The Wild West describes our trip to Montana this summer.
We flew into Bozeman and drove about an hour to a small town called Emigrant. The Old Crow Medicine Show was the band we saw at the Old Saloon (est. 1902) in Emigrant, Montana. It was an outdoor venue in a friendly small town with lots of hats and boots. Emigrant is about 45 minutes from Yellowstone National Park. We entered the park through Gardiner, Montana, which is the north entrance.
When visiting a national park, make sure that you take advantage of the NPS app, which enables you to make the most of your visit. The sweet park ranger shared this info with us, which was a beneficial tip. She also told us to download the info while we had service because there are plenty of places within the park that don’t have any.
We drove the loop. Each side of the park has vastly different views and scenery. I recommend spending more time in the park than just a day.
My favorite was seeing the Old Faithful Geyser in action. The NPS app will give you a window of +/- 12 minutes for the next eruption. It also provides some statistics, such as the duration of eruptions, ranging from 1.5 to 5 minutes, along with the height, temperatures, etc. Parking was limited, so we had to wait until the next predicted timeframe, but the area has a restaurant and gift shops, along with walking trails. Check out the video I’ve posted of Old Faithful. I estimate she gave us about a 4-minute show—and what a fantastic display!
Where the buffalo roam could be the cause of your Yellowstone traffic jam. Not kidding! The bison, often confused with buffalo, may walk in the middle of the road and block traffic. They are huge. I have to say, everything seems bigger in Montana and Wyoming. We saw a lot of bison and elk. While there were “Beware of Bears” signs everywhere, we didn’t see any. I really was hoping to see them at a very healthy distance. Maybe next time.
The geysers were fascinating. You would see the steam coming from the earth and then the turquoise-blue colors bubbling. I was surprised by how many geysers there are throughout the park.
I’m lacking the words to describe the mountains. They are majestic, tall, peaked, rough, some tree-covered while others are bare and rocky. The Canyon section of the park has deep ravines and massive rocks that intrigue the mind with their shapes, textures, and colors. How can a rock offer so much, including the distant waterfalls? It’s mind-blowing.
We also explored a couple of the nearby towns. Chico Hot Springs Resort was one of them, where we took advantage of the day pass, utilizing the pool filled with mineral hot spring water. Then, on our way back to the airport, we stopped at Livingston, Montana, which was a charming historic town. The old architectural buildings made you want to stay awhile. We enjoyed a nice lunch at Trunorth Café.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so make sure to view the photos online to truly experience the beauty of our trip.