State 7 – Wyoming – Part 1
Wyoming started with a trip to Jackson Hole.
We stopped at this touristy town for some lunch, and another beer flight at Snake River Brewing. Great tasting beer, especially the red, which was hibiscus based.
We roamed through town for the afternoon and did a little shopping. The highlight was these cool antler arches around the town square. One afternoon was enough. I definitely couldn’t see staying for an extended amount of time here.
From here we headed north to the Grand Tetons. This breathtaking mountain range doesn’t get the attention of Yellowstone, but deserves ever bit as much.
We stopped numerous times to take photos.
I read about an old barn which is one of the most famous Grand Teton photo ops. Luckily, being the off season, we only ran into a few other enthusiasts.
We also saw our first Bison. We weren’t the only ones excited about them.
Soon after our first Bison we ran into a bit of snow.
We weren’t sure if we would see any more snow on the trip, so Eric stopped to make a tiny snowman.
Baby Bison
The melting snow gave way to awesome waterfalls!
Just like you’d imagine, two Bison greeted us as we entered Yellowstone. At the time we didn’t realize how prevalent Bison on the roadways would be in the next few days. We got a little too close for comfort on the last shot. As we passed by the last bison started moving a bit aggressively towards the car behind us.
We stayed for two nights in Yellowstone, our only spot on our journey where we rested for more than one night. We were lucky enough to stay at the historic Old Faithful Inn.
It is considered the largest log structure in the world. It is a magical place to stay, but we should have listened to the reviews and not eaten in the main restaurant. Trust me, don’t do it!
We splurged and got one of the newer rooms. There are a whole section of rooms with communal showers and bathrooms, that wasn’t gonna fly.
We watched Old Faithful erupt on our first night. The length of time between eruptions varies and it quickly approached total darkness before we were finally rewarded for our patience.
We started our full day in Yellowstone with an early drive out to Lamar Valley. We decided to drive straight out and then slowly make our way back. We were hoping to get animals grazing in the early daylight hours. Our plan worked and we saw plenty of Pronghorn, Elk, Bison, Mule Deer and even a Bear on our way back.
Our run-in with the bear was very unexpected. As you travel through Yellowstone, you’ll find that when people are pulled over there is usually something to see. As were returning from Lamar Valley there were about 10-20 cars pulled over to the side of the road. We decided to follow suit. When we pulled into the nearest open spot, we nearly ran over a bear! The sight of the bear within 50 feet threw us for a loop. The obvious answer to the question “What do we do?” is “take pictures” — from in the car of course.
Our next stop was the hot springs. These are a must see. You know you’ve arrived as soon as you step out of your car, as the smell of sulphur wafts through the air. It’s not unbearable, unless you are overly sensitive to smell.
The colors vary based on the amount and type of minerals in the specific hot spring. They also vary from fairly clear to milky.
The hot springs are also very accessible. The wooden pathways weave in between the landscape, getting right in the heart of the action.
Hit a traffic jam on our way back to the hotel!
willsfamilyacres 
I’ve never visited that part of the country but would really like to see it someday. Thanks for sharing your photos!
It is really incredible. I highly recommend it!
Yellowstone is an incredible place. It’s been 17 years since I’ve been there, and we’re tentatively thinking of returning this fall. We were also considering a stay in Jackson, WY, but you say one day there is enough. Just not enough to do? Was that your base for the excursion to Grand Tetons? Also, what time of year were you there? Thanks for sharing more details of your trip!
We went the week before Memorial Day, so not too cold and before peak season. If you can swing it with kids and school, it is a great week to go. We ran into a little snow, but worth the risk. Jackson was nice for an afternoon of shopping and food, but seemed a little too much of a tourist trap to stay much longer. If you were using it as a base to see the parks, that isn’t bad, just can’t imagine only staying in town.