2017 Summer Road Trip: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Alisha says: A couple of months before our trip we tried to plan out and get as many campground reservations as possible but there was nothing available in Yellowstone so two days before we were heading to Yellowstone just for fun Dave decided to check the campground reservations and by some amazing luck we were able to snag four nights in the Grant Village Campground. It was a long 8.5+ hour day in the car so once we arrived (and waited in a huge very slowly moving campground check in line) we just set up camp, went to the Grant Village store and headed to bed.

Our first day was full to the brim with seeing the sights. We first started off by walking around the boardwalks of Norris Geyser Basin. Next we walked up to Artist Paintpots trail to check out the thick bubbly pots of mud. Skye's new favorite way to see the sights is sitting on Dave's shoulders. She would walk a little bit on this trail but mostly she wanted to ride up top. We made our way back to the Old Faithful area for some much needed lunch (we were all getting a little hangry). After refueling we walked over and caught a great eruption of Old Faithful. Skye was just starting to fall asleep so she didn't really get to see it. Since she was napping we walked all around the Upper Geyser Basin. This area is so cool because there is just so many different thermal features packed into a small area. Lots of great things to see, besides Old Faithful which is really cool I really like the Morning Glory Pool. Our walk took just long enough that by the time we returned to Old Faithful it was time for another eruption and this time Skye was awake to enjoy it. We were all tuckered out from being out from a full day and over 8 miles of hiking.

Our next day was a little more relaxed as we slept in and enjoyed lounging in the hammock around the campsite. Skye had been a really great trooper on the trip so far but for some reason was being extra needy a bit whiny and it was taking its toll on Dave and I a little bit. We took an outing to West Thumb Geyser Basin and walked around. This area is right on the edge of Yellowstone Lake and the area had gotten so much snow that year that the fishing hole geyser was under water. This area has some really pretty big pools of emerald green and turquoise color that look like they would make awesome swimming holes if they weren't a zillion degrees hot. We followed up our little walk with a fun lunch at the Grant Village Dining Room.

After packing up our campsite and hitching up the trailer our plan was to stop at one of my very favorite sights Grand Prismatic Springs on our way out of the park. Yellowstone is always busy but this area was crazy busy and since we were pulling the trailer it was a bit stressful finding a place to park. Eventually we found a spot along the road and had to walk a ways but it was okay. Although all the people made it less enjoyable I still love this huge steamy pool with the different colors of algae around the edges.

Skye riding on Dave's shoulder at the Artist Paintpots trail:

Old Faithful:

Morning Glory Pool:

Everyone was tired after a long day of awesome sightseeing:

Campsite:

West Thumb Geyser Basin:

Grand Prismatic Spring: