Larry and Debbie had never been to Yellowstone. Cultural Moment: Yellowstone was established as the world’s first national park in 1872. It has more than 2 million acres and is in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. The park is so large that it is divided into areas.
We entered the park through the West entrance with our Gypsy Guide ready to go (so we thought). After much anguish and reboots, we were ready to go 30 minutes later. Gypsy Guide uses GPS for an audio tour. We hit the gate at 7:00 AM. Yes, you read it correctly – SEVEN A.M. I know some of you had mouths that fell open in shock and well it should because Debbie forgot to set her alarm clock and still made it to the car at 6:30 (She didn’t admit this to her fellow travelers.) Guess what? No line at the gate at 7:00 AM.
The park is so large that it is divided into areas. The goal for today was to cover Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Lake Village – Fishing Bridge & Bridge Bay, and Hayden Valley and Mud Volcano.
The first stop was the Grand Canyon area. The trip began with an overlook of the Upper Falls of the Yellowstone River. The falls is an impressive 110 foot waterfall. After lots of pictures at Lookout Point and other points, the group went to Uncle Tom’s overlook. (Uncle Tom was a ranger who built a trail in Yellowstone).
At this point, the group met an enthusiastic hiker who had just graduated from Sacred Heart and was working at the park this summer. He said that the South Rim trail was the best trail in the park. It was flat, it was shady, it was bear free – It was 6 miles, no 3 miles each way, no 3 miles round trip. It was fabulous! He took all his friends on the hike. The hike ends at Artist’s Point and then you just turn around and hike back. Yes, the four cried – it will be fabulous. We will go! What’s a few miles?
Wait! Cried Debbie. “We need water – I need a hat!” Oh, good idea said the other three then we must go – so they did. Off down the South Rim trail.
But it was not flat and started out downhill. Debbie said “doesn’t this mean we will have to go back up at the end? The others replied that It is just a little bit before it flattens out. Then there were switchbacks – multiple switchbacks. Yes, eventually the views were good and yes there was shade but we were also chugging water and puffing hard. Forty minutes later the group made it to the Artist’s Point which had great views. To motivate each other for the hike back, they promised each other huckleberry ice cream. The hike back was quicker than the first half but had not flatten out in the meantime. Going forward, the group decided not to deviate from the original plan and not go on any unplanned hikes. Total hike 3 miles round trip.
Lunch was at one of the Hayden Valley lookouts. We saw a couple of buffalo and then proceeded on to the original planned hike which was Mud Volcano. Cultural Moment: The Mud Volcano Trail in Yellowstone National Park is one of many boardwalk trails in Yellowstone that wind their way through a myriad of geological features. The first stop was Dragon’s Mouth Spring. Dragon’s Mouth Spring is a cave with gases and near boiling water that make booming sounds against the top of the cave. The cave appears to be breathing with water coming in and out of the cave like waves. The group continued winding through thermal spots such as Sour Lake and bubbling churning caldron. Warnings are everywhere about stepping off the boardwalk. No danger from Debbie on that point. She did wonder how buffalo wandered through the fields.
They traveled on to the Fishing Bridge for ice cream and found the Yellowstone Lake. On the way back through Hayden Valley, the buffalo were on the move. Approximately 75 to 100 were on the move stopping traffic. After about 20 minutes we made it through the herd and proceeded home.
Total hiked for the day – 7 miles.
Tip of the Day – Don’t add unplanned hikes to your day
Upper Falls 
View from a far 
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone 
Another view 
This 2000 lb boulder hitched a ride on a glacier 
We like waterfalls 
Does this look like a fabulous view? Looks like trees. 
This does not imply a flat trail 
View from artist’s point 
It was not flat 
Another view 
Artist’s Point 
Dragon’s Mouth 
The sign says it all 
I will not step off the boardwalk 
No fishing allowed off the “Fishing Bridge” 
Yellowstone Lake 
Roadblock 
It is my road