So, how many magnificent mountains can you see or how many spectacular waterfalls or beautiful lakes or cloudless deep blue skies can you see before you get tired of them. We don't know, haven't even got close to that point and we still have lots to see yet.
Driving across Wyoming we see cattle ranches that must be tens of thousands of acres. Fields with at least that many cattle in them and buildings and towns are few and far between. Just like most of the west there are always snow capped mountains in the distance and as we approach we begin a long uphill climb into the mountains and then a series of switchbacks to the top and then the downhill run that can be several miles until you break into a valley. In the valleys you find a city or town and smaller farms and sometimes industries to support the local resources. Leaving the valley you climb up through the mountain again until you reach the high plain and continue on your journey.
The Grand Tetons are a series mountains with more than twenty peaks over 10,000 feet and several over 12,000 feet the highest being 13,804 feet. At that height they are all snow covered and the snow melt create dozens of fast flowing streams the provide water for the numerous lakes and rivers that start in the park, the most notable is the Snake river. We stop at a turnout atop a glacial moraine and enjoy a bit of lunch and a panoramic view across Jackson Hole and the Grand Tetons.
The drive from the Tetons to Yellowstone National Park is only a few minutes on Hwy. 89 and we quickly find ourselves beside the roaring Yellowstone River as we head towards Old Faithful.
Old Faithful is one of over 500 geysers in the park and as its name suggest it erupts fairly regularly. We waited about 30 minutes and watched as the steam became thicker and short quick eruptions of water boiling up 5-6 feet and then with a roar she blew about 90-100 feet up for about a minute then settled down to a small plume of vapour to start again. Even though we had seem it on TV lots of time and many pictures it was still something special to witness in person.
We took what is called the Yellowstone grand Loop, stopping at Geyser Basin where dozens of small geysers bring their boiling waters up to Firehole Lake. Further along we hike a trail to Artist Paint Pot where dozen of mud holes boil up in different colours created by minerals in the earth. Further to the west we followed a trail to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, not quite like the other Grand Canyon but still pretty impressive with upper and lower falls and great lookout spots.
Every campsite in both parks were full and camping is not allowed in any other location so we headed north into Montana and stopped at a pullout in a valley. About midnight the moon dropped below the mountains and the star show was really something, reminding us of our trip to Newfoundland about this time last year.
In the Book of Psalms 19:1 it reads "The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky proclaim the works of His hand". We sure see the work of His hand wherever we go.
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