Big Sky to Yellowstone

Day 30, states 14, miles 6170

Big Sky, MT

Gallatin Valley, MT





Yesterday morning we ventured back in to Bozeman for breakfast at the Western Cafe followed by some shopping.  Natalie wasn't going to have anyone claiming her new bear, so she let Andi pick out her own from the same shop--a brown one that she named "Otis".  After stopping at our favorite resupply depot (Walmart), we headed down Hwy 191 and enjoyed the famously scenic drive  through the Gallatin Valley toward Big Sky and Yellowstone.   We arrived in West Yellowstone (the town in Montana, not the park) around 4pm and did some shopping.  I picked up some cowboy boots and a vest to go with the Stetson Natalie bought for me in Kalispell and Andi found a pair of moccasins.  After shopping and enjoying some of my new favorite ice cream (huckelberry), we headed in to the park.  Yellowstone quickly impressed us, and we could see why it is the crown jewel of the National Park system.  Around each corner we found a new breathtaking view, and we hadn't gone far before encountering some of the wildlife.  We stopped to take a picture in front of some bison just in time for Natalie to read to us from brochure that the park ranger gave us.   "DO NOT STOP ON THE ROAD TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE WILDLIFE.  DO NOT APPROACH WITHIN 25 YARDS OF THE BISON!  THEY ARE UNPREDICTABLE.  SEVERAL PARK VISTORS HAVE BEEN GORED BY ANGRY BISON!"

Alex and Bison

After surviving the Bison pictures, we drove the 50-mile circuit around the top of the park to Fishing Bridge, which is the location of the only RV campsite in Yellowstone.  This one, unlike other national park campsites, actually has electrical and water hookups and hot showers available.  But there is no cell phone or internet service, so Kirk and the kids had to suffer with just watching a John Wayne movie with us in the RV.  This morning we decided to take advantage of our location within the park and get an early start vistiting   Old Faithful.  We arrived early enough that there was still plenty of parking for our RV.  After getting the RV parked, Natalie made hot biscuits.  We discovered that we had cell phone coverage (and therefore internet) in our parking spot, so I was able to post this update.