Yellowstone and Getting There
The ride from Riverton, WY to Yellowstone was friggin’ great (and I don’t use ‘friggin’ lightly)! We had awesome weather that day, so the windows were down and the tunes were bumpin’. Steve and I took Route 26 out of town and stayed on it the whole time. For a good chunk of the trip, the terrain kept that Mars-ish vibe but gradually developed a more open-range plains feel. That was the basic look of Wyoming I’d experienced up to this point. Eventually though, the landscape started to change. It was a gorgeous transition. Elevation started to increase a bit, and hills started popping-up out of nowhere. The vegetation gradually morphed into thick forests and the road took us right into the heart of it. As we got closer to our destination, our route took us by some absolutely beautiful views. There seemed to be a perfect photo-op around just about every bend. That is just pure temptation for me. I wanted to hop out of the car and hike-off into the distance way more than once. We also drove through some nice little towns. Dubois stands-out in my head as one of the better ones. It’s main street had a great western-frontier feel. I would have been just fine spending the rest of my summer hanging out there. Along the way we also witnessed what locals claimed to be the largest Jackelope in the west. If you’re not sure what that is, head out west and you’ll find out. They show up all over the place.
Eventually we made our way into Teton National Forest, and Grand Teton National Park. People, this place is absolutely gorgeous. Dare I say, it could be better than Yellowstone. On this trip we didn’t spend as much time here as Yellowstone, but we came back on our 3rd road trip just to explore it more. If you’re ever anywhere near the Tetons…hit it! I’ll never forget the approach. On our right, the forest remained nice and thick. But to the left the trees gave way to an open field covered with this golden grass. This field had a river running through it, and if you followed it off to the horizon, your gaze would fall on the Tetons themselves. Absolutely stunning. When driving through there it’s impossible not to stop and take it all in for a while. This stretch of road, in my opinion, is quite possibly natural perfection.
Yellowstone came-up next, and we immediately went to Old Faithful. I’d heard about it since I was a kid so I definitely had to check it out. Very cool. Again, the whole area surrounding the geyser reminded me of another planet. Be careful where you walk too… We hiked up this path for a different view, entertained the crowd for a bit, and then took-off into the woods. Now, Steve and I have this habit of taking what some might call “risks,” and maybe this was one of them. We didn’t venture to far off, but while exploring we found a great spot where the forest opened up a bit with a great view. Then it was back to the car to try and get a little more exploring in before dark (including seeing some gigantic moose, or is it mooses?). Now, back to my aforementioned, possibly-controversial topic…both Steve and I enjoyed Yellowstone, but thought Grand Teton was better. Yellowstone is gorgeous, and has a lot of great stuff to see. But for a couple of guys that like to get off the beaten path a bit, and away from large crowds of tourists, GT was just better for that. Plus, that initial scene coming into the park is just absolutely beautiful. It’s really hard to beat. Go to both and you’ll definitely be in for a good time. But then get at me. I love a good debate…
Eventually dusk was upon us and we had a choice. Should we crash for the night or head off into parts unknown? The town of West Yellowstone was hoppin’, and there were no rooms to be had anywhere. So that was our answer right there. Off we went into the boonies of Montana. A random quickie mart gave us some much needed caffeine and propelled us off into the night. Little did we know at that point, the next day was to be quite possibly the best of the trip.
Up next: Montana!!

Comments (3)











Hey Dave must say that Yellowstone and all of the surrounding areas are unlike any other in the world. Pete and I had a blast sightseeing some of the most beautiful scenery in the world (well we were younger so maybe some of the car rides weren’t so enjoyable) but you can beat bison or elk stopping traiffic for minutes on end! Best wishes on your upcoming endeavor!!
I haven’t been to grand Teton national park in years. I love going there, the photos I have taken should be on post cards, it’s beautiful.
Never been there, but it’s on my list. Breathtaking photo!