June 29, 2021
After warming up from the chilly 42 degree night, we headed out to Yellowstone National Park. It was about 10AM – apparently a very popular time to enter the park. Another long line! After driving a few miles we encountered a traffic jam and waited as the line crept along. This time, it was a bear near the road. Ken was too courteous to stop and get a good look, so I didn’t get a picture but I could see that it was a large Black Bear.
We drove to the north side of the park to Mammoth Hot Springs. We drove the upper loop around the large eerily white formations. From there it was a short drive to Mammoth, WY, where we usually see the Elk Herd that hangs out in the center of the city. Not today! But, I finally did spot 1 lone Elk resting in the grass in the center of town. There were many tourists wondering all over the area and the traffic was congested, especially for such a small town. There were long restroom lines and limited entry into the stores and restaurants. There was no reason to hang around, so It was time to head back towards our RV Park.
About 4 miles from Mammoth, we stopped at the Golden Gate Viaduct. It is located in a rugged pass between Bunsen Peak and Terrace Mountain. The west brach of the Gardiner River flows through the pass. The sides of the rocky walls rise 200-300 feet above the roadway.
Further on the road, we came upon lots of people standing on the side of the road with cameras and binoculars…it was another Bear sighting. Of course, we jumped out of the jeep and joined in with all the other people. The Bear was laying done in the brush behind a tree stump. How did anyone notice this bear? I finally saw it move and snapped photo, but, the quality is poor. At least we can add it to our animal sighting list!
After our afternoon rest, we headed back to the park around 6:30 PM hoping to see animals out in the cooler temperature. We did spot Elk, Buffalo, and 1 Black Bear.
Since the crowds were far less in the evening, we drove along the Fire Hole Canyon, and visited the Lower Geyser Basin, and the Black Sand Basin.
On our return trip we saw an incredible Sunset!
(Click or tap on the first photo to open slideshow)
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