2024 Spring trip to Yellowstone!

A quick trip to Yellowstone was booked for May and even though we had just come off the big Texas trip we were ready and raring to go again. We hadn't seen Rowan since January or been to Bozeman since last September, so it was time for another trip! Plus, Liz never tires of visiting Rowan or going to her favorite national park. 😊

Madeleine joined us for the trip and got a small taste of camper life on the drive to Montana. We overnighted in Coeur d'Alene at a Harvest Host brewery where we enjoyed a good dinner, beer and cider, then explored the downtown area. None of us had been there since college and it brought back some fun memories. Sleeping in the parking lot of the brewery next to I-90 was definitely nothing to write home about, but hey, it was free and very convenient.

The next night we met up with Rowan in Gardiner at the north park entrance, where we stayed in a little hotel. The real adventure started the next morning at 5:30am when we went on a wildlife viewing trip led by Michelle from Yellowstone Wolftracker. This company was recommended by the wildlife biologist who taught the Yellowstone Institute course Liz attended last summer. And it was 6 hours of amazing animal experiences!

What ya looking at? Our first sighting was a mellow moose enjoying her breakfast.

Howls to Everyone! Even wolf packs enjoy family reunions!

We were extraordinarily luck to get to watch a wolf pack for about an hour and a half while they gathered by the Lamar River, fed on a dead bison, and socialized and rested. The whole Mollie pack (10 wolves!) was there except the Alpha female who was far away at her den with her pups. And we got to hear them howl several times as they were calling to a young wolf from their pack who had run down the valley! Watch the video below to see how one starts and then they all chime in and then greet each other as they are all reunited (no sound unfortunately, it was too far away to capture).

These beautiful wild creatures are highly social, loyal, and family-oriented, which is a primary reason they were befriended by early humans and eventually evolved into our beloved domesticated dogs.

This eagle was pretty far away but we got a good view through the spotting scopes of him enjoying a duck for lunch. Ahh, the circle of life.

Today was about nature and how if left alone without human management she can truly thrive. Breathtaking and beautiful.

Arriving at our lodging at Yellowstone Lake was a bit of a surprise. But at almost 8000 feet I guess still being frozen solid is expected! At least the rooms were very cozy and most of our adventures were lower in the park where there was very little snow.

The next day it was all about geysers and thermal features!

Steamboat is a serious Geyser. Doesn't erupt very often but shoots rocks hundreds of feet when it does. Look behind the Geyser to see what it's might can do.

Lets not forget the wildflowers of Yellowstone and Montana. Truly a great time to visit.

Now for a few more animals from the park. Bison, Pronghorn antelope, more Moose, Bison calves, Grizzly Bears, and what we think was a Snowshoe Hare with its summer coat! It's hard to go anywhere and NOT see animals, which is why we love it so much.

On the last day we spent the afternoon doing a little remote work from the Slough Creek area and watching the alpha female wolf from the Junction Butte pack. She was at her den with her pups inside - we saw her come out but not her pups. People said they are probably still too little to come out of the den.

On the way home we spent a day in Bozeman hanging out with Rowan seeing his apartment, meeting his roommate, seeing changes on the MSU campus, enjoying some great restaurants. Bozeman is a great little city and the Gallatin Valley is absolutely gorgeous. We're so happy that Rowan is enjoying his time there at MSU!

Then we were headed home along I-90 and stayed halfway at a dispersed campground just north of St. Regis Montana. This site is on the Clark Fork River and very peaceful. Just six hours from home so it made for a great stopover.

Here's a picture of Skye having dinner in his Bailey Chair - we decided he needed to enjoy the view of the river too!