Let me pick up where we left off at Moose Creek where we are happy to report we will be going back to for 2 nights starting tomorrow. After we left Moose Creek, Jan and I separated again, she went into Bozeman to grocery shop and run a couple errands and I went to get some diesel fuel and we met up at a rest area along the interstate, decided it wasn't worth hooking up again for 20 miles and drove separately to a nice campground, Yellowstone Edge in Emigrant where we had stayed last year. It's about 38 miles to the north entrance of YNP, and I should mention 65 miles to Slough Creek in Lamar Valley where we wanted to fish. Out here you have to get used to the distances.
So off we went to fish and sightsee in an area of the park that was too far away from West Yellowstone.
This is a section of Slough Creek |
It's a place like this where you look around and say catching fish would be nice, but oh so unnecessary |
Jan giving it a whirl |
View at our campground |
Hard to take, right? |
Breakfast with a view! Yeah, we ate inside the truck, 39 degrees outside |
Just a quick photo as we drove through the park |
Line up close |
Spread out |
We had wanted to go into the park itself to camp if possible, and there is only one campground that has sites big enough to fit us, and that's Mammoth Campground just inside the north entrance of the park. On one of our trips in, we stopped by to find out the latest info on how to get a spot. It is a first come, first serve campground, and when they are full, it's all done until the next day. You have until 11am to either leave or renew if you already have a site, in season you can only stay 14 days, but right now, you can opt to stay 30, and yes, it is open year round! We were told the office opens at 8am, and we should be there shortly after and be prepared to wait until 11am when the occupied sites get to renew or leave. We crossed our fingers and drove the 40 miles to the campground and arrived at 830am, we were 5 in line at that moment. We are further restricted as there are only a handful of sites that can accommodate us. They also have strict rules to stay in your vehicle until you get to the front of the line, and do not approach the window unless you are first in line, they are actually quite snotty about it:-) The volunteer came out to talk to us when we pulled in and said he thought they might have 1, maybe 2 sites to fit us, but we had to wait and see. We sat there creeping up closer and closer keeping our fingers crossed as we had nowhere else to go at that point.
As we became number 1 in the queue, the volunteer asked me to ride with him on his golf cart to see if this particular site I felt was big enough for us. Well when I got there, I almost jumped for joy! It was plenty big, up on a hill, awesome view, open enough for the satellite, and well, just perfect. So Jan and I shoehorned our way in after paying a very reasonable $10/night. Now this is boon docking, no hook ups at all, but we were ready. Let me tell you we had an awesome 3 nights. This would put our fishing and sightseeing in the north end of the park 40 miles shorter, fantastic!
Our site! |
Then we came back, got the generator started and met our delightful neighbors, Greg and Jean who live just south of Missoula. He is an avid fisherman and both were so friendly and interesting, we spent a very enjoyable happy hour with them.
The next day we took off again to sightsee and went for a change all the way out to the northeast entrance, and found a quiet pretty place to have coffee.
Coffee time |
Man, we love Yellowstone!! |
Wraith Falls |
It's hard to get a good picture as you are looking right at the rising sun |
Good Morning |
The fog just burning off in Hayden Valley |
Beautiful Yellowstone Lake |
Look at that reflection |
Magnificent |
I think I'll just rest my head on this rock while you people decide what to do |
So we woke up this morning to get ready to leave Yellowstone and we are welcomed with a little rain and a visitor.
Mmmmm, yummy |
Now on towards Colorado, good bye Montana, and good bye Yellowstone! :-(
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