Yellowstone: Day Two

Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River

The Yellowstone River flows from small snow-fed streams into Lake Yellowstone. It is the only outlet from the lake, slowly meandering north for several miles. Then it speeds up, preparing to take two giant leaps into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and running fast and wild for miles until it moves out of the Park and winds its way toward Billings, Montana. It continues onward until it empties into the Missouri River in North Dakota. It is the longest undammed river in the United States.

Some speculate the 1,200 foot deep Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone was carved in just a few days some 18,000 years ago. They say a large ice dam at the mouth of Lake Yellowstone - created as the glaciers from the last ice age receded - broke and the primordial lake created a massive flood cutting through layers of relatively soft rock.

Upper Falls of the Yellowstone.

However the canyon was created, it is truly spectacular. Both the Upper and Lower Waterfalls of the river are breathtaking and provide some amazing views.

We got up earlier than usual, ate a quick breakfast at one of the Canyon Village concessions, then headed out to beat the crowds to view the falls. We were successful, getting decent parking and great views of both falls before the hordes descended on the roads.

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

One wall of the Canyon.

We then drove south, stopping at the Mud Volcano area, which has many bubbling hot springs, mudpots and fumarroles. We stretched our legs with a half-mile hike up and back down a hill to see them all. This area is on the eastern side of the park, well away from the more famous areas close the the Old Faithful geyser.

The Mud Volcano. This has erupted many times, often shooting mud and steam hundreds of feet in the air.

More fumaroles and steam vents down the hill from the Mud Volcano.

We drove further south to the Bridge Bay Marina, where we had booked a one-hour boat ride on the Lake, which proved to be a lot of fun and informative.

The small general store at the Bridge Bay area. There is a large campsite nearby.

The marina. Docking fees for the entire season are about $1,200 per month, or about the same as three nights in one of the lodges. Some people bring their larger boats and live on them throughout the summer.

Aboard the Lake Queen II.

Looking south across lake from the boat.

We then headed back north, passing Canyon Village and going over Dunraven Pass, at more than 8,900 feet the highest paved pass in the park, that is next to Mt. Washburn.

Bison getting a drink in the Yellowstone River.

Odometer reading at the top of Dunraven Pass.

The view heading north from Dunraven Pass.

One more spectacular view near Dunraven Pass.

We went to the Roosevelt Corrals where we had booked a horse-drawn chuck-wagon ride to a cookout on the range. Along the way we came upon a stopped group of cars, all watching a grizzly bear foraging 15 feet away from us just off the side of the road. Unfortunately we didn't get our phones up fast enough to get a good picture.

On the wagon to the cookout.

There were several hundred people on the "Cowboy Cookout" ride and meal, which was way more than we anticipated. However, the food was the best we ate in the park - fire-grilled steaks cooked to order with some great sides and a huckleberry crisp for dessert.

The wagons and stagecoaches lined up to head back to the corral.

After dinner the wagons took us back to the Corrals, which are next to the Roosevelt Lodge. Although named for Teddy Roosevelt, who came to Yellowstone several times and as President signed the legislation creating the park, the lodge is not built anywhere close to places Roosevelt actually stayed. But it's a cool looking old lodge with a smallish restaurant and bar. There are many small, quite rustic cabins there.

Restaurant in Roosevelt Lodge.

Not wanting to drive the winding roads up and over the pass at night, we drove right back to Canyon, arriving just as the sun was setting. It was a full but rewarding day!