Final Pictures – nope, couple more Friday

[Hawks Feather]

I enjoyed driving the roads of Yellowstone for about 9 hours today.  Only a couple of hundred miles, but you can't go many miles when the top speed is 45 and you can usually see your own brake lights on the curves.  Saw quite a few buffalo, elk, and even a wolf today.  The wolf was off about 300 yards and starting to run.  Maybe it was the fact that there were about 30 cars there with people yelling WOLF, WOLF, WOLF.  We will make one more short run through the northern part of Yellowstone and head off to see more of Wyoming tomorrow.

Enjoy,

Jerry

One of the many mud geysers here.  If you like the smell of sulfur you would love these spots.



One of the many little streams and valleys that run through Yellowstone.



The Upper Falls has been the site of many, many pictures.



When you walk up to the Old Faithful site this is what you see.  Actually there are seats that are there for people to sit on.  They fill up about 30 minutes before the “show” so you need to get there early.



After the first few blasts Old Faithful really takes off and this is what you see.



This is Old Faithful slowing down and getting ready to go dormant for about an hour.

[pitw]

I sure hope it ain't your final pictures  are the brakes failing on the vehicle or is there somehing else we don't know about
   I would like to see the geyser once.  Many people down there now?    Thanks for taking me along it's been fun.

[FinsnFur]

That place is pretty amazing. I hope to make a visit one day now that you've givin me a taste of it.

The two pics of the valleys, you can get a half an idea of how huge that gorge is by looking at the pine trees on the top edges, wow!

Bring us some more Jerry, bring us some more.

[KySongDog]

I've never been to Yellowstone but it is on my list to do.  How are the crowds?  When would be the best time to go?  Now or earlier/later?


BTW, thanks for the pics!   

[golfertrout]

very nice

[Hawks Feather]

Couple of answers.  The crowds were really not all that bad, but all hotels, motels, and campgrounds within 50 miles of Yellowstone were full.  Part of that is the number of fly fishermen that are around.  Then on the Wyoming side the hunting season is pretty close.  I could have shot Pronghorn with a .22 and not had any concerns about a clean kill.  I would guess that we saw close to 1,000 Pronghorns today.  There were a few mule deer and some big horn sheep.  They have had a record number of visitors at Yellowstone this summer.  As for the best time that is a hard one.  In the spring (late June and early July) the spring flowers are just starting to pop and the animals are starting to move.  The problem is knowing when the thaw will hit.  I was in Glacier years back in the second week of July and they had just finished opening the Going to the Sun road.   I have not been in Yellowstone during this time.  I have been here several times in July and you can see animals, but I saw more this trip.  The elk were in Mammoth and also in many of the pasture areas in the early morning and evenings.  To hear them bugle, you have to be here in the fall.  You can see buffalo year round, but right now they are walking on the roads.

As for the car, the brakes are fine, but the transmission is making a few noises.  I am glad that I will be on relatively flat lands the rest of the way home.

This is a little stream that I saw as I was headed out of Yellowstone.



One of the many sights along the road.



If you look in the center of the blue circle you will see an extended red pickup truck.  This gives you an idea of the size of the mountains.



Here is the same truck as it continued on and I switched from a telephoto lens to a normal lens.



Finally the one of the red rocks.

[Bopeye]

Beautiful Hawk. Glad you are enjoying yourself and taking us along. 

[FinsnFur]

That would be such an awesome place to live.
Kinda reminds me of driving through Ontario Canada with nothing around for miles like that. Seen a sign one night that said, "Next Gas 180 Kilometers" (Thats just over 111 miles)

I said to myself...you gotta be shittin me.