We knew it would take several days to explore Yellowstone, so we planned three days, each focused on a different area of the park. Our first day in Yellowstone was focused on the Old Faithful area and the geyser basins. We hit the road early from Jackson, again hoping to see wildlife along the way and we were not disappointed! Not only did we have elk cross the road in front of us, but we also saw two grizzlies. We also had beautiful views of the Tetons as we left the Jackson Hole area, with the early morning sun bringing the range to life.
The drive from Jackson to Yellowstone along the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway was very scenic, with beautiful pine forests. There was still a significant amount of snow on the ground, but the roads were clear. Lewis Lake was still completely frozen. In the cold early morning air, we could tell we were approaching the geyser area, as steam hung in the air, almost creating a dense fog in the area. In the Upper Geyser Basin, we were able to see Old Faithful erupt from the viewing benches, then hiked around the basin and up to Observation Point, by which time Old Faithful erupted again, providing yet another view of the geyser. The Visitors Center was not open due to COVID-19, but there were many informative signs along the trails that provided a good understanding of the geysers and springs. We learned that the bluer the spring, the hotter the water...we saw plenty of beautiful blue springs! We hiked the trails/boardwalk around the geyser basin, seeing many different types of hot springs and geysers. We also stopped at the Big Biscuit Basin, the Grand Prismatic Spring, and the Painted Pots area, where all four types of geothermal features could be seen. We saw bison frequently throughout the day around the geyser and hot springs areas. Our accommodations for the evening were in West Yellowstone. Although there were no brew pubs in the town, we had dinner at Bullwinkles Restaurant and Pub, where Mike enjoyed an elk burger and a regional beer.
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