Saturday, June 11, 2011

Yellowstone Trip Travel Log


Finally, I made the trip to Yellowstone. Hurray!!! 


June 1: Salt Lake City


Bingham Canyon Copper Mine

12800 South State Route 111 Bingham Canyon, UT

Great Salt Lake State Park

Located about 16 miles west of Salt Lake City.
From I-80, take Exit 104 to the marina.

LDS Temple Square
50 West North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-0001


The Mormon missionaries there are very friendly and eager to tell you about their church and the architectures. There are only four or five buildings in the Temple Square, but we spent almost the whole afternoon there.

Utah State Capitol Building
120 State Capitol, 350 N. State Street, SLC, UT 84114

This building looks like the United States Capitol. Not only Chinese local officals are copycats :-). 


June 2: SLC to Yellowstone and Grand Teton

Salt Lake City to Grand Teton 
I-15N --> McCammon --> US-30N --> Soda Spring --> Idaho SH-34N --> US-89N

We have planned to go through I-15N and US-89N to Grand Teton National Park, but missed the entrance to US-89N. Therefore we took an unconventional route via US-30N and Idaho State Highway 34N. This proved an happy accident. The scenery along these two state highways are spectacular, including vast wheat field, forests, ranches, bushes, scattered lakes and creeks. It is so beautiful that we are not quite surprised when we actually entered Grant Teton. There is no gas station for about one hundred miles along Idaho Highway 34. So fill your tank if you decide to follow this way.  

Grand Teton National Park 
Jackson Hole --> Moose Junction --> Teton Park Road  --> Jenny Lake +Inspiration Point Trail --> Teton Park Road --> Teton Park Road --> John D. Rockefeller Hwy --> Yellowstone South Entrance

Jenny Lake is small but lovely lake. We hiked around the south rim of the lake but did not made it to Inspiration Point due to heavy snow. But we saw two moose on the trail and we were just two meters away from those moose. Mooses have a long face. I nicknamed them "donkey deer".
 
In Grand Teton, there are two roads from south to north. The above line is West Line, which is the canonical route to visit Grand Teton. Someone also highly recommends the East Line, which follows US-191 (Wyoming Centenial Seneric Hwy). It starts from Moose Junction, passes Oxbow Bend Turnout, Snake River Overlook, Schwabacher Landing and Mormon Row and finally joins the Teton Park road to JDR  highway. These two routes make a circle inside the Teton Park. If you have enough time or decide to pass Grand Teton twice, you may try both lines.  

Lodging and Dining
Grant Village; Grant Village Dining Room
Grant Village: General Store and Mini Store; Grant Village Restaurant 
(307) 242-3400 ‎


June 3: Old Faithful Area and Norris Area


I will mark those points of interest, which are worth visiting but we have not been able to visit, in italic character.

Lake Area: West Thump Geyser Basin

The West Thump Geyser Basin is close to our lodge at Grant Village and makes our first stop at Yellowstone National Park. There are some small hot springs in this area and some of them are even located in the Lake. They are cute, but do not spend too much time, you will have plenty of time to enjoy hot springs, geysers and the sulphur "boiled-egg" smell in other area of the park.
From West Thump to Old Faithful
Isa Lake, Craig Pass, Kepler Cascades, Lone Star Geyser 
Old Faithful Area: Upper Geyser Basin
It is helpful to get park news from the visitor center and the eruption time of the Old Faithful Geyser. There are two trails here, the 1 mile Geyser Hill Loop Trail and Observation Point Loop Trail. Along the Geyser Hill Loop trail, you are able to observe   many geysers in close distance, such Beehive geyser and lion geyser. There is even a Chinese geyser but it is very small. We joked it looks like Chinese hot pot. The Observation Point Loop Trail gains about 200 ft. in elevation to a prominent overlook providing a great view of the Upper Geyser Basin. It starts Firehole River footbridge behind Old Faithful Geyser.

Old Faithful Area: Midway Geyser Basin
The name of Midway Geyser Basin sounds ordinary but this place is undoubted the best because the Grand Prismatic Spring is located in this area. It is the largest and most beautiful hot spring. This is the last place you want to miss in Yellowstone National Park. First take the broadwalk to observe the spring in a near distance. Next we hiked to the hill behind the spring. The trailhead is easy to miss. Leave the designated parking area at Midway Geyser Basin and drive towards Old Faithful direction for two or three miles where you will see an informal parking area near the Firehole river. From there, cross a steel bridge and hike towards Grand Prismatic for 1 mile. You will notice informal trails up to the top of those hills. On top of the hill, you will see the grand view of the Grand Prismatic. It is amazing.   
Old Faithful Area: Lower Geyser Basin
3 Mile Firehole Lake Drive: Great Fountain geyser, White Dome geyser. In the end of the drive, there is Fountain Paint Pots. You may walk the short Fountain Paint Pot Trail.


From Lower Geyser Basin to Norris District
First you will pass Madison river, the best place to see bisons. There are lots of them grazing on the grassland along Madison River. Sometimes there is heavy traffic because of bisons crossing the roads. After we saw so many bison here, we were no longer excited about the appearance of any other bison thereafter.

Next, you will pass Artist Paint Pots Trail. The Yellowstone park official website says it is  "overlooked yet wonderful short hikes".  However it is not that good in my opinion. Maybe we just saw too much hot springs and mud pots.  

Norris Geyser Basin
Back Basin Trail: Steamboat Geyser is the most powerful geyser in Yellowstone and able to throw hot spring up about 100 meters. But it erupts irregularly. The last time it erupted is in 2005.
Porcelain Basin Trail: we did not walk this one because it looks similar to the above Back Basin Trail.

From Norris Geyser Basin to Canyon Area
Ice Lake Trail is 3.5 miles east of Norris on the Norris-Canyon road. But it was closed when we were there.

Old Faithful Inn

We stayed at the Old Faithful Inn in the night. The building, completed in the year of 1904, is a masterpiece of wood. The three-floor house is constructed out of wood shingles and keeps the colour and texture of the original material. It has a huge lobby and a big stone fireplace. In the night, with the lights on and guests sitting leisurely  around the fireplace, I felt the most unique atmosphere in whatever place I have stayed. Even if you cannot reserve a room in this place, it is still worth walking, just to feel the feel. 


June 4: Yellowstone Canyon


From Lake Area to Yellowstone Canyon:
Natural Bridge Trail: We could not make the trail due to heavy snow. 

Fishing Bridge: There you will see picturesque view of the Yellowstone river and the Yellowstone Lake. Especially, in the early June when there is still snow near and far, it is quite pretty and reminds me the scenery of Mirror Lake at Yosemite National Park.
Pelican Creek Trail: it is said it is a good place to see bears because bears hunt trout in the creek but we could not go there.
Mud Volcano: There is broad walk trail along which you will see some mud pots.

Heyden Valley: That's the place to see wild animals, such as elks, bisons and bears in the morning or during twilight. If you are serious about observing wild animals, you should definitely bring telescopes because they are often far away. With help of other people's telescope, we saw a bald eagle feeding a calf, two black bears and some elks.

Yellowstone Canyon

This was the highlight of out second day at the Yellowstone. Along there are extensive trails and observation points along both rims of the Canyon. We first explored the South Rim. We hiked arduously in the snow along the trail from Upper Falls to Uncle Tom's Trail  to Artist Point. I were amazed by the grand view of the canyon even in the middle of the trail. The north cliff shows the distinct colour of yellow (possibly due to the sulphur minerals) and red. I guess that's why Yellowstone National Park got its name. Finally when we got the Artist point where you have the best view of the Canyon and the Low Fall. It is just beyond speech.

Next we drove along the North Rim and stopped at each observation point. Inspiration Point is worth pointing out. We saw the nest of a bald eagle in a stone column in the Canyon. Again there were some seats facing the Canyon. Let me quote my friend's comments: it is like watching a 3D movie sitting there. 

In the night, we stayed at Canyon Lodge: N 44 44.063 W 110 29.385
June 5: Mammoth Area and Tower Area


From Norris Area to Mammoth Area
Along the river from Norris to Mammoth Area, it is also good place to see wild animals, for example bisons and bears. In the morning of June 6, we saw grizzly bears feeding on a calf. A little earlier, some visitors actually saw the bears hunting on their truck.    
Sheepeater Cliff: This cliff is very special. It is made of columnar stones. The stones are so neatly stacked that it looks almost man-made. 


Mammoth Area
The colourful terraces here are landmarks of Yellowstone National Park. Frankly speaking the terraces are not as amazing as you see in photos, however it is still beautiful enough. I really appreciated the joint work of hot springs and sulphur-phile bacteria. Along the Lower Terraces Trail, you are able to appreciate those landscapes and bacterial colonies closely. 
Originally, visitors are able to explore the Upper Terraces through the Upper Terrace Drive, but it is recently closed due to earth activity. It is however accessible by walk. We hiked the Drive. Luckily there were few people and we were able to enjoy the beauty, the serenity, a bunny and a blue bird there.  

If time permits, you may also would like to hike three hours to the Bunsen Peak, where you can overlook the Mammoth Terraces. Also Beaver Ponds Loop Trail is recommended.
 
From  Mammoth Area to Tower Area
The road between Mammoth Area and The Tower Area is the least-mentioned in Yellowstone and it is even not in our original plan. But We got some unexpected bonus when we decided to try it. We saw an elk and two black bears in close distance in the afternoon. If you are going to see wild animals, besides Hayden Valley and Mammoth Area, this road is also worth a try.
Petrified Tree and Specimen Ridge: Close to Tower Fall, we turned into a valley, which a tomb of dead trees due to earth heat. Of particular interest, the million-years old Petrified tree still stands because its organic material are replaced by minerals.

The Road to Tower Fall is craved out of a cliff. It feels formidable driving there.


Tower Area
The main attraction at Tower Area is the Tower Fall. There is short bur quite steep trail down to the bottom of valley. It is a lovely place there. A river flows smoothly, washing colourful pebbles in the river bed. Above, the cliff shows distinct layers of light yellow soil and dark brown rocks. 
Beartooth Highway 212

Out of Northest  Gate, it leads to the "most beautiful" Beartooth Highway 212. But unfortunately, it was due to adverse weather. Why do we have so much snow this year :-( ??
Boiling River

Want a hot tub in Yellowstone?  Boiling River is about 2-3 miles north of Mammoth Terraces and in the midway to North Entrance. It is permitted to enjoy a free and natural hot tub here. However it is closed due to rapid waterflow when we got there.


Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel

We stayed at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel this night. This is a interesting small village.  Mule deers, with their distinct white buttocks, leisurely walks or stays in the lawns and streets. We could see them even through our hotel window.

June 6: Home! Sweet Home!

Mammoth Area --> Madison Junction --> West Yellowstone --> I-20 W --> I-15S --> Salt Lake City