“National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.” — Wallace Stegner
Yellowstone
My long-time Ogden, Utah, home was only a half day’s drive from Yellowstone – and so I visited it every year at least once. Fall, after the crowds had left, was always my favorite time. .
Most years it was a solo adventure. Usually I would wake up on a Saturday morning with an itch in my feet and simply take off.
I never failed to appreciate the beauty of this first national park. Yellowstone offered me my first glimpse of a wolf in its natural habitat. That’s a thrill that has stayed with me.
But more often my joy came simply from hiking a trail and discovering bits and pieces of nature: a meadow full of yellow wildflowers, an elk on the banks of the Madison River, Fantastic views of the Firehole River from a high overlook, the bright turquoise of Morning Glory Pool, and of course the gurgling, hissing, spouting, smoking of the park’s geysers.
It became a tradition for me to sit on the balcony of the Old Faithful Inn, with margarita in hand, to watch Old Faithful blow water and steam high into the air.
How, I ask you, could Yellowstone National Park, not be on my list of favorite places.
Bean’s Pat: http://tinyurl.com/89aolmc The geology of Yellowstone.
Yellowstone has always been a favorite of mine. Thirty years ago you could still encounter grizzlies in the wild–especially if you had a creel full of trout!
I’ve seen grizzlies in Glacier and Denali, but would you believe, despite how much time I’ve spent in Yellowstone, I’ve never seen a bear there. A wolf, birds galore, moose, elk, foxes and most other inhabitants however made themselves known to me. Thanks for commenting.
Yellowstone’s one of those things that sounds lovely in theory but has fallen short in practice. Not that it was Yellowstone’s fault–I’ve just had the bad luck to have been involved in a truly ugly camping expedition, a traffic jam, and a near miss with one of those boiling pools. Yellowstone and I have agreed to go our separate ways, and though it was a wrench (because it truly is a beautiful, amazing place) we both feel it was the best decision.
I’ve had a few camping trip from hell so I’m glad camping at Yellowstone wasn’t one of them. There are lots of beautiful places in Oregon, meanwhile, that should keep you happy.
Love hearing about Yellowstone. Will have to talk my SLC relatives into a trip one of these days. Looking forward to seeing you in Austin!
Have you ever been to Glacier National Park in upper Montana? Beautiful. When I lived there I would go at least 3 times each summer. I want my ashes scattered at Two Medicine Lake.
I liked Yellowstone, it was lovely in a different way. I visited a few years after the huge fire and it seemed a little desolate in parts but poised for recovery.
Been to Glacier, but only a brief visit. Totally different from Yellowstone but just as spectacular. I watched Yellowstone come back after the fire. It was amazing. We sent a reporter from Ogden to cover the fire when it was blazing and so I had lots of details of that blaze. It’s still sad to see some blackened hill sides, but overall the fire was good for the park, just as the return of the wolves to it are.
Yesss! I want to go back and I hope I get lucky enough to see one but I doubt it. I went to Glacier during a fire and it was wild to see all my mountainsides ringed with smoke.
We were originally going to visit Glacier last year but then found out last minute that the park was still mostly closed to traffic. I can’t wait to visit Glacier, heard amazing things about it. But a bit scared of all the talk about bears there.
I did see lots of bears there but none close up. The last time I went the trail down from Logan Pass I wanted to hike was closed and we spent the next hour watching a mama grizzly and her cub fishing at the lake I wanted to visit through our binoculars. Another time I was on the Waterton Park side in Canada and we took a drive because it was raining and we sat in our car and watched TWO black bear cubs and mama san meandering through the brush along the road (we were the only humans in sight because it was really cold). And when I was leaving the park i had to stop after a few minutes to get something and I glanced out the window and saw a grizzly on top of the meadow’s ridge, like he/she was waving goodbye to me.
But none ever came into camp, I never saw any on the trail (that I know of!). So do go! There’s rangers everywhere and if you make lots of noise you will never see them up close. They are VERY strict about camp violators and feeding. Not like the Yellowstone of days gone by. You will LOVE it. Make sure to go to Two Medicine and Many Glacier…the glacier is tiny but you will be knee-deep in snow in July. Happy Trails!
I have never visited Yellowstone, or any of the western national parks. Thanks for this virtual visit. There is something compelling about a favorite place like this. Many of my childhood trips were to West Virginia where my father was born, and my siblings and I would play in the hills, creating all kinds of adventures. When I went back as an adult, it was surprising how small the canyon of my childhood was. (smile)
West Virginia is one of only three states I’ve never visited. I hope to rectify that later this year. Thanks for commenting and following my journey.
This is on my list of place to visit when touring America, so far I reckon I need about 10years to get round everywhere. The only one so far achieved was to drive route 1 from Miami to Key West, over all the bridges and visit the Hemingway House. Great trip, but there are so many more trips to take.
Jim
If you visit the west you’ll see amazing vistas. I’ve driven to Key West, and loved it, but it can’t compare with 10,000-foot mountains, red-rock canyons and national parks that dominate the west. I’ve visited the Hemingway house too. And also his home and memorial in Ketchum and Sun Valley, Idaho. And I once went to a movie with one of his granddaughters, not the actress but the other one. It’s amazing how many things you can remember doing when you’re an old broad like me.
Keep writing … Pat Bean https://patbean.wordpress.com
I visited when I was a child, way to young for a margarita. Bummer.
You’re not too young now. Hope a revisit is in your future.
Keep writing … Pat Bean https://patbean.wordpress.com
Yellowstone is on my Top 5 list of places in the United States. I can’t believe it took me 30 years to finally see it for the first time. I recently wrote up a trip report on my visit there last year. It was magnificent even in the winter and I can’t wait to get back there during the other seasons.
Here’s my write up: http://www.travelwhimsy.com/?s=yellowstone
Beautiful! One of my favorite places!
I agree – it’s my favorite place! I love sitting on the Roosevelt Lodge porch with a glass of red wine after a day of hiking.
You are so lucky to be so close to the park. It took me two very long driving days from Toronto last summer. I wish I could go in May or September to see it more peacefully, but, alas – teaching gets in the way!
Gorgeous, Pat!
Also, I love your header picture here, it’s so pretty and Spring-ish!
Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
Yellowstone is on the top of my wish list. I love nature, so I find it hard to believe that I have never been there. The National Parks we have in the US are amazing … they are some of our greatest treasures. I loved that National Park series that was on PBS about 2 years ago … I have watched in several times.
Me, too, Beary, re watching Ken Burn’s National Parks series. I bagged Yosemite last year. It was the last major western park I hadn’t visited. Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah now top my list of parks to see. Good luck on getting to Yellowstone soon.
Keep writing … Pat Bean https://patbean.wordpress.com