flop. What a horrible way to die. It’s hard to say if he dissolved as a result of the acid, burned as a result of the boiling temperatures or just plain drowned.

Norris is one of the hottest places in the park. While, it’s a beautiful place to visit, it is a bit stinky in some places, especially the pools that are yellow because they contain sulfur and some of the thermophiles use that chemical for energy and then release a rotten egg smell (hydrogen sulfide gas). These pools are between 140-180 degrees. The dark brown, rust and red contain iron and are found in cooler pools (less than 140 degrees). The green areas are made from algae and the water temperature is less than 130 degrees. Even the "cooler" pools are still VERY HOT.

Finally, we headed across the park to Canyon. On the way we passed large areas that were burned as part of the 1988 fires that changed the landscape of Yellowstone for generations. When I was in the park in 1998 I was surprised to see how black everything still was. In 2000, green was starting to pop up and now, almost 30 years after the massive fires the forest is starting to form again. The trees are larger than what I’d consider a standard Christmas tree size and the forest is dense!

Once in Canyon we explored part of the Yellowstone Grand Canyon. The rock is yellow because of the large amounts of rhyolite. It was in this area of the park that we also saw some tourists that seem to have no fear. One guy was standing on the ledge to get the perfect picture. I had to walk away for fear of what might happen. There were plenty of people freaking out around him.

That night for dinner we walked to a restaurant not far from our hotel. As a family, we try to eat locally and seasonably. Living in Wisconsin, we obviously need to make some concession from time to time, especially in the winter. Since we were staying in Montana and the conditions were incredibly dry I wouldn’t expect something like a salad to be exceptional if listed on a menu. There was a woman at the table near us who ordered a salad and was disgusted that it was mostly ice berg lettuce. I would agree that is disappointing but look at where you are…Montana. I have to say that our buffalo cheese steaks and bison burgers were delicious and I’d recommend the Antler Pub without hesitation. 

Day 5 Cody, WY --> Gardiner, MT

We left Cody early in the morning and started the drive to Yellowstone. We entered through the eastern gate and headed south. One of the first orders of business was to investigate horseback riding. That was the one and only thing Logan really wanted to do on this vacation. It turned out that Ethan was equally excited about horseback riding so we agreed we'd do it.  Brian and I haven't been on horses in more than 30 years so we held all the apprehension for the family. We were able to make reservations for Friday evening so the boys were satisfied knowing we were going to do it. 

I had warned the boys and Brian that when traffic slows down, it's probably because there's a buffalo or bear on the side of the road. We hadn't been in the park very long and already encountered a bear! Fortunately, we were in a car and were being waved through by a ranger who was already trying to move traffic along while this bear did it's thing. 

We made our way around Yellowstone Lake and were introduced to the thermal features right away. Along the lake there was steam rising from along the edge of the water and from the rocks where land met water. The water was crystal clear and from time to time, you could see openings like this one in the water. 

First stop was the West Thumb Geyser Basin. This is a part of the park that I have visited during my first two visits. This was a gorgeous geyser basin and wasn't as crowded as the other areas. We walked the boardwalk, enjoyed a picnic lunch and then did our first hike.

Here we are looking down on Yellowstone lake and the West Thumb Geyser Basin. In the background are the Absaroka Mountains.

After the hike, we continued the drive in the lower loop of the park and made our way up to Old Faithful. This is perhaps the most iconic feature of the Park and was extremely crowded. I don't think I'm exaggerating if I estimated there were a thousand people waiting to see this geyser release pressure. Fortunately, we only had to wait about a half hour for it to erupt.

After seeing Old Faithful, we headed north and encountered a "buffalo jam." This buffalo, and a few others, were walking between cars. This particular buffalo walked right up to Brian's open window at which point Brian closed it. The buffalo then walked behind our minivan and into the field we were driving past.

As you drive through Yellowstone there are waterfalls hiding in the woods, up along mountain sides and along roads. This one is Gibbon Falls. We continued on heading north and stopped at a few more geyser basins. For dinner, we stopped at Sheepeaters Cliff for a picnic dinner. Grilling wasn't a problem in this area so we tried the new grill with our newly purchased propane tanks from Wal-Mart and everything worked beautifully. It was a beautiful place for a picnic. This cliff was on one side and there was a meandering river on the other side. 

Finally, it was off to Mammoth and then to Gardiner. We checked into our hotel and were able to unpack because we were going to be in the same place for 4 nights.

Day 4: Sundance, WY --> Cody, WY

We left Sundance and set out for Cody, which is clear on the other side of the state so we had a good day of driving ahead of us. Since signals aren't consistent in the mountains we had maps and our route highlighted. This was also an excellent opportunity to really involve the boys in the navigation of the trip. They took turns sitting in front and naming the next town we were going to go through or letting us know what river was being crossed.

The landscape changed dramatically as we approached the Big Horn Mountains. The vegetation changed and eventually we were above the tree line. The highway was lined by little purple wild flowers which made the views even more spectacular. 

We did pull over at a scenic overlook and the boys took off running to climb some rocks out in the field. 

And then they had a snowball fight!

Once through the Big Horns and Tensleep Canyon (which I can't believe I don't have any pictures of!) it was lunch time. We found a little park as we went through Worland and enjoyed our picnic lunch. The temperature change was extreme. Just a few hours before we were playing in snow and now we were enduring 100 degree temperatures in the shade! We continued on and took a rather scenic route to Cody which would take us through Meeteetse. A friend recommended going through Meeteetse and stopping at a chocolatier who has an interesting back story. He needed to raise money to purchase a new saddle so he started to sell chocolate. Unfortunately, he is closed on Monday and Tuesdays so all we could do was peek through the windows of his store front. 

Before reaching Meeteetse, we drove through some amazing landscape. It was a bit unnerving because for at least an hour we didn't see another car on the road. We didn't even pass a house. Once in a while we'd see a dirt road but no sign of anyone living near by. At one point, there was a scenic overlook so we pulled over and there was a "guest" book to sign in a box. 

Once we reached Cody we stopped at Wal-Mart to pick up a few groceries and then went to check into our hotel, the Buffalo Bill Cabins. We had a tiny cabin that was just large enough for two beds and a tiny bathroom. It was fine for one night but I wouldn't have wanted to stay there much longer. By this time it was nearly dinner time so we headed out to look for a place for dinner. Unlike Wisconsin, we learned that there are some restaurants that Ethan and Logan couldn't go into because they were children. I had a recommendation for a burger place that we wanted to try but it turned out the boys couldn't go in. It all has something to do with liquor licenses and distance of seating in relation to the bar (I think!). So, we ended up at the Hotel Irma for dinner. After dinner, we went to the Cody Rodeo. The boys weren't sure what to expect but were enthralled to watch the calf roping, bareback horse and bull riding. At one point during the night, all the children were invited down and chased after a calf with a ribbon on it's tail. The kid who caught the ribbon was awarded an ice cream treat from Dairy Queen. Even though the stakes weren't high, both Ethan and Logan ran and tried to get it. Ethan came really close and even touched the calf. But, no luck. A kid from Green Bay won so at least Wisconsin was represented. 

I did add rodeo competitor/performer to the list of things the boys can't do. They said that was okay with them.

Up next, we make our way into Yellowstone!

Day 3: Custer, SD --> Sundance, WY

(now that we are enjoying consistent wi-fi and a strong signal I need to get caught up!)

Sunday we woke in our little cabin at the Blue Bell Resort in Custer State Park. It was cool outside but not so cold that we couldn't enjoy our breakfast at the picnic table outside of our cabin. We packed food and planned on grocery shopping several times throughout the trip to avoid eating out as much as possible. Inside our cabin there was a kitchenette so we were able to wash dishes. As Brian and I packed up the van to get ready for a packed day, the boys washed dishes (important detail...keep reading). 

Before I continue to write about our vacation, I want to comment on a little piece of technology that is big with my sons and several of their friends. FitBits are popular with the 11 year old crowd. The kids have connected through the app and challenge each other as well as encourage each other to get steps in. Brian and I wrestled with the idea of purchasing a FitBit for each boy for a little while and finally decided it wouldn't be a bad thing. I picked out the FitBit Zip for the boys because it could also double as a watch if they wore it on their wrist. I thought there would be less of a chance of them losing it if they wore it as a watch than if they clipped it to their clothing. Both Logan and Ethan love their FitBits. It's the first thing they put on in the morning. So, it was already on Logan's wrist when he started washing dishes. To be safe, he took it off and put it on the counter in the dimly lit cabin. 

Our first stop for the day was Crazy Horse. It was about a 20-25 minute drive from our cabin, that we had just checked out of. As we were pulling into the parking lot, Logan let out a loud, "NO! I left my FitBit on the counter!" Logan was near tears that he had left something valuable to him behind and he knew he was in trouble. Without saying a word, Brian turned the car around and I called Blue Bell to let them know we forgot something and were coming back. I had to leave a message but they called me right back and said Housekeeping was alerted and was looking for the watch right away. When we pulled up to the lodge, Logan and I went in and he retrieved his watch from the front desk. Then, it was back to Crazy Horse.

Neither Brian nor I really knew much about the Crazy Horse Memorial. It turns out, Chief Henry Standing Bear approached a sculptor, Karczak Ziolkowkski in 1948, to create a mountain carving to show the world that Native Americans had great leaders too. After all, the Native Americans had just watched Mount Rushmore be carved into their sacred Black Hills. Karczak agreed and got started on the world's largest mountain carving. For years, he worked by himself and then his children got involved as soon as they were old enough. Today, the third generation of Ziolkowski's are working on it. To date, not a penny has been received from the Federal Government and work is done entirely on donations and endowments. It's not likely that Brian or I will ever see Crazy Horse as completed since it's expected to take another 60 years. Maybe the boys will. When we were done at Crazy Horse we headed over to Mount Rushmore. 

We did the walk around Mount Rushmore and crushed the boys' spirits when we told them that there isn't really a room inside the mountain like National Treasure would have you believe. We had lunch, learned that Thomas Jefferson supposedly invented ice cream, enjoyed some ice cream and then got into the van and prepared for a long drive north to Devil's Tower. 

Devil's Tower is located in the north east corner of Wyoming and is not only a national monument but also a sacred place to the Native Americans who have stories about it's creation. All around the gigantic rock you can find prayer bundles tied to the trees and bushes that have been left by Native Americans. The road leading up to Devil's Tower is home to prairie dogs and they are easy to spot from the road. We stopped to take some pictures and were amazed at how brave the rodents were. They would come right up to us, probably hoping we'd give them food or something. The boys really wanted to climb the boulder field surrounding the tower but were dissuaded not by their mother but posted signs indicating that they had to register as a climber if they got any closer. We had hoped to be able to use Brian's Father's Day present, a new grill, for dinner that night but decided against it when all the grills in the picnic areas were taped off because of high risks of fires. Rather than push our luck with the rules we headed to Sundance where we hoped we'd be able to use our new travel sized grill at the hotel.

We arrived at the hotel and the boys were thrilled to see a pool. They helped unload the card and got into their suits in record time. Brian got permission to use his grill on a back patio that connected to the pool so we looked forward to a dinner outside. One reason we got a new grill was because Brian was convinced there was something wrong with the one we had because it wouldn't stay on or get hot. Well, similar problems were occurring with the new one so he concluded it must be the gas tank. Fortunately, the brats I purchased were already pre-cooked so I took them up to our room where there was a microwave and nuked them. While the dinner wasn't exactly what we had in mind it was still enjoyable.

Next day:  We head to Cody, WY

Day 2: Mitchell, SD --> Custer State Park, SD

We left Mitchell and continued to drive west. Miles and miles of farm land lay before us with billboards peppering the side of the road and corn fields transitioning to fields of wheat and grass.

The first stop was a rest stop near Chamberlin, alongside the Missouri River. While the boys and Brian explored a Lewis and Clark exhibit, I set out to take some pictures. The whole area looked very familiar and then it all started to come back to me. This area is covered in Pierre Shale and was a place I stopped in college and did a little fossil dig. I still have fossils of shells and other ocean living animals in a box in our basement.

                          

We continued down I-90 and the land became very flat again. Once in awhile we’d pass an abandoned farm or barn. After a few hours the distinctive rock formations of the Bad Lands started to appear. We could see them in the distance as we approached one of the most legendary stops on I-90…Wall Drug. At lunch, we had our free ice water and Brian got his 5 cent coffee. The boys were amazed at the size of and the sheer number of gift shops within Wall Drug. All the fiberglass animals/statues were entertaining as well. They could have spent all afternoon in the arcade.

Then, it was off to the Black Hills and Custer State Park where we’d spend the night at Blue Bell in a cabin. On the ride into the park we were surprised how close the wildlife would get to the road. Our cabin was cute. There was one double bed and the boys slept on the pull out couch. We also had a kitchenette which was helpful at breakfast time.  The boys had fun throwing pine cones at one another.

We checked in around 3:00 which gave us a little time to do a short hike.

Then, for dinner we boarded a chuck wagon and road through the park while being entertained by a guy and a guitar. We saw mule deer, turkeys, prairie dogs and buffalo.

After an hour of music, corny jokes and beautiful scenery we arrived in a canyon where two huge grills were set up and hamburgers and steaks were cooking. Four performers sang folk songs and cowboy songs while we ate.

The “show” ended with the majority of the guests (~150) all gathering in a circle and doing the Hokey Pokey and Chicken Dance. While that’s not my idea of fun, I would have participated with a smile on my face but the three people I was traveling with all decided they were too cool to participate.

Finally, it was back to the cabin after a long day. Whew, we were tired!