Majestic Yellowstone

My sister Erika and I were still living in Rhode Island in 1990, and we came to the northwestern USA to visit our father, who had moved to Idaho in 1987. Dad wanted to take us to Yellowstone National Park, and I was supposed to go with him during my 1988 visit to Idaho, but he had severely cut his toe mowing his lawn. So, the trip was postponed.

In July 1990, my sister and I were able to take a trip to Yellowstone National Park with Dad, and it was a very memorable trip.

We landed in Boise late at night and after staying in a hotel there, we left for Yellowstone early the next morning. Dad, Erika, and I stayed in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for the night before going to Yellowstone the next morning. I have to say that Jackson Hole is the most expensive place in the world to stay in. Motel 6 there was expensive, too.

The next morning, Dad, Erika, and I entered Yellowstone via the Grand Tetons National Park, which was breathtaking. "Grand Tetons" was named by French fur trappers in the 18th Century and means "big breasts," and that''s what the Grand Tetons looked like to us.

When we finally entered Yellowstone National Park from the Grand Tetons, we were stuck in a "buffalo jam." Yes, a "buffalo jam." There was a bison walking along the main road taking its own sweet time getting back to its herd. A park ranger was behind the bison the whole time making sure that the bison did not make a sudden move and bolt into traffic. Dad was yelling to me in the back seat, "Get a picture, get a picture!" I got a shot, but when I got my film back from the developers later, I unfortunately had blocked my view finder with my finger, and my bison shot was ruined.

Yellowstone National Park is thousands of years old and was purchased by the USA in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase and was declared a national park by Congress in 1872, making it today the largest National Park in the USA. President Theodore Roosevelt visited this park in 1903 as part of his conservation policy.

Dad, Erika, and I spent three days in Yellowstone National Park seeing the important sights like the Grand Canyon, Mammoth Hot Springs, and of course, Old Faithful. We also saw many elk, bison, deer, and coyotes, but we did not see any bears which are in the park too.

Quick Tips:

If you are in good shape, a horseback ride is highly recommended to see the beauty of Yellowstone close up. Dad, Erika, and I took a guided horseback ride through Yellowstone one morning. The stables are located near Roosevelt Lodge and there are short morning rides and evening rides that end with a cowboy dinner. You need to make reservations for the Cowboy dinner before you visit Yellowstone because it sells out fast in the summer.

In order to see this area of America in all of its beauty, enter the park via the Grand Tetons National Park. There are special admission rates to see both parks at one price. When you leave Yellowstone, depart via West Yellowstone, Montana and enter Idaho to see the Sawtooth Mountain Recreation Area.

Make sure that you bring good sturdy walking shoes for all of the walking you will be doing and warm clothing is a must, even in the summer when it still gets very cold at night and early mornings.

Best Way To Get Around:

There are tour busses that go to Yellowstone all the time, but the best way to see Yellowstone is by car. If you enter Yellowstone via Grand Tetons National Park, take Highway 89 North from Jackson Hole. Highway 89 goes all the way through Yellowstone into Mammoth Hot Springs and into Montana.

To exit Yellowstone via West Yellowstone, take Highway 89 to Highway 20 into West Yellowstone and into Idaho.

Please stay to the National Park Service Roads and bring out everything you bring in. Taking pinecones and other natural souvenirs is forbidden and Park Rangers will enforce these rules strictly.

For more information on touring Yellowstone and its surrounding sights, see Yahoo! for the best information on the park and accommodations.

Roosevelt Lodge is named for President Theodore Roosevelt, who visited Yellowstone National Park in 1903 and fought to conserve it and many other national parks in the USA.

If you are looking for the ultimate Yellowstone camping experience minus the wet tents and bears eating your food, you must stay at Roosevelt Lodge. Roosevelt Lodge consists of many spartan cabins with a full-size bed, a woodstove, and a table and chairs. Nothing much, but it is cozy. So, if you stay at Roosevelt Lodge, make sure that you bring sleeping bags, blankets, towels, and pillows because they are not provided by the Roosevelt Lodge staff. The bathrooms and showers are located in another building on the grounds and are fully equipped. Dad forgot about the facilities being in another building when he and Mom went back to Yellowstone in 2001, and he thought he would encounter a bear on one of his many nightly visits to the bathroom, but he didn''t encounter Yogi and Boo Boo and came home safely.

Dad, Erika, and I enjoyed three days at Roosevelt Lodge in July 1990. It was a different camping experience. Erika and I shared one cabin and bed while Dad stayed in another cabin next door to us. Every morning we were in Roosevelt Lodge, Dad would come to our cabin and wake us up with leftover corn muffins from our dinner from the night before and get our woodstove going so we wouldn''t be cold while getting dressed. Even in July, Yellowstone mornings can be very cold (40 degrees F) or less. Then Erika and I would argue with each other about her hogging the bed and sleeping bag all night long. She is 5''10" and spreads out. The next night, we went without our sleeping bag "pillow" and slept in separate sleeping bags on the bed and were happy. So was Dad because he was not looking forward to the rest of his vacation being spent listening to his two daughters fighting like alley cats.

Roosevelt Lodge is one of the cheapest accommodations in Yellowstone National Park and very nice and clean. The rustic lodge has a great restaurant and an expensive convenience store in case you want ice cream or souvenirs. It is worth two or more nights to get the total Yellowstone experience.

The Roosevelt Lodge Restaurant is a great place for you to have dinner after a long day of horseback riding, driving, or hiking in Yellowstone. The decor of the restaurant is very rustic, with log-cabin architecture and the requisite deer and moose heads on the walls.

If you are hungry after your long and adventurous day, then the Roosevelt Lodge Restaurant is the place to be. The food is stick-to-your-ribs-and-fingers good barbecue. Dad, Erika, and I ate there every night we were staying in Yellowstone, and we would have either the barbecue ribs or chicken. The ribs and chicken are smothered in a yummy barbecue sauce, and you would wish you were a piece of meat. The meal comes with coleslaw, corn, and potatoes, and you might have a problem getting away from the table after you eat here, because you won't be able to move!

The best way to see Yellowstone National Park is by horseback. There are daily tours by horseback that leave from the stables near Roosevelt Lodge. They are led by experienced guides who will help you mount the horse, show you how to ride the horse, and guide you on the many trails that go through Yellowstone.

My sister Erika, Dad, and I went on one of these trips in 1990. Before we got started, my sister Erika had a heck of a time getting on her horse and Dad and I had to keep from laughing as the horse tried to take off when Erika tried to mount him or her. There were two German tourists waiting to go on the trip, too, and if my little knowledge of German was right, they were making fun of my poor sister.

The ride was great and with lots of memories. My horse''s name was Louis, and he constantly stopped to go to the bathroom and eat grass. I fell behind many times because of Louis. I had the camera for my family and everytime Dad saw a coyote or elk he would yell, "Take a picture! Take a picture! Hurry!" Trying to control a horse and take a picture at the same time is not easy, but I managed to get some good shots of the scenery and wildlife, but unfortunately did not see Yogi or Boo Boo Bear.

Unfortunately, when my family and I were in Yellowstone, we did not get to go on a horseback tour that had the picnic dinner included because it was sold out. My Mom and Dad went the year before and went on the dinner ride, and they said the food and coffee were great. Make sure that you can handle riding on a horse for about 2-3 hours before you decide to go on the trip. If not, there are bus tours for those with less fragile butts.

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone National Park is breathtaking and one of the natural wonders of the world. It is located in the Lower Loop of Yellowstone near the West Entrance and is not to be missed when you visit Yellowstone.

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is one of the biggest canyons in the USA next to the Grand Canyon in Arizona and Hell's Canyon on the Idaho/Oregon border. It cuts across Yellowstone's landscape for about 20 miles and at 1,200 feet, it is one of the deepest canyons. The Yellowstone River runs through the Grand Canyon, and two waterfalls have been created from the Yellowstone River. The waterfalls are a gorgeous shade of emerald green from all of the minerals that go through the waters and canyons of Yellowstone. They are very powerful and high falls with the Lower Falls going down 308 feet, and the Upper Falls plunging 109 feet into the Canyon.

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone has many paths to walk to and from it for all levels of difficulty, but are OK for beginners. The paths are very steep and can get slippery. My sister Erika fell down two times trying to get down the Canyon and skinned her knee pretty bad. She was so upset about falling, she stormed back up to our car in tears and waited in the car for Dad and I to finish the trip. Also if it has snowed or rained in Yellowstone, the roads leading to the Grand Canyon may be closed. So, call ahead to see if the Canyon roads are open before making the trip.

Our trip to the Grand Canyon and its scenery is one of my most fondest memories of our trip to Yellowstone.

It was a rainy afternoon in Yellowstone, and Dad, Erika, and I decided to drive up to Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone's Upper Loop to check it out.

Mammoth Hot Springs are thousands of years old and are another natural wonder of Yellowstone National Park. The Jupiter-like terraces are from limestone deposits called travertine. This element gives the terraces its pristine white colors along with algaes and other minerals that give the springs its Jupiter-like rings and colors.

When Dad, Erika, and I first arrived at Mammoth Hot Springs, we were overcome by a stench like rotten eggs. It was from all of the sulfur from the natural hot springs. We both declared we had arrived in Jupiter, but we were still on Planet Earth.

Mammoth Hot Springs are located in the Upper Loop of Yellowstone National Park near the Montana border. They are in the northernmost part of the park and are about 30-45 minutes from Roosevelt Lodge, where we were staying during our Yellowstone stay.

Of course, no trip to Yellowstone National Park would be complete without the obligatory trip to Old Faithful Geyser, the most popular sight in the park.

Dad, my sister Erika, and I arrived in Yellowstone National Park in July 1990 and one of our first stops was to see Old Faithful. First, we stopped at the historic Old Faithful Inn and took photos there before continuing on to the geyser. For a reasonable rate, you can stay at the hotel and hear Old Faithful erupt on an hourly basis. But Dad had made reservations for us to rough it at the Roosevelt Lodge.

Old Faithful Geyser is thousands of years old and is one of the oldest active geysers in the world. It can spew water as high as 100 feet when erupting, but Dad thought in 1990 that Old Faithful had lost its power and its plume was higher in 1989 when he took our mother to Yellowstone.

Once at Old Faithful, Dad, Erika, and I had to wait about a half an hour for the next eruption. There are benches around the geyser for one to sit on and wait and not get tired. So, we sat down and waited and watched people from all over the world talking and waiting. There was a tour group from France at Old Faithful that day along with many Japanese tourists and many Americans.

After patiently waiting for Old Faithful to do its thing, it finally erupted. It was quite a sight and everyone was quickly taking pictures. Dad had Erika and I pose in front of the erupting geyser, and it was one of the best photos from our Yellowstone trip. Dad was unimpressed with Old Faithful since it is a popular tourist attraction, but one has to see it to admire the natural beauty of it.

Old Faithful is located at the Lower Loop of Yellowstone, and Old Faithful Inn is nearby.