2013 Winter Adventure Day 7

We headed out for breakfast before leaving our motel to go to Yellowstone National Park and Mammoth Hot Springs.  As we left our room, Babs shot this photo of the sunrise and recorded the temperature.

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We decided to ride out to Lamar Valley to see if any wolves were out. The 30 mile ride didn’t yield any wolf sightings but presented us with other animal encounters and beautiful scenery.

We had barely gotten a few miles into the park when we had a Buffalo herd strolling down the middle of the road.  They accommodated us by moving to either side of the road.

Another two miles down the road we had another encounter with a herd not so eager to share the road.  We sat at a “stand-off” for about five minutes before the big bull got them moving.  

Did I mention that we thought yesterday was cold? Check out today’s dash board temperature.

The first non-buffalo critter sighting was this bull elk with a trophy rack.

Shortly thereafter, we had this coyote cross the road in front of us.

The ride back from Lamar Valley was on an icy road with snow covered trees.

We also came upon this stag elk feeding on the grass under the snow. He didn’t even bother to look up!

Entering the town of Mammoth Babs took a photo of the church and the Mammoth Hot Springs hotel.

Our last stop in the park was the Mammoth Hot Springs where Babs donned her new bear hat the kids gave her for Christmas.

The hot springs was producing a whole lot of steam making photography difficult.  Babs did her best to capture the springs.

Sulfur crystals on a plant from steam from the hot springs.

Marking the Yellowstone National Park boundary is this arch which was built in 1871.

Finally, Babs documented our drive from Gardiner, MT to today’s destination, West Yellowstone, MT, icy roads and more snow!

We ate dinner at the Three Bears Restaurant. I had a bowl of delicious home made chicken  noodle soup and mac and cheese.  Babs had mac and cheese and green beans. 

We'll be in West Yellowstone for the the next four nights.  Tomorrow we do laundry.

Babs Says: I love Yellowstone!