Grand Teton and Yellowstone were the final two National Parks of our trip- 40 minutes apart. We were blessed to secure the last room in Signal Mountain Lodge – at a HUGE discount since it was before the season officially opened. The views throughout Teton National Park are majestic in range, and the view from the room was absolutely stunning.
Since they received 80 inches of snow in February, most trails were unpassable without snow gear, which we did not have. So, we kept our visit to vehicle lookout spots. We witnessed elk, bald eagles, pronghorn antelope, sandhill cranes, and 3 moose! Seeing these remarkable creatures in their natural habitat was truly an amazing experience, and the first moose any of us had ever seen!
From Teton, we drove north to Yellowstone National Park and drove through a few areas of the park. We saw many bison and a few elk. First stop: Old Faithful. Hearing the various languages exploding with anticipation each time the geyser let off a bit of extra steam was comical and reverent at the same time.
Due to the deep snowpack, we were not able to hike in Yellowstone, either. However, the brief time of our visit did not allow for that depth of experience considering Yellowstone is 2.2 million acres! We did get to experience numerous spectacles in the park including Drew’s bizarre, boiling mud at Artists Paintpots,
Millyellen's Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River best viewed from the North Rim,
and daughter’s Grand Prismatic Spring she had been looking forward to all trip since seeing it advertised on many of the RV Rentals nationwide.
We were surprised to see the geothermal vents throughout the geyser basins.
Son’s favorite was observing a coyote hunt and stalk lunch, then pouncing and crunching it down in one bite! With a snap of its mouth and one throw back, the rodent was consumed.
Taking the road heavily traveled, we classically encountered Yellowstone buffalo.
Check Drew’s Facebook page for videos of Old Faithful, post-snack coyote, and bison.
We also noticed ever-active magpies beginning in Arizona to Wyoming and sadly some dead porcupines alongside the road, too. We heard much talk about grizzly bear feasting on various fresh kills, but we didn't observe them firsthand.
Not sure what time of year I’d advise visiting Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. Positive: we didn’t have long car lines traveling through the parks in mid-May. Negative: trails were closed for hiking unless you ventured to hike on and “post-hole” into thigh-deep snow. Positive: the animals were active and plentiful in May. Negative: a main road in Yellowstone was closed due to snow. Positive: the areas around the hot basins were hot especially when the wind blew mineral steam all over you, and I couldn’t imagine enjoying it as much if it were hotter in summer. Perhaps for any of you spontaneous travelers, I’d say the beginning of June would be perfect for a balance of availability, so you have 2 weeks to pack your bags and get out here!
Unexpectedly, we headed from Tetons/Yellowstone north to Bozeman, Montana for Drew’s flight to Portland, Oregon. On the way, Millyellen spotted a marmot! From Bozeman, Millyellen and the kids drove to Missoula for the night and then on to Portland, picking Drew up before completing the trip to Salem, Oregon together Thursday evening. What a whirlwind of activity, resting, hurry, wait, challenge, blessing, and altogether amazing opportunity! Thank you for the prayers and support to make this gap-month transition trip possible!
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