Colors and Waterfalls and Bison

 Grand Prismatic 

The colors of the springs that are all around are truly amazing.  They are quite deep and very, very clear.  You can see deep down into them.

 

 

This is the Madison River that runs right behind Baker's Hole Campground.  This is a famous stretch of river for fishing.  Hurley also loves to play in it when no one's around.

 

You actually cross over the Divide a few times in this park.

 

 

 

 Click below to hear this cascading waterfall that went on forever!

 

We did see a small brown bear, but this grizzly was actually at the Grizzly Discovery Center.

This crazy looking contraption was parked in a parking lot like they somehow drive it around.

Doug and Dotty

Unfortunately, not everyone can read as there were a few things thrown in.  I say if you throw it in you should have to go in and get it ;-)  Scalding water or not.

  

Again, the clarity is just amazing!  This is filled with water.

 

Crazy colors that nature creates!

Steve & Dotty, our photographers!

 

The bison were everywhere.  On the hillsides, in the roads and walking right next to your truck!

 

 

Click on this video to hear them snorting and see them go right past our truck!

 

Ok.  Enough Yellowstone. 

Next up we are on the lookout for SAPHIRES!

 

Cool things that come out of holes in the ground - Yellowstone

West Yellowstone, MT
Beaver Creek NF Campground

My favorite time in Yellowstone is just before sunrise.  It's simply magical.

Of course that means getting up at 4am, but hey, there's nothing like the calm.  Almost no one else is out yet.  The mist and fog make for beautiful, haunting scenery.

 

 

 

 

We tried to get a spot in our favorite campground, Bakers Hole, but it was full.  It is a National Forest campground, first come, first serve.  Very nice campground.  Some electric and water.  Right on the Madison River.  Very private and only 4 miles outside of West Yellowstone.

 

So we had to go 10 miles further to Beaver Creek, also run by the National Forest. $14 a night. No hookups.  Very wooded, next to Earthquake Lake/Memorial. Being a California native, this is an interesting earthquake that I didn't know before staying here.

 

Earthquake Lake

  
                 Our site.  Snug, but pretty.                        Our friends site, down and across from us.

 

Innocent Tree Doll or Voo Doo?

Ok, this one might freak some of you out.  When we got all settled in, Dotty noticed that there were 2 of these hanging in a tree just behind our trailer.  It immediately made her uncomfortable and she wanted to leave.  Her husband then ripped them down and through them in the fire and that made it even worse for her.  It didn't bother the rest of us and she was ok with that, so we stayed.  What would you have done?  Doug later found and even larger one on the other side.  This is where we picked up our first mice.  We set traps and killed 4 of them.  We blame the bad joo-joo on Doug for throwing the "whatever they weres" in the fire!

 

 

Another early start the next day and we were off in search of more wildlife, hiking and holes in the ground.

 

 

These cobwebs looked really neat with the early morning dew on them.  This particular field was covered in them!

 

More wildlife?

Why are we so fascinated with things that come out of holes in the ground?  Because it's AWESOME!  I won't go into lots of detail about Yellowstone because I already did in last years post and most of you already have been here or know about it.  Just enjoy the rest of the pictures.

 

Geysers, fumaroles, springs or mud pots, all cool!  Some are dainty, some are very powerful, some are noisy and most are stinky.

 

The colors that are created from all of this is just amazing.

 

 
                                                                                 Ya, that's us being goofy!

Hurley, says, enough of that, let's go for a hike. Well, hike for us, dogs are not allowed on the trails, so he not-so-happily waited in the truck.

 

So many pretty wildflowers all over.

  

 

 

 

And these cute guys.

 

 

And how about these?

 

 

 

 

More springs...

 

The edge drops off into many terraces.

 

 

 

Beautiful waterfalls too!

 

 

 

 

Mt. Washburn trail and lookout.

 

This big guy was crossing the river as the moon was coming up.

Moon rising.

The bull elk were just HUGE and walked right past our truck and stopped on the side of the road for an obligatory picture.

We LOVED it when we came down another section of road and into Bison Territory!  The herds were huge.  They clearly loved this area.  Dust to roll around in, grass and water.

And they did not care diddly about the cars or campers.

 

Well that's more than enough for now!  Thanks for hanging in there!