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PB&J Adventures' Wild West Tour 2014 - Part 10
2 adults, 4 kids, 1 cat, 20 states, 20 days - Part 11 coming soon!

Day Ten - Yellowstone National Park - West - June 8, 2014

We made some really big plans for our third day at Yellowstone National Park. It was the twin's 10th birthday, and we wanted to make it one to remember. To make our day a little easier, we rented a suburban at the West Yellowstone, Montana airport. We had quite a lot of driving to do and thought it a good idea to give Homer III (our RV) a break. Just a note about the rental - Avis is the only real car rental choice here, but I was very pleased with the service. The gentleman that mans the office is actually the guy that unlocks the airport in the morning. I think he came in early that day just to take care of us. When we realized we'd reserved a five passenger vehicle (too small), he cut us a special deal on the Suburban. Small town, great folks! Reminded us of home.

A Gorgeous Drive
On the previous day, we'd ventured up the western loop a short distance, so we cruised on past the first few pull offs that we'd already visited. There are many unusual sites to see along the western portion of Grand Loop. It seems like something different lurks around every corner. One of the more impressive features we saw was Sheepeater Cliff, an unusual natural "wall" formed from basalt lava. The symmetrical columns formed by the lava are very similar to those found at Devils Tower National Monument. The cliff was named Sheepeater for the local Shoshone people. This tribe was known for their fondness of the meat of bighorn sheep.

Norris Geyser Basin
Our second stop was the Norris Geyser Basin, another massive display of geothermal activity. We did a lot of walking at this stop, and would have done more, but the weather was starting to look like rain. Had we not already visited the Old Faithful area, I would probably have more to say about Norris Basin. It was different in some ways, but still more steam, bubbling water, and spewing geysers.

Mammoth Hot Springs
Our next big stop was at Mammoth Hot Springs. WE approached from the south, so we first saw the area from atop a small mountain. From here we could see snow capped mountains in the distance and a small developed area at the base. Again, more pools, springs, and geysers. We made our way down the mountain to the resort area of Mammoth Springs. This turned out to be one of our favorite stops. The hot mineral-rich water flowing down the side of the small mountain has stained the bare rock snow white, and formed tiny dams and cascading waterfalls. Other bright colored minerals carried by the water have stained and contrasted sharply with the white background. Its hard to describe and pictures do no justice. You've just got to see it for yourself.

We filled our tummies and topped of with ice cream on this stop. This area looks like an awesome place to stay when visiting the park. There is a campground, but no hookups. Generators are allowed 8am-8pm, then you're on your own.

The Yellowstone Serengeti

During our stop at the Fishing Bridge visitor center a couple of days ago, we were told the best place to see wildlife in Yellowstone is in the north/northeast section of the park. They called it the "Yellowstone Serengeti." Our special Birthday plans had us in that area at a very specific time, but we had some time to kill, so we drove on. This area really was teeming with wildlife. We saw elk and bison, of course, but it was here that we saw a grizzly bear. It was a long way off, but exciting just the same. We also saw more unusual formations along this drive. It seems something different is around every corner. A favorite stop along this route was the petrified tree. It still looks just like an old tree trunk. The kids loved it!

A Covered Wagon Ride

Surprise kiddos! We're going on a wagon train ride with an all you can eat steak supper. The ride originated at Roosevelt stables. This was something we'd been chomping at the bits for, and it lived up to our expectations. Unlike old-timey wagons, these were equipped with rubber tires and a meager suspension. We would be thankful for these upgrades by the end of the evening. Our wagon came complete with a cowgirl driver and a knowledgeable cowboy narrator.

Giddyup!
The old dirt track led us through a valley filled with antelope and bison. The horses drawing our wagon seemed to have a mind of their own sometimes, but they knew where they were going. When coming too near the massive bison, they would break into a trot until all was clear. I'm sure we were safe, but a small dose of the unpredictable made for an exciting ride.

Home, Home on the Range!

We saw a variety of wildlife up close and personal on this ride. As I mentioned before, there were a lot of Bison along the way. We also saw antelope, and while our cowboy narrator was explaining how the coyote only hunt the younger, slower antelope, we saw one in action. The coyote was crouched down, moving slowly toward the herd. We watched the encounter unfold until we rounded a corner and could see no more. We never saw what happened, but it was a real-life first-hand "in the wild" experience we will never forget.

Campfire and Cowboy Coffee
When we arrived at the chuck wagon, our host began to play his guitar and sing cowboy songs. We were introduced to "cowboy" coffee, something that closely resembles what they call "mud" coffee in Israel (which I have had) mostly stout coffee and a good many grounds. Good though! We feasted on huge steaks grilled over flames, cowboy beans, cornbread, and much more. It was "all you can eat." We did (and then some)! At one point, we witnessed a "stand off" between a mounted cowboy and a bison. Apparently one was headed our way, a little miffed at our intrusion. One of the cowboys jumped on his horse and faced him down. It was real, and it was exciting.

Back to Camp
By the time the wagons pulled-out, the sun was already pretty low in the sky and a chill was in the air. For our drive back to our campground in West Yellowstone, Montana, we chose to take the Grand Loop down via Canyon Village, then Norris Canyon road back over to the west loop. The drive was spectacular. There was still a good bit of snow on the ground, and the sunset was unforgettable. We had a huge day that ended perfectly. We were back at the camper at a reasonable hour, ready for a good night's rest. We needed the energy! Tomorrow was another big day of fly fishing and travel.

Make sure to scroll down to see all the pictures we shared. They're worth it!

Scroll to bottom for the entire gallery.

We rented a Suburban for the twins' Birthday.