Yellowstone, Part 1

Like I said in my last post we made a quick trip to Yellowstone National Park last weekend for a little getaway.  Yellowstone is about 6 hours from us, and we realized that we weren't sure when we would get to go out there again if we didn't go.  Our summer is quickly becoming filled!  

So Friday afternoon we packed up our cooler and camping gear and headed out! After you get through Utah, the landscape kind of turns boring, but then you get back into the mountains, and you see sights like this!

We both kind of fell in love with the town of Afton, Wyoming.  It was a small town, but the landscape was gorgeous!  Surrounded by mountains and so green and lush, that picture above was were the town of Afton was located.

And the drive stayed beautiful after that.  When we got to Jackson, Wyoming, we turned off to head to our destination

Sorry, lots of bugs on the windshield....

Jackson has this cool arch made completely of antlers that you drive by.

We camped outside of Jackson, and as we were driving to the campground, this was our sunset view of the Tetons!

Our campsite Friday night.  To me, it is just not camping without a fire.

We wanted to get into Yellowstone as soon as possible, so we got up early, and got to see some buffalo on the way out!

Another view of the Tetons as we headed to Yellowstone.

Had to get some pics of those amazing mountains!  We are such mountain people.

We stopped for Gas and something warm to drink (it was a cold night!) in Colter Bay, in Grand Teton National Park.  Michael was goofing off and pretending to be under 21 in the store, acting like it was a big deal he was back there.  Although the ladies at the counter didn't buy it.

We stopped outside of Colter Bay on Jackson Lake for some photo time.  The mountains were so beautiful and the lake was gorgeous as well.

Then we finally made it into the park!

We stopped at some falls for a pic.

Then onto some of the real attractions of the park, the geysers, fumaroles, hot springs, and mud pots.

We were told the water temperature (besides being very acidic or akaline) is around 160-200 degrees F in these pools!

Of course, you can't not go to Yellowstone and see Old Faithful!!

I think it is crazy amazing that bacteria actually live in these pools!  That is the orange and rust colors, bacterial mats.

Yellowstone is an area that is very unique.  It has so many things you never see in your normal, everyday life.

As you are driving around, you just see crazy landscapes.  Big sweeping meadows, forests, and rivers, and then all of a sudden a huge dead area filled with geysers and hot springs.  Many of these vents and hot springs are along the rivers as well, emptying hot water into the rivers, or even Yellowstone Lake.

You had to be kind of far away from some of them, they have erupted and thrown scalding water over 200 feet in the air!

And yes, more buffalo.  That is really all we saw for wildlife.  We did see one elk and an eagle, but the eagle was flying way off in the distance.

Can you see the buffalo across the river?

After cooling off in the river, we set up camp.  Saturday night we camped in the park, along the Gibson River, that way Michael could do some fly fishing.

Then we drove around the outer loop of the park.

Is this not a crazy rock formation in this hillside?  That is natural!

Then it was back tot he campsite to roast brats over the fire, make s'mores and get some shut eye.  That was Friday and Saturday of our very quick Yellowstone camping trip.  Part 2 up soon.