Family Road Trip - Day 8 - Yellowstone - (Saturday, 7/1)

We had all been looking forward to Saturday - our full day in Yellowstone. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect because I hadn't been there before. I knew we were going to see some cool things and beautiful scenery. We stopped at several different areas. I was blown away at how different each of the areas around the National Park actually were. Some looked like lush beautiful green forests. Other areas were waterfalls, there was barren land, there were steep cliffs and yet there were flat lands. I felt like around every turn you would experience something new and different.

We saw hundreds of bison, a couple types of deer, a bushy tail fox, and even a baby bear cub. I always love seeing the wildlife but the boys only seem to be interested in them for a minute or two. Our first stop in the park was at the Mammoth Hot Springs. Again, I was shocked to see an area with hot springs so hot that they kill people who fall in. They were just in the middle of the park. The formations themselves that have been formed over time were just stunning. Incredibly neat to see. We followed the trails around and saw different views of the different springs.

We kept heading south down to Norris Hot Springs. This one had a very different look and feel from the Mammoth Hot Springs. This area looked like a desert swamp area. There were a couple of hot springs that spouted out steam and were loud. There was also an area where you could hear crackling noises from the hot springs water bubbling up. It was fascinating. There was a large wooden bridge that sat just a foot or so above the ground that was a path out over the hot springs so you could experience it close up. The boys loved running on the path (maybe a little freedom after sitting in the car for a while) but it terrified me that they would fall in so we had to put a stop to that.

We stopped for lunch at one of the resorts so we could get something other than snack food in us before we headed out to the wildlife area in the northeast corner of the park. There is where we saw herds and herds of bison. We drove along the Lamar River. It was beautiful to see but by this point, the boys were over it. We headed back out the top loop toward the northwest exit and stopped at a view lookout areas and some waterfalls. It was gorgeous. All of it. It was exactly what I needed. A place where I didn't have cell phone reception for most of the day. I could get away, unplug, and enjoy the peaceful subtle power that nature offers. So blessed that Heavenly Father has created such a spectacular place for us to live. Even though I consider myself a city girl, I do have a love for nature. It was a wonderful day. We headed back to Bozeman for the night.

Mammoth Hot Springs

Norris Hot Springs

 Near Tower Falls