Roosevelt National Park

What another beautiful park that is chockful

of wildlife.

We hit the trifecta of all wildlife:

bison

wild horses

prairie dogs

elk

Quaint little town that rolls its sidewalks up 

way too early.

 Prairie dogs - 100's of them all over

these fields.

 Elk coming out of the ravine to check things out.

 Bison - were everywhere.

 Baby bison too were all part of the traffic jam

happening in the park about sunset.

 These deer crossed the road, and we stopped of course

to gawk. The deer kept looking back across

the road and we couldn't see what they were looking at

but all of sudden they crossed back over to the right side.

Still didn't see anything.

 Bison rolling in the dirt.

 He was a big guy too.

 Feels better now.

 Wild horses.

Were they running through the ravine with their

manes flying.

No.

 This buffalo strolled on down this hill.

and of course, I didn't post the ENTIRE walk.

I was actually outside of the RV when he started

his stroll and when he got the bottom

he looked right at me so I hot-footed back in the RV

and he casually strolled right in front of me like

he had no plans and walked into the sunset.

So cool.

This photo looks better here than on my FB page.

Leaving Yellowstone - Bison jam

It appears it matters not what time you

go through Hayden Valley 

there's a bison jam.

 And in looking at this face you just know

they are messing with the humans.

 We finally blasted through and the

Roosevelt Lodge was having a stage coach rides.

I used the brownify again (Thomas Fitzgerald) to make it 

old timey. Which is so cool.

And here's the chuck wagon heading out - as we

saw horseback riders coming down the trail to meet up with 

the stage coaches....

 And we went over Dead Indian pass.

I hate windy, no barricade (this one added barricades) switchback

climbing high to the mountain roads. I really do.

The view is beautiful and they have a memorial to the Nez Perce Indians

that fled over the pass in 1877 and those that lost their lives

in a battle with the U.S. Army.

 This is coming down on the other side.

 The colors are so pretty.

 I'm not crazy about the road going down either.

But I sucked it up. LOL.

Buffalo, bears and elk oh my .... in Yellowstone

This is part of a bubbling pool (which I'm sure has a name)

but it seems my note taking is totally lacking.

This beautiful pool was by the side of the road and we

stopped to wander through the boardwalk.

It was on our way to Mammoth Hot Springs.

 And there are elk in the middle of Mammoth hot springs.

 Like right in the center of town.

 Acting like its all theirs.

 We were making our way back after a delicious

moose track ice cream

- mint and huge chocolate chips in Gardiner

and once again - the bison jam happened right on time.

LOL.

 Its rutting season and they were bellowing and snorting.

Really rather noisy.

 As we happened down the road - as usual there was the usual

crowd staring out into the tree line and curiosity

got the best of us and we stopped.

So glad we did - that's a grizzly bear and the first one

we have ever seen in the wild.

People were nuts - getting out of the car and sending their kids down

to the stream to see the bear up close and personal.

Uh....

WILD ANIMAL PEOPLE.

Just because we're in a park does NOT make them pets.

And Yellowstone Falls at artists' point.

The point where all of whom are of an artistic bent

go to paint, photograph and admire the falls.

Had a bit o'trouble with the lighting as the sun was off to 

the right of the falls.

Got a flair smidge and sky-blowout.

I changed it up and used a "brownify" enhancement in

Aperature that I downloaded from

Thomas Fitzgerald's blog - designer of said enhancement.

Love the old timey look.

Yellowstone National Park is amazing

If you ever need to pick a place to go PICK

Yellowstone!

It's an amazing national park - bar none.

(Yeah Nick I know you love Grand Tetons but....)

We camped in Bay Bridge and RV/Tent campground

that was bar bones. We boondocked - which means no facilities-

no electric- water - sewer and/or dump.

AS we were driving out of our camp on our way to look for critters

we didn't get around the first curve and SHAZAM - ELK.

 These are juvenile elk.

Right outside our RV window.

 And thermals and cauldrens.

And Bison jams.

 I truly think these bison KNOW exactly what they're doing.

 And they are totally messing with the humans.

At least twice a day they decide to cross the highway - 

to get to the other side.

Then decide they need to go back to the other side.

Because the grass is always greener

and its alot of fun to cause a traffic jam and make humans suffer and wait.

LOL.

 The Grand Prismatic Spring - is soooo pretty.

 And colorful. I took a photo for a group

and they returned the favor.

Love this pix.

 Its really pretty and hard to get the full effect.

 Old Faithful.

It used to be every hour on the hour but now its

give or take ten minutes LOL.

Love to think its female.

This is not the blue moon.

I missed it.

However, this is the day after. 

I had to google the professionals - but there settings

didn't work for me - naturally because

my moon was orange

 and their wasn't.

It was beautiful - teasing as it came over the mountain and lake,

first as a glimmer of light, then as a sliver.

Then more and more it revealed itself until it became 98% full.

And less orange.

I liked the orange.