WYOMING-MONTANA, YELLOWSTONE NATL PARK

We're looking for bears as we start our drive north, but all we see are buffalo and whitewater rivers that you're not allowed to paddle. We have a late breakfast at Gibbon Falls and then stop at the Artist's Paintpots, and then Mammoth Hot Springs.  Parking is a problem, especially for a motor home, but with patience we always find a slot.

We cross into Montana just before we leave the park.  We follow the Yellowstone River, the longest free flowing river in America.  We stop at a wayside to let the dogs swim.  We get on the interstate at Livingston and head west to Bozeman.  We find a Walmart and bed down for the night.

Yellowstone National Park bus.

Yellowstone National Park

Firehole Falls, Yellowstone National Park

Gibbon River, Yellowstone National Park

Gibbon Falls , Yellowstone National Park

Artists Paintpots, Yellowstone National Park

Artist's paintpot

Another artist's paintpots

Yellowstone National Park

Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone 

Mammoth Hot Springs...not very active.

Leaving Yellowstone National Park and entering into Montana

View from wayside along the Yellowstone River, Montana

Yellowstone River, Montana

WYOMING, GRAND TETON, YELLOWSTONE

In Dubois we have bison sausage for breakfast.  We finish just as the shops are opening.  Peggy can't resist.

We follow the wind river upstream and stop at a fishing hole to let the dogs play.  Soon the Tetons appear and we enter the Grand Teton National Park.  The smokey haze keeps us from getting a good photo.  We head north along Jackson Lake and into Yellowstone National Park where we cross the Continental Divide three times.

We stop to watch Old Faithful and then have supper in the Old Faithful Inn.  This seven story, rustic log and frame structure, nearly 700 feet in length, was built in the winter of 1903-04 and added on in  1915 and 1927.  There are currently 327 rooms available for guests visits.  This is a National Historic Landmark.

We stay in the visitor's parking lot for the night.

Miniature mill.

My kind of shopping in Dubois.

Elk antler arch in town.

Grand Teton National Park

More Grand Teton shrouded in forest fire smoke.

Old Faithful In Yellowstone National Park.

Lobby of Old Faithful Inn

WYOMING, WIND RIVER

Peggy wants to ride her mountain bike down to the main road.  It's mostly down hill so it only takes her about a half hour.  she sees a pair of pronghorns along the way.

We cross the Sweetwater River which only has a trickle but the river basin is the only place where there is any green.  we enter the Wind River Indian Reservation which is home to the Shoshone.  We stop in Ft. Washakie where we help the Indian economy.  We pull over next to the Wind River for the night.  This river is wide and the water is fast and clear.  If you want to appreciate Virginia's lush climate, just come to Wyoming where it's so dry you get thirsty just crossing the street.

Pronghorns

Carved bear bench at the Wind River Indian Reservation.

Nowhere, Wyoming

Yes, it is windy.

Leaving Ft. Washakie.

Beautiful red rock mountains.

WYOMING, RIVERSIDE AND GREEN MOUNTAIN

We peddle up to the post office and then down for breakfast.  We try to find the Indian bathtubs but they are not down by the river.  We break camp and Peggy rides her bike out to their trail head then we hike up to these rock formations that have depressions worked into them by the elements.

We head north through the Great Divide Basin.  This is where the continental divide splits and creates a basin 100 miles long and 40 miles wide.  There's very little rain here, but it wouldn't escape the basin anyway.  Our first pass is at 7,714 feet and the second pass is 6,720 feet.  Neither have names but the basin between them is pretty flat, nothing but sagebrush and sand.  There is a feature here called Flat Lake.

We turn off the main road and drive 11 dusty miles up into Green Mountain.  We take a primitive forest service campsite called Cottonwood Creek that only costs three dollars.  They call this Green Mountain because it's the only one with trees.

Mitch peddling to the post office.

Taking a break after that long, hot, dusty hike.

Almost there.

Looks like a bathtub.

Fits like a bathtub.

Hard to bath without water.  Poudre, if you jump in how will you get out?

'Aarf, aarf,' how do I get out?

Time to run before someone wants to give me a bath.

Beautiful green rock lichen photobombed by Mitch,

This is called 'Split Rock' because of the splits in the rocks.

WYOMING, ENCAMPMENT

After a Beartrap Cafe breakfast we unpack the bikes and explore the towns of Riverside and Encampment.  Encampment was used as the Rendezvous for the trappers ad traders during the early 1800's.  The Ute used it before that and evidence shows that Paleoman stayed here for a while.

We climb the hill to the museum and are delighted by a two hour tour given by a fellow called Cowboy.  He takes us through a dozen buildings that have been relocated from various parts of the county.  On our way back we visit an old smelter site.

Encampment Museum grounds.

Cowboy, our museum tour guide.

Big Wheel used in Tie Hack camps to help pick up logs. 

High mountain outhouse.  Top is used in the winter when
the snows cover up the bottom.

The Hack Cabin, made from railroad ties.

The Peryam House once used as a stop for travelers.

The Wolfard Schoolhouse, built in 1886 was the first schoolhouse in the area.

Sheep Wagon invented in 1884, home to sheep herders.

View from the fire tower at the museum.