Oct 4, 2008

Day 13 - Yellowstone All Day!

We booked into the Stagecoach Inn at West Yellowstone for 2 nights so we could have one full day exploring Yellowstone - today is that day! We headed north around the grand loop in Yellowstone park, making our first stop at Mammoth Hot Springs. The mineral deposits from thousands of years of flowing thermal springs make the place look like a winter wonderland.





While driving around the grand loop we saw lots of wildlife. Dakota was especially fond of the Bison (Buffalo).





We made it to Old Faithful just in time to see the almost predictable eruption. They say the geyser blows about every 90 minutes but that's just a rough estimate. Dakota got a little impatient when Old Faithful was 15 minutes late.




We wandered over to the 104 year old Old Faithful Inn after the geyser eruption to look at the amazing architecture. While there we met an author signing his book of Yellowstone photography. We decided his pictures were better than ours and Dakota got him to autograph the book just for him!




Dakota saw lots of wildlife at Yellowstone - Buffalo, elk, deer, and ground squirrels. He did not get to see a bear. We suspect that the bears were a rare sight because most of the berries and other 'bear food' were no longer in the Yellowstone area. They have had a few frosts and are expecting snow there Saturday night. We tried to keep Dakota entertained with things that looked like bears. He seemed happy enough.





Toward the end of the day we went exploring a few walking paths. It was interesting to see the small new "lodge pole" pine trees that were growing everywhere. They are a direct result of the fire in 1988. Fire is the only way a lodge pole pine cone can release its' seeds. Dakota got a kick out of climbing a small one.
Our last stop was Tower Falls. There is a great view of the falls from the top of the trail but the signs said the path to the lower falls had been washed out so that view was inaccessible. Dakota decided to make his own way down to the bottom of the falls. That is how he broke his leg but we'll save that story for tomorrow.




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3 COMMENTS - Click here to leave YOURS!:

Anonymous said...

I just found your blog today... how fun!! Love Dakota. He's a real charmer! Can't wait to take a look around and see what else he is up to.

Anonymous said...

Hey It's Logan Miranda's cousin love the blog!!! And the Sax photo!!!! Our family loves Dakota!!!
Logan

elphabainwicked said...

Sounds like you had an amazing adventure in Yellowstone. I did my normal laughing through your blog, but lost it when you said about Dakota breaking his leg...roflmao!!!

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