3rd Day in Yellowstone

9/12/2008 Yellowstone Day 3
Today we pack up and leave Yellowstone RV park in Gardiner, Montana and head to the Fishing Bridge RV Park inside Yellowstone and Wyoming. The Fishing Bridge RV Park only allows hard sided campers. No tents, no canvas pop-ups, only hard sided campers. I think it is because of bears in the area. We will stay only one night then head to Jackson.

It is sunny with very few clouds in the sky. The trip to the new camp site is only about 44 miles, yet it takes us about 5 hours. Since we left at 8:30 that means we arrive around 1:30PM. The reason for the delay? Well, the bison herds. We drive by a valley and along the river, there are at least 5 different herd of bison. So we stopped, take pictures, and just watch for a while. In the picture you can see one of the bulls rolling in the dirt.

Later, we get to the mud volcano site and walk around taking in the sights of boiling and splattering mud. It is difficult to imagine that the mud is because of microbes which have broken down the ground surrounding the geyser. In all, they are interesting and hypnotic. You have to watch, it can not be helped.

Anyway, we are reaching the end of the boardwalk around the mud geysers and see a group of bison, with people close by watching. Well, we have to go and watch also. There is one big bull that is grunting. Also, a little later, two other bison begin to start head butting and locking horns. We got pictures of that, it is easier to see then grunting, so that is what you you'll see here.
We continue on our way and get to Fishing Bridge RV Park and set up. We have something for lunch and then set off for the Old Faithful geyser site. This area has many geysers that are all active. Several go up while we are there and get some pictures. Old Faithful ejects at least twice that we see while we are walking around. I'll try to include a couple of these for the post.

After viewing the Castle geyser erupt (sun is back lite on this one), we head back to the car. While heading back to the car we spot a wolf or coyote. Not sure which and I do not have a good picture of it, but since we have already seen a coyote, it must have been a wolf. Or at least that is the story I'm sticking to.

We are in the Old Faithful area for about 4-5 hours and then head back to the motor home. Needless to say we are tired. Today we have seen elk and bison as we have every day in Yellowstone so far, and we also see a couple of deer.

Tomorrow we will leave early in the morning and head to Jackson, Wyoming. All in all we have thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Yellowstone National Park. There have been many sightings of animals and each one has been exciting, no mater how many times we have seen bison it has always excited us. Tonight, with a little sadness, we stay for the last night in Yellowstone. There are many hiking trails we have not hiked and we have not seen an grizzly bear nor a confirmed wolf siting. But, that will just have to wait until the next time.