Incredible day!!! This place is so unique. So beautiful. So wild! At times I felt like we were in the dinosaur age and others we might as well been at a theme park because it was hard to believe what we were seeing was real.
We started the trip with a visit to the Bozeman Co-Op to pick up a picnic lunch. We met Molly there, who gave us an amazing itinerary for the day complete with a highlighted map and guide book. We decided on a a few side salads for lunch and picked up sandwiches a stop later…
…at Great Harvest! Gotta support the network ;mrgreen: And it is the best bread around
Then we were off on the drive through Paradise Valley to Yellowstone. Mountains galore!
A surprisingly quick drive later, we were at the park’s gates.
We stopped into the Mammoth Visitor’s Center and were surprised to see a family of Elk just hangin’ out!
Our first stop was Mammoth Springs. I really wish I could explain everything we saw, but that would take a lot of research in the guide book and I’d rather just show you in photographs 🙂
Something that used to be active all dried up..
We climbed up and up and mountain of boardwalk to get to the top.
JUST STICK AN EGG IN MY MOUTH. The sulfur smell around all of these thermal spots was overwhelmingly just like an egg!! An incredible, edible egg.
Bocker liked it!
It was after 12 when we finished the hike up and down so we had a little snack. Some of BethT’s herby nuts and a tiny local apple from the Co-Op
Next stop: Wraith Falls. Unlike Mammoth, we were all alone on this half mile and back hike to a waterfall and I was pretty scared we’d see a bear! We made it back out unnoticed 🙂
More gorgeous scenery as we continued our drive
And then we stumbled upon…..
A family of bison!! I was quite scared at first, but felt safe in my car.
Not sure how smart this guy is though…
We passed some cool natural formations (I think this goes back to lava?)
And sadly a burnt forest
SO THANKFUL we had good weather!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We climbed up a steep mountain and had someone flash their lights at us.
Not a turn around the bend later….
He walked THIS CLOSE to our car!!!!
And if you look closely, you can see him eyeballing us
A little while later we found another. I think the bison were my favorite part of the day!!
Only one bear sighting…
Around 2PM we were very hungry for lunch and picked out a river cascade of rapids to dine with
The sandwich was incredible. Turkey, bacon and swiss on Dakota bread with lettuce, tomato and a curry-dill mayonnaise.
We each had half
Chewing was fun
Our sandiwch came with a bag o’ chips that we also plit
And we shared two fabulous side salads from the co-op!
Chipotle roasted acorn squash
And ginger-garlic quinoa with kale and purple cabbage. SO GOOD!
Dessert! Also shared.
Next we attempted a really cool waterfall hike but it was closed 🙁
So we resorted to checking out the view from above
Next up: Artist Point!
Then we traveled to Rohan
Found some more bison
What did HE have for dinner!?
The Mud Volcano Walk was awesome!!!! Totally unbelievable too.
Bubble, bubble, toil and mud boil
The Dragon’s Mouth was SO scary!! Big puffs of steam and grunts from inside a dark cave
And the boiling Mud Volcano!! It was VOILENT!
Sportin’ the brand
But we didn’t get to see it all 🙁
Appropriately there was a big evil crow lurking about
Lake Yellowstone Panoramic
Thumb Country
Our final sightseeing stop of the day was none other than Old Faithful
Upon arrival, we had over an hour until the next eruption, so we explored the area, which was loaded with geysers and thermal holes. It was nearing 6PM at this point and the sun was setting. We walked for over an hour and it got quite chilly!
All day long, we were struck by how much the Yellowstone scenery changed just a few miles down the road. And I will admit the Lord Of The Rings talk was non-stop. We passed through Rohan, Helm’s Deep, the Dead Marshes, The Pass of Caradhras, the Mines of Moria, and even Mt. Doom. That must say something about how fantastical Yellowstone is. [Or what nerds we are.]
A mini faithful
I had to run underneath the splatter to get by. It was quite scary!! I thought it would be scalding, but it was cold.
Animal sighting #3: A moose and his harem!
Bocker liked them!
By sundown, Old Faithful had quite the audience
And she put on a show to match!!
After the show, we made our way to the one and only open restaurant, which we’d checked out menu-wise on our walk. Our dinner options were to eat at the lodge and then drive to West Yellowstone (about an hour) in the dark, or drive home hungry and find a restaurant near the hotel that might suit our preferences. The lodge won!
There were heaters behind the booths!
Best food on middle earth:
We started with a round of beers. I wanted red wine, but beer just seemed more appropriate for a lodge. After a quick sample of one of the beers on tap…
I got the Snake River Lager from Jackson. Loved it!
And Matt got a delicious can of Moose Drool!!! What an awesome brew name.
The menu was not that extensive, and we decided that we would split the bison short ribs.
We both got Caesar salads (dressing on the side)
Since we were splitting the entree, I got a large cup of corn chowder for us to share as well. It was 98% cream, 1% corn and 1% potato, but OH-SO-GOOD. But ultimately, I like my cream iced so I had a few generous spoonfuls and Matt ate the rest.
The short ribs (braised in Moose Drool sauce!) were pretty good if you like ribs. I only sorta do and I enjoyed me 3 big bites, but I prefer bison in burger form 🙂 The mashed taters were really good!
After we finished dinner we set out on the scary drive back. The walk across the dark, dark parking lot was the worst. And once we were in our car we saw an animal! Fox? Wolf? Coyote? It was no Lillian! Thankfully we made it home without hitting any animals with our car, and I was able to blog most of the way.
Tomorrow our journey across Middle Earth continues to Dillon, but we have all day to get there.
“I think I’m quite ready for another adventure” said Bilbo Baggins
H-woman says
Based on the antlers, that’s not a moose. Most likely an elk.
Looks like a fun day!
H =)
caronae says
Gorgeous! Now I want to take a road trip to a bunch of national parks, and then have a bison burger 🙂
amanda says
wow! this may be your longest post yet lol. Thanks for sharing with us all, love the pictures it makes me want to go there now! someday =)
BethT, Pretty By The Bay says
Now I feel guilty for having bison for dinner…
:O
ellen eats beets says
A. longest post EVER
B. absolutely beautiful! Looks like you had such an amazing time!!
Chloe (Naturally Frugal) says
I’d love to visit Yellowstone someday, its great that you two got to fit that into your trip!
Loved all the pictures, you can definitely tell a difference with the new camera!
Priyanka says
Absolutely gorgeous!! All the pictures are wonderful.
Allie (Live Laugh Eat) says
So many great photographs!! I bet Bocker is having a blast with you two 🙂 Glad he’s the only bear around though.
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is says
Fantastic photos! I can’t believe the bison!
Mama Pea says
So GORGEOUS. Your bear is kind of an attention whore, though.
Guess who got a GH gift card yesterday??? Can’t wait to spend it!!!
Jenn (www. j3nn.net ) says
Wow, what beautiful images!! It looks like a time to remember. 🙂 Love the geyser pics and the sandwich looks yummy!
Jenn
Mom says
Magnificent!
Emma says
wonderful! next time I’m in the US I am definitely going to hire a car and visit – so jealous!
Fallon says
Wow what beautiful scenery!
Lynn says
You guys drink so often, then go driving. I don’t get it.
Liz says
You and Matt are sooo cute together in your pics! Yellowstone is gorgeous! I’ve never been or seen any pics, and I must say that park is absolutely breathtaking, What a fun trip! BTW, regarding the comment above, I think that is a tad uncalled for. It’s not like you guys had 3 beers! You had a pint with food, that is not enough to impair someones driving. Just sayin!
Julie @savvyeats says
So gorgeous! Now I want to go visit the area too 🙂
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
thanks for the very thorough recap! i was just in south dakota where there were bison everywhere … be careful! i watched a youtube video of a bison ramming into a car. they can run fast, as i’m sure everyone there may be telling you…
Mike Zurick says
You work so hard!
Your blog, particular this journey, is really interesting to read, but I feel guilty that you’re taking time away from your fun so your readers can enjoy your journey too.
I confess that I’m not into food at all, but I’m fascinated by your blog and what you write about food. Your blog is attractive to us NON-foodies too.
Great job. Keep it up!
Mike
To Kiss the Cook says
This trip looks like such a blast- particularly as a pair. Y’all look like you’re just having so much fun and what a stunning weather weekend. Beautiful shots of the beautiful people, bison and bears:)
sue says
gorgeous!! i love that picture of artist point- so surreal!
Diana says
Love that place, it looks amazing 🙂
Yay lord of the rings! 😀
Laura says
AMAZING photos, Kath. And the first time I’ve ever (even vicariously) see a bison, I think! 🙂 I actually live in “Middle Earth” in New Zealand. Central Otago is where a lot of the filming was done and “Lothlorien” is about quarter of an hour away.
Lauren says
Fantastic recap of Yellowstone! My husband and I went to Jackson Hole for our honeymoon, and we drove up to tour Yellowstone for a day. Absolutely gorgeous!
Artist Point was one of my favorite look-outs. I know exactly what you mean about the scenery changing from one minute to the next. I wish we had spent more than a day there.
We actually did “run into” a bear on a hike, but he meandered off in search of food. The bison were all over the park. There’s so much wildlife out there!
Another stop we made was to the Snake River Brewery in Jackson, and all of the brews were excellent… glad to see you enjoyed one during dinner.
Have a great rest of your stay out West!!
Emily (Emily Eats and Exercises) says
Thanks for virtually taking us along on your vacation! I’ve never had a chance to go to Yellowstone, but it looks magnificent.
christie @ honoring health says
What an amazing recap! Makes me want to pull out my photos of going to Yellowstone and reminisce a bit!
Happy Sunday!
Shannon says
What a beautiful adventure! I hope to get there one day. Thanks for sharing!
Madelin @ What is for breakfast? says
Wow wow wow – this post makes me want to go to Yellowstone. Such amazing scenery and wildlife and so different to Australia. Hope you have a wonderful time!
Kirsten says
Looks amazing! I love natural beauty!
Estela @ Weekly Bite says
Hi Kath!
Thanks so much for sharing your journey with us!
Such beautiful pictures!
Christy says
Wow, looks like a wonderful trip! I love any activity that is outdoors, so saying I’m jealous is an understatement!! 🙂 The animal pictures are incredible!
Kerry says
What amazing scenery! Thanks so much for sharing it with us – the pictures are amazing, and inspire me to travel out there to see it for myself.
kelly says
So glad you enjoyed Yellowstone. Everyone should visit at least one time – it is beautiful! We have been several times and I’m ready to do again. Have a safe drive today.
Phyllis Malone says
What a beautiful place to visit. Just a comment on your eating the Biscoff cookies on the plane. I actually found that they are sold in our Walgreens stores. I also first had them on a plane and loved the butterscotch like flavor.
runnin4fun says
Beautiful pics! I have got to go there-it looks like so much fun.Have a safe and fun time the rest of your trip and thanks for taking the time to share!
Joelle (The Pancake Girl) says
Your trip looks like it has been amazing so far! What incredible photos- thank you for posting even on your vacay to share such an awesome sight with us!
Beth says
What an amazing day!!! My husband and I are actually working our way through the Ken Burns documentary that recently aired on PBS about The National Parks. Yellowstone is heavily featured in the series, as it was the very first National Park!!! It is quickly climbing to be next on our list of vacation destinations. Enjoy the rest of your trip.
Paige@ RunningAroundNormal says
All of those pictures are gorgeous! And brought back memories of when I went to Yellowstone. So beautiful. And yes, the bison are very scary!
Anne P says
Holy crap. That looks awesome!! I want to see Bison!! Reminds me of when I did a trip to WY for a work conference a couple years ago. I got to go with a friend from work and we rented a car and drove all around, including to do some hiking at Rocky Mountain National Park, etc. The scenery out there is just unreal, so unspoiled. I love how small and old school all the towns are, too. Can’t wait to see what you do and see today! 🙂
Susan says
Wow, that looks like such a cool spot!! I had no idea Yellowstone was so gorgeous! I would have freaked out at the bison, both out of excitement and fear 😛 I love all the LOTR references too.
Mara @ What's for Dinner? says
I love all the LOTR references… the thing with Yellowstone (and Yosemite, and most other national parks) I’ve found is that everything is so much older than everything in the cities. Love the photos 🙂
Cynthia (It All Changes) says
What a beautiful adventure. I love the LOR comparison. Feeds my inner geek 🙂
Julie says
Breath taking. What beautiful landscape and mountains. Loved the pictures, it looks like you had an amazing day.
If I saw a family of Elk just chillin, I would ish myself, seriously.
Stacey says
OMG words can’t even say!! That place looks sooo amazing! I’m a bit flabbergasted just looking at the pics, can’t even imagine being RIGHT THERE in them or even alongside those buffalos! You are one lucky gal 🙂
sarah (ghost world) says
what an AMAZING recap! i felt like i was right there with you two! made me want to go there someday!
Erin says
Wow, your pictures are absolutely breathtaking. It’s a hard area to capture in photos but you’ve managed it. 🙂
Lauren says
Hi Kath, did you get a new camera recently? Lately your pictures have been looking incredible!!
hemp jogger says
thank you for sharing! what an absolutely beautiful post of pics. i had no idea it looked so amazing out that way! enjoy the rest of the trip 🙂
me! says
haha you look like a hobbit from behind! so appropriate considering you were in a LOTR kind of scenery!
Daria @ Daria Can Cook says
Beautiful photos! It looks like you had ideal weather for sightseeing. 🙂
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says
Oh my goodness Kath! What an amazing day. I just loved reading every word of this recap and seeing all the gorgeous scenery. Sounds like you and Matt had a wonderful time! 🙂
Erin says
I adore your LOTR references to Yellowstone…so fitting! Beaut pictures Kath, wonderful!
And don’t worry about that burnt forest. It’s a good thing. All the little seeds on the ground open up from intense forest fire heat and will sprout new seedlings and wildflowers come spring. They wouldn’t open w/o that fire!
<—-ecosystem nerd
Stephanie says
love all the pix! such an awesome trip 🙂
Sandy says
Gorgeous picture’s!!!!! Love all the picture’s of you and Matt, and of course little Bocker 🙂
What a fabulous trip!
Elizabeth (The Dallas Celiac) says
Cool Bison sighting.
Marcia says
Wow, what gorgeous photos. I have always wanted to see Montana and Wyoming. Several years ago I met a couple of guys (working in the cleanroom) who had a company in Bozeman…they were giving me the hard sell on moving up there to work for them.
I will get there someday!
Brynn says
What a lucky bear!
Kat says
Oh my god! Yellowstone is SO BEAUTIFUL! I’m taking a trip out West over Christmas break…..can’t wait to see all of this in person!!!
Morgan @ Life After Bagels says
jealous jealous jealous, can I say it again . . . jealous . . . your day looks absolutely amazing, thanks to you and Matt for all the awesome pics so we can live through you guys!
Tina says
Bison are soooo cool! That was one of my favorite parts of Yellowstone. Although it is a bitttt scary when they come that close to the car 😛 Old Faithful is pretty sweet too. I love all the pictures you took, so beautiful!
Bree says
Nice recap. I need to plan a trip back! My research was on hot springs so after several days in the field I would smell like sulfur – I also did some research at Lassen Volcanic National Park-it took a good week to get the smell out of my hair & when I went for a run when I got back my sweat smelled like sulfur ! Also, as someone mentioned, the fire in Yellowstone is just part of natures cycle.
Hannah says
What a wonderful trip. Yellowstone looks so gorgeous and the scenery is so diverse! You and Matt look great in all those pictures – you definitely have some to frame!
Hope the next adventure is just as exciting!
Lyn says
Awesome pictures! I was right there with you 🙂
Jenna says
what beautiful pics kath!
jenna
Ania @ DoubleScooped says
Kath!
Your pictures are amazingggggggggg! I don’t know what else to say! Speechless – WOWWWW!
Kirsten says
Thank you so much for the wonderful pictures. I have really enjoyed being able to read your blog and be able to see places through you that I am not able to go. You do a wonderful job taking pictures and telling us about the local people etc. on your trips. Thank you again.
Marie says
How fabulous! Thanks for sharing!
Kara says
Wow, Kath. That is truly breathtaking!
deisegirl says
Wow, such stunning scenery. Love all the LOTR comparisons 🙂
Caroline says
I love that Bocker is with you! Thank you for sharing all of these photos too!
Anne Marie@ New Weigh of Life says
Amazing pictures! It looks like you are having a fantastic time!
Deva (Voracious Vorilee) says
What a gorgous trip! I love all of the LOTR references, I am a big nerd and it’s one of my favorite book trilogies 🙂 It looks like you, Matt, and Bocker are all having a wonderful time 🙂 I can’t wait to hear more!
Meghan@traveleatlove says
A-MAZING! The scenery reminds me a little of what we saw in Iceland, with the geysers and all. But there were no massive bison! How cool!
Sarah @ The Foodie Diaries says
All of the photos are GORGEOUS!
stephanie says
Ahhh, makes me want to go back soon! I actually slept in my car under that stone arch entrance driving across country! Glad y’all got to experience some amazing sights.
Karen says
Those are elk, not moose. When I worked in Aspen, had to drive by an elk farm to get to work.
Justy2003 says
Wow, gorgeous pictures! Looks like such a fun/busy day with lots to do and see! I need to make a trip to Yellowstone someday!
Allison (Balance in Bites) says
Love the bear pics =)
Laura @ Backstage Pass to Health & Happiness says
What an incredible visit! Did you really do and see all of this in just one day?
Linda says
I live in Jackson Wyoming so Yellowstone is sort of in my back yard. So glad you enjoyed it so much. Next time you come this way continue South just a little more and you will reach Grand Teton National Park. Those mountains will rock your socks off!! I personally love the Tetons way more than Yellowstone but I am biased. 🙂 Oh and that wasn’t a moose you were seeing. That was a male Elk with his harem. Moose don’t have harems and are much bigger, have palmate antlers and are darker in color. Sorry if that’s annoying. . .just wanted to let you know. Enjoy the West. . .as Jim Morrison said. . .”The west is the best”
Jac says
beautiful sceneries! and the bear popping around is adorable!
Seth @ Boy Meets Food says
I love the Lord of the Rings comparisons. I’m impressed that you knew so many names of places in Middle Earth. Was that you, or did Matt have a hand in providing those names? So creative. Thanks for sharing.
Jtine says
Where did you get those fab sunglasses?
I’ve been searching for a great pair of aviators just like them.
Angela (Oh She Glows) says
WHOA!!!!!!!!!
Just got caught up….what a fabulous trip you are having! Your pictures are simply breath taking. You both look like models in J Crew. lol.
Julia says
I love seeing all these pictures – you and Matt make the cutest couple!
I was just in Yellowstone in early August, and did the short hike to Wraith Falls. We saw a huge elk when we hiked up there and also saw a little bear when we were driving along the road!
Glad you had a great trip!
Betherann says
Welcome to Montana! 😀
Gina@concierge4moms says
How beautiful! Makes me want to take a trip. That is so great you had wonderful weather and got to see so much! Thank you for sharing
Chelsey (Cookteen) says
Yellow stone looks amazing and I love the shirt!!
with love and cupcakes,
cookteen
Bernice Olloqui says
Hello, you used to write wonderful, but the last several posts have been kinda boring… I miss your tremendous writings. Past several posts are just a bit out of track! come on!