DAY 29 - JACKSON TO WEST YELLOWSTONE, VIA YELLOWSTONE NAT'L PARK

MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012

We drove 130 miles today, via US191North.  We started out by 10:24 AM, and within the first half hour, we came to a stand still, as a herd of Buffalo challenged the cars for space on the road.  They were determined to cross the highway, and provided us with some great pictures and videos.  One Bull was facing our truck and came within ten feet of our front bumper.

He eventually turned around and went back to the original side of the road where others had been waiting, to either follow him, or have him return.  He did look kind of threatening.

By 12:30 PM, we entered YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.  Within 17 miles from the entrance, we reached the elevation of 7,988 ft., and crossed the CONTINENTAL DIVIDE for the first time.  A heavy rain began to fall with accompanying thunder and lightening.  However, by 1:50 PM, the sun was shining again, and we crossed the CONTINENTAL DIVIDE for a second time at 8,262 ft. elevation.  We stopped to take pictures because I was so amazed to see Yellow Pond Lilies covering the surface of nothing more than a very small pond with the name of  ISA Lake.  A sign there explained that the West side of the road flowed off to the Pacific Ocean, and the East side we were on, flowed to the Mississippi River basin. 

Our second crossing of the Continental Divide, since it is not a straight line, and snakes
around the Park, crossing the highway several times in a horseshoe pattern, in this instance.

The entire surface of ISA Lake was covered with Yellow Pond Lilies.

You can see the recent rain still on the lily pads

.

In the next ten mile stretch of the Loop, we pulled off to

see Kepler Falls.

I've been learning more about taking water pictures with

my camera, and am pleased with this close-up of one section.

We left Kepler Falls at 2:15PM.  Six miles after passing the junction of West Thumb, there was another traffic stoppage.  This time it was an ELK with a full rack.  I was thrilled to say the least, and joined the paparazzi for the next fifteen minutes to take a video and pictures.

ELK having an afternoon snack.

Seventeen miles later, we crossed into MONTANA, and continued on

to West Yellowstone, Montana where we will spend three nights at The Grizzly RV Park.

We went into town for dinner, at the Timberline Cafe which had an excellent fresh salad bar with two choices of soup, and our Entree which included potato and a vegetable for $17.95,

and then did some grocery shopping.  Today was cool at 62 degrees, at 3:30 PM,

 when we arrived at Grizzly RV Park.  Russ believes it is because of the higher elevation.

We do not mind the cooler weather, as long as we continue

to have sunny days.