For more pictures and video footage check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnXcE54R5ys
What I wanted to see most at Yellowstone were the elk. I knew that fall was rutting season for them and I really wanted to hear them bugling and that is why I decided we should go in fall. I was surprised how much I ended up being interested in the geothermal features we saw.
We flew into Jackson Hole on a Saturday, picked up our car, stopped at the grocery for supplies, and headed toward Old Faithful Inn. In terms of making the reservations it took some perseverance to get 2 nights in the inn because it can book up nearly a year in advance. We didn't get 2 nights in the same room. We had to move to another room the second night, but they moved our luggage for us. (This is a very popular place to stay so you will want to book a room a year in advance). It was worth it to stay in that beautiful and historic Inn.
Sunday: We ate at the breakfast buffet in the Inn at 6:30 am and went to Old Faithful boardwalks till 11 am or so and then drove to Black Sand Basin which our waiter recommended because there was some new geothermal activity occurring there. Then we went to look for Grand Prismatic and stopped at Fairy Falls. This is a place where you can climb the hill and see Grand Prismatic from above (not well marked) but then I noticed my husband getting really sunburned so we needed to go buy him a hat. This ended up being a 4 hour detour where we ended up in West Yellowstone (you cross over into Montana going here). We had a yummy pulled pork sandwich and coleslaw. We also went to Grizzly and Wolf Discovery center. We did get some good pictures there.
On the way back we stopped to see Grand Prismatic(this is where you see it from ground level – very easy walking but kind of wish we would have seen it from above). We saw a coyote before getting to Grand Prismatic. Then we came back to Old Faithful Inn and moved to room 4074. This was a really neat room because it was a corner room and had windows on 2 sides and we could see almost all the geysers near the boardwalks. The water temp in the room fluctuated a lot. We had a closet (in the first room it was just a wardrobe). Had a nice table and a dresser and a hairdryer, coffee maker, a phone and a clock. The room was a little bigger than the first one but the bathroom was a little smaller. Beds were very comfortable in both rooms. They moved our bags for us so we didn’t have to put them in and out of the car again. Made dinner reservations at 8:15. We planned to get sandwiches at the deli to take for the drive to Mammoth on Monday. Then we planned ahead to see Lamar valley and artist point on Tuesday.
Monday: We ate breakfast at Old Faithful Inn (we were in there by 6:30). We left around 7 am for artist Paint pots. What a great area. (note – there is a bit of a steep walk before you get up to the pots) There was one really gloppy pot. You can't do these things justice with a picture - it needs a video with sound to get the thick gloppy sound that it makes. Look for the link at the beginning of this article for a YouTube video and pictures of Yellowstone.
Then we moved on and stopped at Gibbon Falls and then to the terraces near Mammoth. This area was huge and some of them looked not active.. or ? dead (this may be because it was fall. There is less water in the fall so this area may be more interesting in spring). There was lots of climbing to be done here – it wore me out. It was hot that day too. We did part of it and then decided to drive down into Mammoth and went to see Palette Spring at the bottom. Started on Beaver Ponds trail but changed our mind. It was getting late and it a fairly steep climb up and we just weren’t sure how long it would take – it was already 2 pm. Got a huckleberry soda at a general store. Left here at 2:40 after seeing Palette Springs. It was sprinkling out. Then we stopped at Tower Falls. The falls were really nice and my pictures don’t really show it. Very easy walk to see the falls. This area was closing the week after we were here. You may want to check when services in the park close for the season before visiting in the fall.
When we got to Hayden valley we saw bison and got stuck in a traffic jam of people looking at something. I think they were looking at an eagle of some type. We scanned the hillside and saw a black bear just before it ducked into the trees. Then we saw more bison and went to check in at Lake Lodge western cabin. We had a dinner reservation for 7 pm at the Lake Hotel. We had ground lamb with Bolognese sauce and pasta and the duck with huckleberry curry sauce and wheat bulgar and asparagus. Very good. There was a beautiful sun room where people sat having drinks looking at the lake and listening to the piano player.
Tuesday: We were up and out and by 6:57 am we heard an elk bugle around Canyon (if you look at a map of Yellowstone you will see the area they call Canyon). It became pretty easy to find the elk here. It is such a beautiful sight. You are in the cool fall air and there is a male elk raising his head and you can see his hot breath and hear that bugle. Unforgettable.
At Lamar valley we saw an eagle or an osprey. Then sandhill cranes and some Pronghorn by 8:20 am. Around 9:06 I was hearing an eagle and trying to find it. My husband thought he heard music and it turned out to be wolves howling. The people with huge spotting scopes saw a carcass and a bald eagle but didn’t yet see the wolves. We finally found that eagle we heard – it was a golden eagle.
We decided to do the Trout Lake trail. It was pretty steep near the beginning but not very long and the lake was like a mirror and beautiful so it was worth it.
12:12 pm saw 1 male and 6 female pronghorn. Then at 12:20 saw a bison herd in Lamar Valley.
At 1:06 stopped at Tower Falls to pick up hot dogs. For reference, bear spray here is $50.00 (you won’t need this if you aren’t going hiking and it cost $60 at the grocery in Jackson). You can also get ice cream. They also have a water refill station for your bottles. They close next week for the season. We drove on looking for a picnic spot and stopped at Dunraven Pass to eat. We fed a raven and hand fed a gray bird and a dark blue bird. Also saw a mini squirrel and a woodpecker. We didn't try to entice the birds we just started eating and they landed right on our table!
3 pm we got in a traffic jam on the way to see the falls in the canyon. We could tell this was more than a bison sighting so I asked someone what they had seen. They said a bear went that way. People were leaving so the sighting was over. I looked off in that direction and saw a car thru the trees – we drove on and took the next left. That put us in the parking lot at the brink of the lower falls. Right then people started running away from the left side and I told my husband – park the car! Park the car! I knew the bear was coming. We just sat in the middle of the lot, stayed in the car and there it came. The grizzly was looking a little lost like it just wanted to be away from all these crazy people. I got a couple of pictures before it walked away right beside our car.
3:51 we drove to another area by Uncle Tom’s trail and saw a male and female mule deer.
At 5 something we saw bison on the Yellowstone river.
Around 6 pm we did the Pelican Creek Trail looking for moose. This was a bear management area so we took the spray and kept an eye out. We were alone on the trail. Saw only birds and a fire from afar. Then we went back to lake lodge. There was a herd of bison hanging around the lodge and moving thru the area. We walked down to the lake. Decided to eat in the cafeteria and were done by 8 pm.
Wednesday: I heard the sound of a coyote or wolves when getting into the car around 6:15 am. It was raining when we got up and still raining steady at 7:45. Saw some elk and heard some squeaks but no real bugling.
8:40 Saw bison and geese. It was only misting on and off by this time. The overcast sky really brought out the beautiful orange
y colors in the grasses. And the cool moist air made the bison frisky and it was fun to see them run, jump and play.
10:41 Saw a female elk on the way to Grant Village.
11 am to 12:30 we did a ranger led hike of West Thumb Geyser basin 7,988 feet.
From 2:00 – 4:10 we hiked the Riddle Lake Trail. The book said it was easy and ended with a pretty lake. We were hoping to see moose but no. Saw hardly anything but squirrels. This was a bear management area so we were careful and took our spray. We didn’t spend long and actually I don’t think we made it all the way to the end because we heard thunder and saw dark clouds coming. Since it was 2 or 2.5 miles to get back we thought we’d better get on back – we made it with just sprinkles – but I sure was tired after hurrying back. Decided to go check in at Grant Village. Got room F122 and went to dinner at Moose Creek Inn I think (there is also a more casual restaurant called the Lake House which we didn’t get the opportunity to eat at). This was more like an old fashioned hotel than a lodge but we found it clean and comfortable. I had a Yellowstone sunset rum fruity drink at the bar while we waited for our dinner reservation (we just made the reservation that night) at 5:45. We both had bison meatloaf and then walked to the boat dock and took pictures of a beautiful cloud and some geese.
Thursday: 6:44 am almost killed a rabbit! It ran out of the bushes really fast. Thank goodness we all survived or that would have ruined the day. We are on our way to Oxbow bend which was our first stop when we came in. Lots of low hanging clouds today. Sometimes on the road, then the road is clear, then we come around a curve and we are in the cloud again. Really ethereal and beautiful.
7:23 stopped to take our picture by the Yellowstone sign. While my husband changed his camera battery in the car I saw a bald eagle fly silently by. I tried to snap a pic but all I got was part of a tree.
8:20 at Oxbow with many other people – not a lot of wildlife at this late hour. Just some birds. Now on to Schwabacher landing.
8:34 low thick cloud cover lifted nicely just in time for some great pictures at Schwabacher. Finished here by 10:14. My tip here is to arrive early - otherwise the winds can pick up and spoil the perfect reflection of the Tetons. Next on to Mormon Row. Took a few nice pictures here. Then went on to the Craig Thomas Visitor Center in Moose.
I was disappointed that all our moose searching had turned up empty so I asked a ranger where our best chance of seeing a moose was. She said Moose-wilson road or Gros Ventre.
12:42 we started down moose-wilson to see how far it goes. There are some parking places and pull outs. Went all the way to Teton village and had lunch at the Mangy Moose on our way to Jenny Lake by 2:42 Service was a little slow and the food was fine but not special. Someone told us it had snowed in the mountains 2 days ago.
We stopped at the Jenny Lake visitors center – left to take String Lake/Jenny Lake scenic drive. Then left for Signal Mountain. We got gas and then checked in. Got cabin 126. King size bed, microwave, refrigerator, no hair dryer but I borrowed one. We can see the lake from our cabin. A female mule deer was having a salad of grasses just outside. I took pictures of her and then she just laid down in the grass. Smart of her. There are bears in the area - she’ll probably be safe here near the cabins. Went down to the lake to take pictures. Looked in the store. Then went to dinner at Trappers Grill and had a chicken quesadilla – yummy – took leftovers for breakfast. We got the best table. It was in the corner with windows on both sides. Watched the sun set and swallows catching insects and some other bird did it too. Darting out of the bushes and back again. Then had a Signal Mountain Margarita and went back to the cabin.
Friday: 6:20 Went to Wilson Moose road – nary a moose to be found but we saw and heard the elk bugle.
8:45ish We went to Gros Ventre Rd. Saw Pronghorn and bison. Talked to a lady that told us to come back the next day at dawn to a field near Gros Ventre camp ground.
9:59 Chapel of the Transfiguration – cloudy – chance of rain tonight. We went on to the Jenny Lake boat ride and then to climb to Inspiration Point. A beautiful and fairly easy climb. It started raining after seeing hidden falls and before we reached the point.
That late afternoon we went back to Gros Ventre and finally found moose!! Saw a female and a young one – saw its ear twitching – it was laying in the grass. I also saw what I thought was a large scar on a tree but it turned out to be the light color of a male moose antler. We stood in a mist as it got colder for about 40 minutes waiting for him to stand up but then we threw in the towel and went to dinner in Moose at Dornan’s. Had a Stromboli calzone.
Saturday: 6:15 went to Moose-wilson road – heard bugling but saw nothing. Left to go to Gros Ventre road.
By 8:06 saw 2 bigger moose bulls 1 young male and 2 females! Nearly got run over by one of the bulls – he’d had enough of all us fans. We tried to keep a distance away from them but when he ran toward us we just froze and let him go by.
It was about time to leave the park so we went back to the park gate to donate our pepper spray to a ranger. Went back to the Craig Thomas Visitor center and bought shirts with a moose on them. We didn't want to buy any until we actually saw the moose! Then drove into Jackson. Got coffee and a pumpkin apple cake at Jackson Hole Roasters (so good) and walked to the town square. Lucky for me they were having a quick draw art auction. The artists had an hour to complete their work (saw paintings and sculpture) and then it was auctioned off. This was a great event and the artists were SO talented.
Ate lunch at eLeaven Cafe and had the Singapore salad and a chicken sandwich. Looked in shops. About 2:30 stopped for a strawberry lemonade at Town Square Tavern upstairs. Then more shops, then went and checked in at Motel 6 and changed clothes. Went back into town and had dinner at the Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse downstairs from the bar. Had a sirloin steak with mashed potatoes and a great trout dish. Yummy wild berry cobbler for dessert.
Went to bed & got up the next day – got coffee at Tully's at Albertson’s, got gas, and returned the car and arrived at the airport with time to spare. Security was a breeze – we were the only ones there at that time.
We were soooo sad to leave. This felt like the shortest vacation ever. Seeing the animals every day was a dream come true.
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