Autumn in Yellowstone

As I said so many times even after 4 months there would be so much yet to see at Yellowstone.  Seeing the park dressed in early autumn color just made me want to visit all my favorite spots again as well.  This is the Firehole River near Biscuit Basin, a thermal basin I had not seen.  The fall grasses are just too much!

Here's the star of Biscuit Basin, Sapphire Pool, even though it's biscuits disappeared after the 1959 (?) earthquake.  Now I know why people asked where to go to see it.  Wow!

How about up close and deepest bright blue?  This was worth saving for last!  A new favorite!
Shell Spring is also a unique one- with little beads not biscuits.

The bison return to our end of the park in the fall from the eastern valleys and sometimes they like to lead the way.

The elk are constant visitors in the campground and with fewer people around I got a good photo.
What an elegant creature!

My Madison River path from the campground crosses a sea of red, tan and brown grasses with amazing rusty red dragonflies flitting along the banks.  Fly fisher people flit there too!

When we return to visit Yellowstone someday it will be in September I hope.  The crowds are fewer and the autumn colors add such richness to the scenery.

Saying Goodbye to Yellowstone and Montana

It has been so much fun seeing the seasons change here in Yellowstone.  The aspens we watched get their first leaves are now turning yellow, the ferns are brown and bold against the green pines and we have snow showers predicted for Sunday night.  So we might see the full circle last snow (May 16) to first snow in Sept.

We have had such a wonderful chance to see so much of the park and surrounding area that I didn't share on a blog.  So I'll include some favorite photos of different places this time.

We never get tired of making the trip north to Bozeman, MT. for specialty groceries and camp supplies.    The highway crosses 20 miles at the northwestern edge of the park along the Gallatin river and it is very beautiful!  I have been totally enthralled with it's history too!  We have enjoyed the Farmer's Market in Big Sky, a resort town in the valley.

This is Hebgen Lake about 20 miles north of West Yellowstone.  It is one of those stop and stare places that has some RV parks, lovely lakeside ranches and a few restaurants.  A favorite fishing spot for our generous trout fisher friends, Mitch, Ken and Missy.

This is the Hellroaring Creek Trail down to the Yellowstone River Suspension Bridge.  We were nearly eaten alive- not by the bears that had been seen in the parking lot- but by mosquitoes.  We had to give up the hike and never got beyond the River edge to the Creek.  The distant mountain and valley views were great however.

We happened on the wildflower peak on the slopes of Mt. Washburne where Terry set up for Amateur Radio Field Day on June 27.  I wandered around with my camera and did a short hike by myself following a group of other hikers for safety.  The variety and brilliance of the flowers was amazing.  I even saw Silky Phacelia a cousin to the Fringed Phacelia on Whitetop Mt. in VA.  Our lovely day soon turned stormy, but the rain held off and we set up our chairs to watch the storms circle about us.  A special moment!!

These are the valleys below Mt. Washburne- they extend as far as you can see without a speck of civilization in sight.  There are no trails just knolls and creeks, a safe refuge for Yellowstone Wildlife.  I really sense the vastness of the Park here.

I'll share some more photos and stories in future blog posts.  We will do our last Campground Duties in the next 2 days and then have 5 days for a few more hikes, campfires and lots of packing and sorting.  We look forward to getting back 'on the road' again and visiting with friends and family before we start our Oct. and Nov. job back at Willamette Mission near Salem, Oregon.