One last trip into Yellowstone

Osprey, String Lake, GTNP

Horse ride taking a break, String Lake, GTNP

 As the crowds are dwindling down here at the hatchery, we've gotten an extra couple of days off.  We decided to go into Yellowstone, spend a couple of days there, and stay inside the park in one of the lodges.

We started out taking one last walk around String Lake Monday (Labor Day) before going into Yellowstone.  After that, it was a picnic lunch at Colter Bay, then check in at the Elk Lodge at Grant Village.

View from Inspiration Point, YNP

Tuesday was a walk along the north rim trail of the Canyon area, lunch at the Canyon grille, and a stop at Lehardy Rapids (known for trout jumping during spawning season).  Wednesday was a drive along the Madison River with a walk along the board walk at Two Ribbon Trail (shows the regrowth after the 1988 wildfires), a stop at Gibbon Falls, a drive along Firehole Canyon, lunch at the Old Faithful Geyser Basin, and a walk to the Natural Bridge near Bridge Bay.

We returned to the hatchery today.  Overall, we found Yellowstone still busy (still too many people for our taste), and parking is in very limited supply at the popular sites.  Campgrounds were full, and only the Grant Village Lodges had any rooms available.  Tour buses in full force our two days there.

We had a good time, though.  Now we're looking at coming back over the winter at some point in the future just to see the difference.  We'll see how that works out. 

Duck, Lehardy Rapids, YNP

This is our last weekend to work at the hatchery this season.   The other volunteer couple has left.  Donna mowed one last time as we ran the gas out of the volunteers' lawnmower.  Donna cleaned the hummingbird feeder one last time.  Tonight we're watching football and awaiting thunderstorms to arrive.  Interesting how the weather gets back to raining just when it's time for us to travel.  Oh, well...

Anyway, I've put some highlights from our three-night stay in Yellowstone. 

Ducks, Lehardy Rapids, YNP

Hope you enjoy the pictures.  I'm off to see how many moths I can kill.  Until next week, David

GTNP = Grand Teton Natl Park
YNP = Yellowstone Natl Park

Lehardy Rapids, YNP

Gibbon Falls, YNP

Natural Bridge, Bridge Bay, YNP

Madison River, YNP